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Yahoo: MS Buyout Not Going to Happen

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

May 12, 2006, 1:37 PM

Microsoft has apparently already approached Yahoo about buying a percentage of its search business, but was rebuffed by Yahoo chairman and CEO Terry Semel. Additionally, rumors of a Microsoft takeover of Yahoo were untrue, Semel said at a talk at Syracuse University.

He admitted that discussion over Microsoft owning a portion of Yahoo's search business came as a result of talks over the continuation of a search advertising partnership. The Redmond company decided to end the partnership, opting to go with its own search advertising platform called adCenter.

"[We discussed] search, and Microsoft co-owning some of our search," Semel was quoted as saying by the Financial Times on Thursday. "I will not sell a piece of search - it is like selling your right arm while keeping your left; it does not make any sense."

Semel went on to say that if Microsoft was considering attempting to restart talks, there was "no chance" as the company had already formed its search business and was not interested in changing it.

Last week, the Wall Street Journal first reported that talks had occurred between the two parties, but were not currently active. Microsoft is in the process of reorganizing its search business, and apparently had considered a partnership or buyout of Yahoo in order to take on market-leading Google.

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By ctmctm

edited Nov 8, 2008 - 7:33 AM

Whoo wants Yahoo? Their brand value is diluting as fast as its share price. Their technology is outdated and search is changing rapidly. So in fact what is left in a fire sale and who wants it? The Chinese want to control Chinese internet, so maybe a company like www.alibaba.com. The French have always, after they lost their pre-internet technique, the Minitel, been struggling to get back into the ball game. So Sarkozy Inc. (www.bull.com or www.sogeti.fr)? Or indeed a cash rich company, who wants to diversify; Apple Inc? I believe Apple would be better off to buy Logitech!

Christian ter Maat
CEO Carevolution

Score: 0

By emooo

edited May 16, 2006 - 9:47 PM

i want download it

Score: 0

By dworgbigj

edited May 12, 2006 - 5:17 PM

"I can't count how many times I've gone shopping at stores and casually asked them about what's available, pricing, etc. but then left without buying anything.

That's essentially the big news story that we've got here with Microsoft. They did a little shopping but didn't buy anything. Wow. If you find that shocking, let me tell you about the time I was gutsy enough to ask for a taste of 4 different flavors of ice cream but left the shop without buying a scoop of any!"

That was without a doubt the stupidest thing I read today...
Imagine going into a store, looked for something, wanted to buy it, had the money to buy it, went to the cashier to pay for it, and the cashier refused to sell you and kicked you out the store.

Microsoft didn't leave the offer, Microsoft was denied the offer!

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted May 13, 2006 - 10:50 AM

"Imagine going into a store, looked for something, wanted to buy it, had the money to buy it, went to the cashier to pay for it, and the cashier refused to sell you and kicked you out the store."

The problem with that analogy, is that MS is the one that walked off, not Yahoo.

FTFA:
He admitted that discussion over Microsoft owning a portion of Yahoo's search business came as a result of talks over the continuation of a search advertising partnership. The Redmond company decided to end the partnership, opting to go with its own search advertising platform called adCenter.

Score: 0

By ker7099

posted May 13, 2006 - 3:18 PM

and the next paragraph reads as so:

"[We discussed] search, and Microsoft co-owning some of our search," Semel was quoted as saying by the Financial Times on Thursday. "I will not sell a piece of search - it is like selling your right arm while keeping your left; it does not make any sense."

The talk of buying into anything at all was about becoming a partner in the search buisness. And it all came about because of talks to continue the search ad partnership. Since Yahoo! rebuffed them they moved on with adCentre and ended the partnership since they didnt get their way.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted May 13, 2006 - 10:26 PM

"I will not sell a piece of search - it is like selling your right arm while keeping your left;"

Yahoo was never willing to sell.

Score: 0

By spiked

posted May 12, 2006 - 3:37 PM

I can't count how many times I've gone shopping at stores and casually asked them about what's available, pricing, etc. but then left without buying anything.

That's essentially the big news story that we've got here with Microsoft. They did a little shopping but didn't buy anything. Wow. If you find that shocking, let me tell you about the time I was gutsy enough to ask for a taste of 4 different flavors of ice cream but left the shop without buying a scoop of any!

Score: 0

By rijp

edited May 12, 2006 - 3:46 PM

A boy goes into the haagen Das store, he wants to buy some Chocolate ice cream.

The shopkeeper says, "Sorry kid, no chocolate."

The boy says "Well, I just need a half-gallon of Chocolate ice cream"

Shopkeeper, "KID! What did I just say, we don't have any chocolate".

The boy, now dejected says "Well how about a scoop of Chocolate ice cream"

Shopkeeper, "Kid, are you dense or something? Let me ask you a question, spell strawberry."

The boy thinks for second, and says "s-t-r-a-w-b-e-r-r-y".

shopkeeper says, "good kid! Now spell chocolate"

the boy says, "That's easy, c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e"

Shopkeeper says "Good, kid, now where is the F^&k in chocolate?"

The boy, perplexed, thinks hard.. and finally says "There is no f-^-&-k in chocolate!"

The Shopkeeper, "That's what I have been trying to tell you!!!!"

Score: 0

By cranbers

posted May 13, 2006 - 4:02 PM

Damn rijp, you actually have a sense of humour. How nice, if you could do something like that once in awhile I might actually respect, not to mention actually read your posts.

Score: 0

By ogman

posted May 12, 2006 - 10:28 PM

f##kin' funny!

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted May 12, 2006 - 2:17 PM

*rijp breathes sigh of relief*

Yup. Won't be long now. Just watch. Within 3 weeks from now, there will be a story here about Google making a play for Yahoo.

Hehe....

Well, probably not, but it would be amusing. (For me anyway)

Score: 0

By rijp

edited May 12, 2006 - 2:50 PM

Hmm.. I say MS buys Apple, Apple buys Yahoo!, Google aquires Netscape/AOL/Timewarner, Dell buys HP (wtf?!?), and GM buys Ford.

OH what the hell as long as we still have some vodka and xanex left, lets go crazy!

American Airlines buys Delta, AMD buys Motorola (68000 chip), ATI buys NVidia, Sprint/Nextel acquire AT&T, T-mobile buys Alltel/Cingular. UPS buys USPS, to become USSPPS.

And the biggest buyout in the next 2 years..

-drum roll-

Walmart and Homedepot become a single company.

Wal depot? Homemart? Ho-Mart? Ho-wal-de-mart.