Yahoo rejects Microsoft ultimatum
updated 08:15 am EDT, Mon April 7, 2008
Yahoo Rejects MS Ultimatum
Yahoo on Monday morning published a letter rebuffing Microsoft's imposed three-week deadline to accept a takeover bid, dismissing many of the claims made in the original argument. The formal rejection again states that Microsoft's $31 per share bid "substantially undervalues" Yahoo and adds that the actual value of the deal has decreased since it was suggested in late January, with Microsoft's share value having dropped while Yahoo's has increased.
Company chief Jerry Yang and chairman Roy Bostock add that Yahoo is performing in line with expectations and has no immediate need to partner with the Windows developer. A new ad system launching today should help, the executives say. They also hint that they are "exploring [their] strategic alternatives" to find what they see as the best value for the company.
Yahoo's board of directors is not averse to a deal but would require a higher offer, according to the letter.
The authors also accuse Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer of presenting a misleading picture of actual events. In addition to refuting claims that a poor US economy is damaging Yahoo's business, Yahoo points out that Microsoft's threats of lowering its offer and beginning a proxy battle to replace the company's board with Microsoft-friendly members both contrast sharply with claims of a "friendly" offer and that negotiations have been far more active than suggested. Ballmer has had the chance to improve negotiations but has never taken advantage of the opportunity, Yahoo claims.
"Steve, you personally attended two of these meetings and could have advanced discussions in any way you saw fit," the letter notes.
Yahoo has also returned with accusations of its own and notes that Microsoft has yet to respond with details of potential regulatory issues with a takeover, including antitrust investigations that would need to be passed before any approved union. Although not explicitly mentioned in the letter, Microsoft's ownership of Yahoo would create legal difficulties for China-based Alibaba, which is concerned that Microsoft may impose more control on its business and go against Chinese guidelines.
Microsoft itself has argued that a takeover of Yahoo is necessary to prevent Google from establishing monopolies in search and web advertising.
How does this help MS?
04/07, 08:40am reply
MS reeks of desperation. Seriously, how will the Yahoo takeover help them in their quest to offset Google? Even if you take best-case scenario and combine the two market-shares... this union still doesn't make much sense.
All this is doing is showing the world that, truly, MS is out of ideas.
gambit-7
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Joined: Feb 2001
Ideas
04/07, 08:46am reply
MS has been out of ideas for years. As for Ballmer, he is a thug and a blowhard. At least Gates had some vision, Ballmer has always been along for the ride.
ClevelandAdv
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Joined: Jul 2004
ideas
04/07, 08:51am reply
as if they ever had an original idea. they are investors not innovators.
Haroscarfel
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Joined: Nov 2007
How does this help at all
04/07, 09:16am reply
How does this help at all? MS would ruin Yahoo period! It would be all Windows based on IE7 or 8. They would probably kill Yahoo messenger in favor of there own messenger. I see nothing good about MS taking over Yahoo. In fact I think Google would benefit from it as more people would move away from Yahoo if they did take over knowing what would probably happen.
horvatic
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Joined: Apr 2002
Steve B is an idiot!
04/07, 09:19am reply
Making big threats when you have very little to stand on certainly isn't going to help MS case. This is just showing there bullying tactics of days of old and why they were prosecuted for Monopolistic tactics. Here's a good live example! Only now more and more companies are wising up. Great job Yahoo for tossing the ball in Steve B's face!
horvatic
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Joined: Apr 2002
MS = too optimistic
04/07, 09:27am reply
The best analogy I've heard for what MS is trying to do is that they are "getting two turkeys together to face off an eagle".
Isn't "hostile takeover bid" a disgusting phrase?
UnCal
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Joined: Sep 2007
good for yahoo!
04/07, 11:02am reply
Ballmer is an Idiot!
I just like saying that - rolls off the tongue - has a nice ring to it_
More and more you see M$ sliding down from the top of the Mountain_ This one more grasp at loose sand as with the whole Vista Windows 7 debacle_ As they haven't been able to establish the same dominance they had in the desktop arena and are being outsed by both Google and Yahoo! in the online market_
The bullying tactics of old days - as someone mentioned above - this worked in the 80's as the general public was more unaware of events playing out_ news was not near instantaneous or accessible via - networked information - PDAs - internet - cellphones - etc... But also M$ did not really try to take on a larger corporation of this magnitude_ It's not like they tried to acquire Enron or Apple or IBM_ Somehting big and prominant as they are attempting now_ Yahoo! is well enough to rival M$_ It's not like it's "Billy Bobs Unknown Search Engine dot Com"_ this is like Coke trying to buy Pepsi or Boeing trying to buy Lockheed_
Ballmer is mis-handling this greatly and might be M$'s undoing on this endeavor_
UberFu
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MacNN?
04/07, 11:02am reply
How does this article relate to the Macintosh?
UberFu
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Could be a losing battle
04/07, 11:27am reply
I hope Yahoo survives this. It looks to be that MS is not about to backdown and will fight this to get the win.
slapppy
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Joined: Mar 2008
re: uberfu
04/07, 12:29pm reply
Would you stop it already with the "How does this relate to the Macintosh" posts?
In case you're really that dense, Macintosh computers use search engines (duh!). Many Macintosh users use Yahoo services and Microsoft software (double duh!).
If you're not interested in the story, don't read it (and certainly don't comment on it). Quit obsessing.
elroth
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