Microsoft has made an unsolicited $44.6 billion cash and stock bid for Yahoo, a deal that shakes up the competitive and lucrative market for Internet search…
In a copy of the letter it sent to Yahoo’s board of directors, Microsoft disclosed it had explored a Microsoft-Yahoo deal a year earlier, only to be rebuffed with Yahoo telling it at that time it was confident of the “potential upside” for Yahoo from operational changes it planned.
“A year has gone by, and the competitive situation has not improved,” the letter from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said.
John has skewered this package deal a couple of times. What happened to either of these outfits working at their core businesses? How is an acquisition really expected to help?
Yahoo will be ruined if it becomes like Microsoft.
But if Microsoft starts being more like Yahoo, it would be a good thing.
Google must be loving this. (Sarcasm not intended.)
“How is an acquisition really expected to help?”
It won’t, but absorbing the competition is what M$ does best
In a brief discussion away from the site, KB made a cogent point [I think]: one sort of site that Yahoo failed with was an auction site – something that I think MSoft might get right.
Given the turmoil currently afflicting eBay, it might be a competitive opportunity.
#2 – AT&T is never happy with any partner…
#15 – Interesting concept – if nothing else to drive up the bid.
BTW, what is Yahoo’s core business supposed to be? Really thought it was to be everything on the web. Yes, yes I know it was search and then a portal. They were supposed to stay in that box?
Is this Ballmer taking one for the team? After Gates leaves, Ballmer buys Yahoo, a move that over the following two years, tanks Microsoft share value. And like John says, Gates returns to save the company ala’ Jobs.
Damn, I just read John’s newest Market Watch column, and as usual, he’s way ahead of me.