fighting

Yahoo shares continue to lag as deadline looms

Here's a number to chew on as Yahoo finishes out its earnings week and faces a Saturday deadline to formally negotiate a merger with Microsoft: 6 percent.

That's how far its shares have fallen since it reported its better-than-expected earnings after the markets closed on Tuesday. Compare that with the Dow and the Nasdaq, which both ended up slightly higher during the same period.

Yahoo's stock may apparently be feeling the affects of Microsoft's threats to walk away from the deal or go "hostile" with a proxy fight or tender offer, or both.

During … Read more

Yahoo investor guide to Microsoft's A, B, and C options

Updated at 12:25 p.m. PDT with details about Yahoo's share price.

Yahoo investors may see some interesting gyrations in the company's share price in the coming weeks, should the Internet pioneer and Microsoft fail to enter formal merger talks.

Microsoft issued an ultimatum to Yahoo nearly three weeks ago, demanding the Internet company enter formal negotiations by this Saturday, or face the prospect it could walk away from the deal, see a tender offer launched, and/or a proxy fight ensue, as outlined in its letter to Yahoo directors.

On February 1, Microsoft announced it had … Read more

Defense Dept. doubles spending on systems that don't deliver

The price tag on the Marine Corps' Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (PDF) has gone up 168 percent--just one of the military's flagship programs that cost more, take longer to produce, and deliver less, according to a government report.

The military has doubled the amount it will spend on new weapons systems since 2000, but many are behind schedule or cannot deliver on the crucial technological innovations, the Government Accounting Office (GAO) found in an annual review of 72 high-profile programs.

Proposed spending has rocketed from $790 billion to $1.6 trillion since 2000, a 26 percent increase, according to the … Read more

Ballmer's letter to Yahoo board: 'Now is the time'

Editor's note: Here's the full, unedited text of a letter Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer wrote Saturday to Yahoo's board of directors, giving it three weeks to make a decision about the software giant's $44.6 billion bid for the Net pioneer.

April 5, 2008 Board of Directors Yahoo! Inc. 701 First Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94089

Dear Members of the Board:

It has now been more than two months since we made our proposal to acquire Yahoo! at a 62 percent premium to its closing price on January 31, 2008, the day prior to our announcement. Our … Read more

Yahoo extends deadline for Microsoft to name opposition slate

Yahoo announced Wednesday that it is extending the deadline to nominate opposition candidates to its board of directors, a move that will likely delay a hostile proxy fight with Microsoft.

The deadline had previously been set for March 14, but now will be extended to a new deadline of 10 days after Yahoo announces the date for its shareholders meeting.

In its announcement, Yahoo stated:

"As the company has not yet announced the date of this year's annual meeting, the amendment will give stockholders who want to nominate one or more directors, including Microsoft Corporation, more time to … Read more

Where we didn't start the fire

EPISODE 46

After a contentious morning with an almost late Wilson Tang and a false office fire, the 404 hosts kick off the show with a look at billboard defacing, MyVu already showing up on Woot, prizes given away, and not so fantastic movies coming out this weekend!

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Where everytime you go away, you take a piece of me with you

EPISODE 45

Today CNET Senior Editor David Katzmaier joins us as we talk about how Steven Spielberg doesn't want Indy 4 DLP'd, why no one watched the Web-to-TV show Quarterlife, and Let's Fighting Love! We're giving away tons of prizes this week so show some love on The Facebook or call in to the show and leave a ridiculous voice mail--we may even play it on the air!

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Tech companies beware, a bear may be outside your door

Has your tech company played coy with a potential suitor lately? You may want to rethink your reaction.

In the past four months, Oracle, Microsoft, and Electronic Arts have all launched high-profile, unsolicited buyout bids for reluctant targets. Such efforts are otherwise known as bear hugs.

Oracle put the squeeze on middleware competitor BEA Systems in October; Microsoft did likewise with Yahoo at the start of this month; and on Sunday, EA made a play for rival game publisher Take-Two Interactive Software.

Did someone forget to put the lid back on the honey jar?

In the case of Oracle, it … Read more

Where Randall promises he won't walk out this episode

EPISODE 34

Today, we rant about how J.R.R Tolkien's estate took home a whopping $62,000 from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. $62,000--that's like your dad's salary for a movie trilogy that grossed over $8 billion worldwide. Plus, we talk Fight Club reborn on Broadway, and Thriller's 25th anniversary netting some awful bonus tracks.

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