With all of the drama behind the Microsoft/Yahoo insanity, the intense negotations are not coming to an end. In case you didn’t know… MICROSOFT WANTS YAHOO! Not for it’s technology or advanced platforms, but seemingly for Yahoo’s massive user-base and physical reach. Yahoo gets over 500 million absolute unique visitors in a very short period of time. These are numbers that attract Microsoft (likely because of their fledgling search engine and MSN).
Moments ago Yahoo’s CEO Jerry Yang announced that he is openly talking with Microsoft, stating “We [Yahoo] are open and interested in listening to Microsoft.” This comment alone sent Yahoo (ticker symbol: YHOO) shares shooting up in After Hours trading tonight.
Jerry Yang saying that Microsoft does have “some version of an interest” and that “he is openly listening,” just increases the drama and stress behind an already heated and heavily debated hostile takeover situation.
Whatever may happen, it’s clear that Jerry Yang does not want to lose the company he founded. He is being pressured by billionaire members of Yahoo’s board to sell the company to Microsoft as they may see a positive outcome of the transaction on the shares.
In my opinion, Jerry Yang is trying to hold out as long as he can before allowing his company to become a “division” of the enormous Microsoft Corporation. Releasing these [breaking] comments to the press is simply a way to increase Yahoo’s share price on hype alone.
If one thing is for sure, Jerry Yang is juggling an aggravated board and a boat-load of shareholders. It would make sense for him to do what he needs in order to appease both sides.
