Microsoft and Yahoo! try to ignite their lost love…again
By Triston McIntyre
You know that couple that you’re friends with, the one that constantly fights and breaks up, only to get back together again, until the next breakup? For the tech world, that irritating couple is Yahoo! and Microsoft, which have supposedly started trying to “work things out” again…you know, like all the other times.
Though Michael Arrington might not be my favorite writer on the web, he certainly has some “ins” in the industry. He’s reporting, by way of his lovechild TechCrunch, that Yahoo! and Microsoft have resumed negotiations, but this time there is a twist.
CNET has it on whatever CNET’s authority is that this time, Yahoo! actually approached Microsoft about a complete buyout, to the tune of some number in the low $30s per share. Though that might not sound like a whole lot, Yahoo!’s shares are at around $20 today, so Yahoo! would certainly not be getting shafted in the deal.
Frankly, I’d rather they just get on with the whole affair, if only so I don’t have to read about negotiations being on again, off again every day. The back and forth talks have actually hurt Yahoo! in the eyes of shareholders and critics, who are waiting for Yahoo! to just put out already. Arrington says that it’s really only the big dogs in the company and board of directors that are holding back an agreement, and that isn’t sitting well with just about anyone.
Hopefully the renewed negotiations will end in happy matrimony. If it doesn’t, can the two of you just accept that you need new lovers? Seriously.
As a side note, I’m wondering how a complete buyout of Yahoo! could function in light of Yahoo!’s partnership with Google for messaging integration. The whole purpose of acquiring Yahoo! for Microsoft is to combat Google’s web presence. Though a takeover of Yahoo! search might not have been as beneficial for Microsoft as a complete buyout, this manage a trois might get a little uncomfortable in a complete buyout situation.
Related:
Entry was posted
on Tuesday, June 24th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
under 
Print This Post
Read more entries by Triston McIntyre.
Stumble It!
