10 Iconic Brands That Were Sold for Just Pennies
These massive companies were once bought for next to nothing, and their buyers struck gold.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Sometimes, the best investments come wrapped in a bargain. These household-name brands were scooped up for shockingly low prices, either in moments of crisis or simply by luck. This list shows how pennies-on-the-dollar deals turned into billion-dollar empires.
1. Marvel Entertainment – Bought for $82 Million in 1998
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After declaring bankruptcy, Marvel was on the verge of collapse. Toy Biz swooped in and merged with it for a mere $82 million — chump change in the media world.
2. Instagram – Bought for $1 Billion in 2012
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It sounds like a lot — until you realize Instagram had only 13 employees and no revenue at the time. Facebook’s acquisition looked risky to some, but it now generates billions in ad revenue.
3. Converse – Bought for $305 Million in 2003
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Nike snagged Converse after it filed for bankruptcy. Once the top basketball shoe, the brand had faded into nostalgia. Nike’s revamp turned it into a fashion staple.
4. Tumblr – Bought for $1.1 Billion in 2013, Sold for $3 Million in 2019
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Yahoo famously bought Tumblr at a sky-high price, but Verizon practically gave it away just six years later. Automattic, the parent of WordPress, picked it up for less than a decent condo.
5. Polaroid – Bought for $59.1 Million in 2009
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Polaroid, once a symbol of instant photography, was struggling to stay relevant in the digital age. The brand was bought out of bankruptcy for under $60 million.
6. Hostess – Bought for $410 Million in 2013
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When the Twinkie maker went bankrupt, fans feared their snack cakes were gone forever. However, two investment firms bought the brand at a relatively low price.
7. MySpace – Bought for $580 Million in 2005, Sold for $35 Million in 2011
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It was once the king of social media, but Facebook stole the crown. News Corp bought MySpace at its peak, then watched it crumble.
8. Lego – Reacquired for Undisclosed Cents on the Dollar (2004)
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In the early 2000s, Lego was losing millions. The founding family stepped in and bought back shares to regain control.
9. Skype – Bought for $2.6 Billion in 2005, Sold for $8.5 Billion in 2011
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The attempt of eBay to integrate Skype flopped, and it offloaded the platform to a private group including Silver Lake Partners. They bought it for a bargain and flipped it to Microsoft at a huge profit.
10. Beats by Dre – Initial Stake Sold for $0 by Monster Cable (2009)
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Monster helped create Beats but failed to secure equity. Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine walked away with the brand.