Microsoft: Pondering the alternatives to Yahoo
Microsoft’s Saturday “negotiate or else” deadline for Yahoo has passed with an eerie silence. Yahoo’s board is reportedly meeting Sunday–you’d think the company would have met before the deadline, but I guess we’re all prone to procrastination. Microsoft CFO Christopher Liddell hinted on Thursday and in a broadcast to employees Friday the software giant will respond “next week,” which happens to be now.
All the incremental data on the Microhoo saga can be found on Techmeme, but the real question is this: Who has all the leverage? Despite Yahoo’s bluster, it appears Microsoft still holds all of the cards. Microsoft controls its market cap and Yahoo’s. Yahoo hasn’t come up with alternatives to Microsoft’s $31 a share bid (if Yahoo did we would have heard about them). Microsoft may appear desperate for Yahoo but the reality is that it could–and arguably should–walk away and be fine.
Why? Microsoft has more alternatives at its disposal. With the Yahoo bid, Microsoft is going for a big bang but you can accomplish the same goal with a bunch of tuck-in acquisitions.
"Without a doubt Yahoo needs Micrsoft, they need to stop playing games and merge for both of their sakes."
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=8626
Monday, April 28, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
"THE ELEVENTH HOUR"
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc (YHOO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) faces a critical week that could decide whether the pioneering Web company can remain independent or must surrender to an unsolicited takeover by Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research).
Yahoo is racing to forge a credible alternative that lets it stay independent or at least forces Microsoft to raise its $31 a share cash-and-stock bid, now valued at $42.8 billion.
"Yahoo is willing to try things at the 11th hour, that it never felt the urgency to try," Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Jeffrey Lindsay said. "Shareholders win, either way."
"They are coming up with some of their best stuff now," he added. "We just wish they had done these things last year."
When it reports first-quarter results on Tuesday, Yahoo has perhaps a last chance to demonstrate some financial strength and progress it has made in stabilizing the company's Internet media and advertising business after two years of decline.
Yahoo is racing to forge a credible alternative that lets it stay independent or at least forces Microsoft to raise its $31 a share cash-and-stock bid, now valued at $42.8 billion.
"Yahoo is willing to try things at the 11th hour, that it never felt the urgency to try," Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Jeffrey Lindsay said. "Shareholders win, either way."
"They are coming up with some of their best stuff now," he added. "We just wish they had done these things last year."
When it reports first-quarter results on Tuesday, Yahoo has perhaps a last chance to demonstrate some financial strength and progress it has made in stabilizing the company's Internet media and advertising business after two years of decline.
Yahoo is holding on to get its way, it does not want Microsoft to come and bully it.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
SERVICE PACK #3
Microsoft Corp. will release Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) to computer makers and some IT professionals next week and offer it to all users via Windows Update April 29, according to an internal schedule obtained by the Neowin.net Web site.
Although others had previously pegged SP3's release to the last half of April, Neowin's dates are the most specific seen so far.
According to the site, the service pack will debut April 21, when it's shipped to computer manufacturers, offered to volume licensing customers and posted for download on TechNet and Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN), subscription services for IT staff and developers, respectively.
"THE COVERSION WILL SOON COMENSE, VISTA IS COMING"
Although others had previously pegged SP3's release to the last half of April, Neowin's dates are the most specific seen so far.
According to the site, the service pack will debut April 21, when it's shipped to computer manufacturers, offered to volume licensing customers and posted for download on TechNet and Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN), subscription services for IT staff and developers, respectively.
"THE COVERSION WILL SOON COMENSE, VISTA IS COMING"
Monday, April 14, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
MICROSOFT IS PERSISTENT
Microsoft-Yahoo deal hastens Alibaba's buyback
Chinese Internet firm Alibaba is speeding up the buyback of its stake owned by Yahoo Inc, as Microsoft Corp threatens to go hostile with a lower bid for Yahoo.
Microsoft Corp. has sent a letter on April 5 to the Yahoo Board of Directors setting a three-week deadline for moving forward on its buyout offer. It also said if the deal isn't reached by April 26 it will launch a hostile takeover at a less attractive price.
THE DEAL WILL GO FORTH
Sunday, April 6, 2008
WAR!!
Microsoft Readies to Push Yahoo for Hostile Takeover
Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer has threatened directly Yahoo's board with a hostile takeover which may reduce the company's value below their initial takeover offer. In a letter, the software leader has said through its ruthless chief executive that it will take those measures if a deal will not be reached within three weeks."If we are forced to take an offer directly to your shareholders, that action will have an undesirable impact on the value of your company from our perspective which will be reflected in the terms of our proposal," Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer wrote in a letter sent to Yahoo's board yesterday.The initial offer made by Microsoft on February 1 was $31 a share, adding up to a grand total of approximately $44.6 billion but after a downfall in Microsoft’s shares, it is now worth about $42 billion, still making it, if finalized, the biggest-ever takeover in the high-tech industry.On February 11, Jerry Yang rejected the Microsoft’s bid saying that it undervalues the company. Yahoo asked for a $12 billion raise in Microsoft’s offer, which has not happened so far. Rumors have it that Microsoft already turned to Bear Stearns Cos. Services in the Yahoo situation.It is common knowledge that Yahoo has been searching for a backup option to Microsoft’s offer, discussing different partnership scenarios with Google, AOL and the News Corporation. However, no deal has been struck so far.
MICROSOFT WILL DO WHAT IT TAKES TO SECURE ITS FUTURE TO STAY ON THE TOP.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE THINGS WORK
Microsoft to patch Vista SP1, Server 2008 next week
Slates eight updates; one is 'critical' across the entire Windows line
Security Management ZoneSecurity management is the process of developing a comprehensive data protection plan. It takes into account all potential threats, the existing network environment, the future needs of the organization, and lays out a multi-tiered blueprint to integrate the security technology needed to combat these threats. CDW can help keep your network and data secure. Visit the CDW Security Management Zone now
See All Zones
April 3, 2008 (Computerworld) Microsoft Corp. today said it will issue eight security updates next week, five tagged as "critical" to patch Windows, Office and Internet Explorer.
One of the critical Windows updates scheduled for next Tuesday affects every version of the operating system Microsoft supports, including the just-released Service Pack 1 for Vista and the newest server operating system, Windows Server 2008.
"That one has to be a pretty bad bug to be critical across the board like that," said Andrew Storms, director of security operations at nCircle Network Security Inc. "I would have expected a drop in criticality for Vista SP1, and most certainly in Server 2008. Something should have mitigated the vulnerability."
VERY BIG DEAL FOR THE COMPANY!!!!
Slates eight updates; one is 'critical' across the entire Windows line
Security Management ZoneSecurity management is the process of developing a comprehensive data protection plan. It takes into account all potential threats, the existing network environment, the future needs of the organization, and lays out a multi-tiered blueprint to integrate the security technology needed to combat these threats. CDW can help keep your network and data secure. Visit the CDW Security Management Zone now
See All Zones
April 3, 2008 (Computerworld) Microsoft Corp. today said it will issue eight security updates next week, five tagged as "critical" to patch Windows, Office and Internet Explorer.
One of the critical Windows updates scheduled for next Tuesday affects every version of the operating system Microsoft supports, including the just-released Service Pack 1 for Vista and the newest server operating system, Windows Server 2008.
"That one has to be a pretty bad bug to be critical across the board like that," said Andrew Storms, director of security operations at nCircle Network Security Inc. "I would have expected a drop in criticality for Vista SP1, and most certainly in Server 2008. Something should have mitigated the vulnerability."
VERY BIG DEAL FOR THE COMPANY!!!!
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