Microsoft, Yahoo in Talks for Partial Buyout

CEO not impressed by Yahoo's Q1 profits

(NEWSER) - Microsoft won't raise its $44.6 billion takeover bid for Yahoo despite the Internet firm's strong first-quarter earnings, Bloomberg reports. "We are prepared to go forward without a merger," said CEO Steve Ballmer, who has threatened a proxy shareholder revolt to push the deal through, possibly at a lower price, if Yahoo didn’t agree to the original bid by Saturday. More»

Says Yahoo uniquely positioned in growing online ad market

(NEWSER) - Jerry Yang believes Microsoft’s $44.6 billion bid for Yahoo was too low because it does not take into account the company's “unique position” in the growing online advertising market, the New York Times reports. In a letter sent to shareholders today, Yang inventoried Yahoo’s advantages: its widely-known name, its monthly traffic of 500 million visitors, and its dominance of the display ad market. More»

(NEWSER) - Microsoft completed the largest buyout in its history today, snatching up online advertising firm aQuantive for $6B. Microsoft closed the deal on Friday and will dole out $66.50 in cash for each share of the Seattle-based company, which will de-list from the Nasdaq after nearly doubling in value after its filing today, CNET reports. More»

Microsoft 'done' with acquisition attempts, even after Yang's resignation

(NEWSER) - Steve Ballmer quashed the rumor that Microsoft would make another offer to buy Yahoo now that Jerry Yang has quit as CEO, CNET reports. “We are done with all acquisition discussions with Yahoo,” the chief executive said today. “We did our best; we’ve moved on.” More»

Iffy Q2 results make a deal, with Microsoft or Google, best option

(NEWSER) - Yahoo’s earnings report yesterday didn’t portend an immediate turnaround, Catherine Holahan writes in BusinessWeek, meaning the company must do something to meet the “grandiose claims” it made in rejecting Microsoft’s bid. Some still see Yahoo ultimately taking that path, and expanding its deal with Google is another option that might justify Yahoo standing firm on its third-quarter and yearly forecasts. More»