MarineMax and Blackstone-owned Safe Harbor Marinas have agreed to a $1.5 billion USD all-cash acquisition, giving shareholders $53 for each share. Announced on 10 August 2026, the agreement was unanimously approved by MarineMax’s board of directors and would take the US marine company into private ownership, subject to regulatory and shareholder approval.
Under the definitive agreement, Safe Harbor will acquire all issued and outstanding shares of MarineMax’s common stock for $53.00 per share in cash. The purchase price represents a premium of 96 percent to MarineMax’s closing share price of $27.03 on 30 January 2026, the last trading day prior to the public disclosure of an unsolicited non-binding proposal to acquire 100 percent of the company.
Brett McGill, CEO and president of MarineMax, said: “We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Safe Harbor. Throughout this process, we have remained focused on maximising value for our shareholders and positioning MarineMax for continued growth and success. I am proud of the strength of our differentiated, resilient and integrated model, loyal customer base, talented team and premium product portfolio. The scale of our combined platforms will help us enhance and expand our offerings, deepen our partner and customer relationships and provide greater opportunities for our team.”
The definitive agreement brings an end to a period of uncertainty for MarineMax, in which it had been subject to public attempts by Donerail to acquire the company for a reported $1.1 billion USD all-cash deal. This was followed by a public exchange of statements in which Donerail accused MarineMax of a “culture of nepotism” and that their attempts to meet with the board had been met with “silence, procedural manoeuvring and outright obstruction”.
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MarineMax operates more than 120 locations worldwide, including over 70 dealerships and 65 marina and storage facilities, with IGY Marinas operating 24 properties across the Americas, Europe and the Middle East and serving more than 10,000 annual customers and vessels including some of the world’s largest superyachts.
The company extends its business into superyacht brokerage and yacht services through Fraser Yachts Group and Northrop & Johnson, manufactures boats through Cruisers Yachts and Intrepid Powerboats and operates MarineMax Vacations from Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.
Safe Harbor’s current portfolio of locations includes more than 150 marinas and shipyards, primarily in the United States. The company was itself acquired in 2025 for $5.65 billion USD by Blackstone Infrastructure, one of the world’s largest alternative asset managers overseeing more than $1.3 trillion USD in assets across investment areas including real estate, private equity, infrastructure, credit and life sciences.
The acquisition of MarineMax by Safe Harbor therefore opens the door to the former’s IGY Marinas facilities being folded into the latter’s expanding global network of marinas. As the Safe Harbor CEO Baxter Underwood told Marina World’s parent company, SuperYacht Times, in an interview earlier this year, since their acquisition of Monaco Marine, Safe Harbor has been looking to strengthen its position in the Mediterranean. At the time of the announcement, IGY Marinas has eight marinas across the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Italy, as well as five in the United States, six in the Caribbean, four in Latin America and two in the Middle East.
Commenting on the transaction, Underwood said: “MarineMax has a talented team and deep relationships across the industry. By bringing together these two complementary businesses, we believe we can create greater value for boaters and an expanded service offering for the industry.”
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MarineMax writes that the transaction was unanimously approved by the board, and is expected to close by the end of 2026 subject to customary closing conditions, including certain regulatory approvals and the approval of MarineMax’s shareholders. If the transaction is completed, MarineMax would become a privately held company, and MarineMax’s common stock would no longer be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Rebecca White, chairperson of the board, added: “The transaction announced today is the result of careful consideration and negotiation by the board and management. Following a thoughtful and comprehensive process, the board unanimously concluded that this transaction is in the best interests of MarineMax and its shareholders, and that the transaction price represents compelling and certain value for MarineMax’s shares.”
Wells Fargo served as MarineMax’s financial adviser and Sidley Austin LLP as its legal counsel, while Evercore advised Safe Harbor and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP provided legal counsel.
