TLDR
- Opendoor Technologies (OPEN) jumped as much as 15.5% on Friday after activist investor Eric Jackson appeared on Yahoo Finance, comparing the company to Uber and Airbnb
- Jackson believes Opendoor sits on valuable data that can leverage AI to revolutionize home buying and selling
- The stock has gained 164% in 2025, making it one of the hottest meme stocks on the market
- Thursday’s gains were also supported by stronger-than-expected Q2 GDP growth of 3.3%, beating economist forecasts of 3%
- Jim Cramer’s coverage on Mad Money may have inadvertently boosted the stock despite his cautious stance
Opendoor Technologies stock experienced wild swings this week as activist investor Eric Jackson continued his campaign to boost the real estate platform. The stock jumped as much as 15.5% on Friday before settling at a 2.2% gain.
Jackson appeared on Yahoo Finance’s “Opening Bid” show and made a compelling comparison that sent traders scrambling. He connected Opendoor to some of tech’s biggest success stories.
“If you think about some of the great e-commerce brands that have emerged in the last 10 years, I’m thinking of names like Uber, kind of revolutionizing how you take a taxi,” Jackson said. “I’m thinking of Airbnb revolutionizing how we think about going and staying in a B&B.”
The EMJ Capital founder has been Opendoor’s biggest cheerleader this year. He believes the company is sitting on a goldmine of real estate data that can power AI-driven home transactions.
Jackson’s influence on the stock has been undeniable. Opendoor has surged 164% in 2025, transforming it into one of the market’s hottest meme stocks.
The comparison to Uber and Airbnb certainly sounds exciting. Both companies disrupted massive industries and created enormous shareholder value.
But the reality is more complex than Jackson’s pitch suggests. Opendoor actually buys and sells homes directly, making it incredibly capital-intensive.
Business Model Creates Unique Challenges
This fundamental difference sets Opendoor apart from the platform models of Uber and Airbnb. Those companies simply connect buyers and sellers without taking inventory risk.
Opendoor’s model requires massive amounts of capital to purchase homes. This makes the company extremely sensitive to interest rates and housing market conditions.
The current environment presents headwinds. Interest rates remain elevated and the housing market shows mixed signals.
The company continues to operate at a loss while carrying heavy debt loads. This creates financial pressure that platform companies like Uber and Airbnb never faced in their early days.
Thursday’s trading session also saw Opendoor climb 4.1% before finishing higher. The move came after stronger-than-expected GDP data for the second quarter.
Economic Data Provides Tailwind
The Commerce Department reported Q2 GDP growth of 3.3%, beating economist forecasts of 3%. Stronger economic growth could support home sales and create better conditions for Opendoor’s business.
The stock has shown extreme volatility recently. Tuesday and Wednesday brought sharp sell-offs before Thursday’s recovery began.
Jim Cramer’s coverage on CNBC’s “Mad Money” may have also influenced trading. The host called Opendoor a “meme stock” and said he wouldn’t chase the rally.
Cramer’s comments could have brought additional attention to the stock. Some meme stock traders specifically bet against his recommendations.
The stock’s trading volume on Friday reached over 10 million shares. This compares to an average daily volume of nearly 244 million shares.
Opendoor closed Friday at $4.46 per share. The stock has traded between $0.51 and $5.87 over the past 52 weeks, showing just how volatile this name has become.
Opendoor (OPEN) Stock: President Buys 30,000 Shares as Stock Rallies After Hours
