Private equity firms, including Centerbridge Partners, Blackstone and wealthy individuals, have expressed interest in buying MarineMax, according to three sources who spoke exclusively to Reuters this week.
Reuters’ sources say the marine services company, which also operates marinas, has issued confidentiality agreements allowing the parties to review documents and receive other information to shape a potential bid.
Other firms that have expressed interest in an acquisition include recreational vehicle retail company Blue Compass, investor Island Capital Group and private equity group TPG, according to Reuters. These reports do not guarantee a deal will be reached.
MarineMax has so far not responded to the claims or issued a comment.
In a statement made earlier this week, MarineMax says that it remains committed to carefully evaluating any credible proposal that could improve shareholder value.
The reports come after US hedge fund Donerail Group entered talks to acquire MarineMax in all-cash deal worth $1bn. After MarineMax confirmed the offer was ‘unsolicited’, Donerail issued a scathing letter calling out a ‘corrosive culture of nepotism’ at the firm, and urging shareholders to vote against the election of CEO Brett McGill as a director at the upcoming annual meeting on 3 March 2026.
A second major shareholder, Levin Capital – which owns over 3 per cent of MarineMax stock – has also called out problems at the firm in recent days, and urged the board to engage with Donerail’s offer.
MarineMax annual meeting showdown set for March
MarineMax’s share price is up 8 per cent so far this year, supported by the company’s report last month that same-store sales increased 10 per cent in the first quarter of fiscal 2026.
However, MarineMax shares have fallen 37 per cent in the past five years, while the broader S&P 500 index has gained 82 per cent.
MarineMax shares rose to their highest level in a year after the news of Donerail’s proposed takeover was published.
The annual meeting on 3 March 2026 will give shareholders the chance to have their say. At the meeting, shareholders will vote on board composition, with three of the company’s seven directors, including CEO Brett McGill, standing for election.
Pension fund the California Teachers’ Retirement System, called CalSTRS, says it has voted against all three directors standing for election, according to Reuters.
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