Yahoo reveals bill for Microsoft battle
Summary
Topics
Yahoo spent much of that bill on outside advisers who helped the company weigh Microsoft's proposals, which ranged from a total buyout bid for $33 a share to an eventual offer to acquire only Yahoo's search business. Yahoo rejected all of Microsoft's proposals.
Part of the $79 million bill was also attributed to hiring outside advisers for fighting off a proxy contest by activist shareholder Carl Icahn, who eventually settled with the company and received three seats on Yahoo's board.
A portion of the bill also went to Yahoo's outside advisers considering its controversial search agreement with Google, which ultimately ended with the companies walking away from the deal when federal anti-trust regulators said it would challenge the deal.
Defending itself against Microsoft's attentions changed Yahoo in other ways. In the process, Yahoo founder and CEO Jerry Yang stepped down due to shareholder pressure and has since resumed his role as chief Yahoo. Sue Decker, who was Yahoo's president in 2008, lost her bid to become the next CEO when Yahoo's board named former Autodesk chief Carol Bartz to oversee the troubled internet company. Yahoo also saw an exodus of executives in June 2008.
This article was originally posted on CNET News.
Talkback Most Recent of 15 Talkback(s)
-
Well, in any case, Microsoft succeeded in puting the #2 competitor in
disarray. So, it did not work out bad for Microsoft. And, Microsoft just might buy Yahoo in the end anyway.
DonnieBoy2nd Mar 2009 -
Global usage numbers don't look good.
In 2008, while this dance between Microsoft and Yahoo, the percentages for both companies search engines (Yahoo, MSN, Live) was as follows (rough numbers from Search Engine Market Share ) was:
Yahoo - Global 12.23% in January, dropped to 10.43% in December (still dropping, February was 10.06%).
MSN - Global 3.43%, peaked at 3.51% and dropped to 2.96% (February was 2.97%).
Microsoft Live Search was at 2.59 in January, dropped off to 1.59%, it has been increasing since November of 2007 when it was at 1.56%, now holding at 1.73%.
B.O.F.H.2nd Mar 2009 -
Wow, that is amazing considering that Google is run by a bunch of punks
with an attitude. To top it all off, they use Linux, when Windows server is so much better and so much cheaper to operate. I find if very hard to understand just how Google can gain share against Microsoft, where Microsoft has the best OS, the best and brightest employees, and are the best funded.DonnieBoy2nd Mar 2009 -
Parassassin4th Mar 2009 -
Why blame Microsoft? Was it not Google
who (as you so happily pointed out on numerous occasions) did their best to derail the merger? I would say that Google got the wish it had so desparetlly wanted: They managed to put the number two competitor in disarray.
Just like joimg the Opera/Firefox "suit"; In the end the EU will have helped put a finacial burden on those companies, helping Google in the end with their Chrome offering, which by many accounts, not being all that well received.
GuidingLight2nd Mar 2009 -
Yes, Microsoft may have helped Google more than themselves. Microsoft is
still a miserable distant third, even having invested billions in search. Very good insight on your part!!
And MS would have zero problems in Europe if they did not bundle their browser. The bundling is all for nothing. IE is so far superior to Firefox, Opera, Safari, Chrome, that people would download and install IE in the same numbers without MS having to force the issue and create legal problems for themselves. Why does MS want legal problems they do not need?DonnieBoy2nd Mar 2009 -
You are right, Google took advantage of Microsoft's attempt to buy Yaho!!!!
I really feel sorry for Microsoft and all of the money that this whole thing cost them. Those punks at Google had NO right to mess with Microsoft, they should pick on somebody their own size.DonnieBoy2nd Mar 2009 -
Eh????
You make it sound like M$ are a loveable local vendor who has been wronged by a corporate giant.
M$ have abused their power and bullied many smaller companies around, they are in no way shape or form a victim.
For every person who dislike google I could probably find two who dislike M$ more!!Parassassin4th Mar 2009 -
that was money well spent
Having an independent yahoo benefits everyone but M$.
The consumers have more choices, and the share holders will see the stock grow up quickly and reward them big time.
Linux Geek2nd Mar 2009 -
Well, except that I really feel sorry for Microsoft. They have invested
billions in search, and this has cost shareholders dearly. MS stock is at 12 year lows. It just ain't right.DonnieBoy2nd Mar 2009 -
Everyones stock is
I don't think that this battle has anything to do with MS stock being down.
Most companies are down. That's just what this global economic crisis is doing.
There are just a few stocks that aren't tanking.
rarsa2nd Mar 2009 -
In the past, MS has been pretty much immune to downturns.
This is very different. Also, compare MS to Google and IBM since 2000. There is a huge difference.DonnieBoy2nd Mar 2009 -
Stop blaming google
for Microsofts failiure to keep its shareholders in champagne and prada!Parassassin4th Mar 2009 -
Is it googles fault that M$
cant make their search engine as good as googles?Parassassin4th Mar 2009 -
i wish i can be a outside advisers
to earn a lot of money doing nothing.
magallanes3rd Mar 2009
Talkback - Tell Us What You Think
The best of ZDNet, delivered
ZDNet Newsletters
Get the best of ZDNet delivered straight to your inbox
Facebook Activity
