There's been a lot going on between Microsoft Corp., Yahoo! Inc. and Google Inc. So here's a Microhoogle recap. The two outcomes most talked about are search advertising deals, wherein Yahoo! would connect with either MSFT or Google. ComScore Inc. just reported nearly
62% of searches performed in the U.S. in April, or 6.5 billion, were conducted on Google sites, a 2% rise from March. And Google co-founder
Larry Page went to Washington Thursday to speak at the New American Foundation think tank. His basic points:
- A $47.5 billion Microsoft takeover of Yahoo! (No. 2 in the U.S. search ad market) would concentrate too much power in the online communications market.
- Antitrust issues won't derail a Yahoo!-Google ad deal because there are different ways to structure the deal. Published reports say a two-week trial recently completed indicated that Google's technology would help to boost Yahoo!'s profits and perhaps its stock price.
Yahoo! on Thursday postponed its July 3 annual meeting to late July in the face of an Icahn proxy fight to get Yahoo! back to the deal table with Microsoft. This second delay will allow it to figure out alternatives to a takeover. The Deal reports MSFT has since said it could
buy Yahoo!'s search ad business, acquiring a stake in what would become a much smaller entity, and as part of such a deal, Yahoo! could move to unload its Asian assets (stakes in China's Alibaba Group, Yahoo! Japan and South Korean e-commerce company Gmarket Inc.).
Last, in a blow to Icahn's deal hopes, on Friday Reuters reported MSFT CEO Steve Ballmer said the company had
never seen buying Yahoo! as strategic, and dropping the bid meant it now had $50 billion to spend on other acquisitions. -
Baz Hiralal
Google's Page rips Microsoft, says Yahoo! ad deal OKMicrosoft CEO says Yahoo! buy was never strategicYahoo! faces investor rebellionYahoo! responds to Icahn proxyOn Microhoo:Yahoo! partners with Cnet, MSFT deadline loomsHostility looms for Microsoft-Yahoo!Yahoo! courts AOL, Microsoft gauges News Corp.Microsoft and News Corp. vs. Yahoo! and AOL?Microsoft betrays fear in cozying up with News Corp.Microsoft, News Corp. 'plot Yahoo! bid'See the post about Yahoo!-News Corp. and a MySpace JVRupert Murdoch, Yahoo!'s white squire?Yahoo! inks ad deal with Google
Microsoft shuffles for integration, Yahoo! defends
Factors that could hinder a Microsoft-Yahoo! integrationYahoo! open to Microsoft deal, just not at this priceGo to the Dealwatch on Yahoo!More from the CD archives:
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Juergen Lasowski
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