Magnum Ice Cream stock soars 18% after report of potential private equity takeover

Shares of Ben & Jerry's parent company Magnum Ice Cream Company jumped as much as 18% after Reuters reported that Blackstone and CD&R are among firms in the early stages of exploring a bid for the company.

It comes just six months after it spun off from Unilever to create the world's largest standalone ice cream maker. 

The private equity firms are monitoring the company's share price before deciding whether to make a move, according to the Reuters report, which cites sources familiar with the matter. Potential bidders were waiting for Magnum to report summer sales before making a decision, Reuters reported.

Coming into Friday trading, the stock is trading at a similar level since the spin-off completed on Dec. 8 2025. 

Blackstone declined to comment. CD&R and Magnum didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Magnum's Amsterdam-listed shares were up 17% at 12 p.m. London time (7:00 a.m. ET), while U.S.-listed shares jumped by a similar amount in premarket trading.

Magnum owns the eponymous ice cream brand, as well as Cornetto, Heartbrand, and Ben & Jerry's.

A group led by Ben & Jerry's co-founder Ben Cohen has been advocating for the brand to become independent. The campaign, dubbed "Free Ben & Jerry's," has been ongoing for years, with Cohen slamming both Magnum and previous owner Unilever for squashing its social mission.

Magnum reported first-quarter sales growth in April that beat expectations, boosting the stock.

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