Corporate stuff

I had to chuckle at Fake Steve Jobs' analysis of the potential of the Microsoft-Yahoo deal.

"The Borg-Yahoo merger won't work," writes Fake Steve (also known as Forbes magazine's Daniel Lyons) in a blog posting. "Here's why. It's like taking the two guys who finished second and third in a 100-yard dash and tying their legs together and asking for a rematch, believing that now they'll run faster."

Scroll down to the end and you'll get another hilarious mental picture. "Imagine a circus act in which two enormous, clumsy, … Read more

A decline in Microsoft's stock in the days since its Yahoo bid was announced could make doing the deal more expensive, Wall Street analyst-turned blogger Henry Blodget noted Wednesday.

When Microsoft announced the bid on Friday, it offered $31 a share in cash or stock. Specifically, it offered Yahoo shareholders 0.9509 Microsoft shares for each Yahoo share they own.

Right now, both the exchange ratio and the cash price are fixed, meaning Microsoft is offering $31 in cash or roughly $27 in stock. Obviously, all the shareholders would want cash, but Microsoft has already specified that the deal … Read more

Jerry Yang has already gotten calls from Steve Ballmer and Eric Schmidt, but he's having trouble filling up the rest of his five faves.

Try as Yahoo might, apparently no one wants to bid against Microsoft's bulging bank account.

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday night that no serious bidders have emerged to rival Microsoft's $44.6 billion bid for Yahoo. The one party most interested in scuttling Microsoft's efforts--Google--faces uphill regulatory battles in almost any kind of partnership, alliance or investment it might want to do.

The clock is ticking. Does anyone other than Ballmer … Read more

Microsoft is expected to announce organizational changes in the coming days, shaking up some of the leadership in its Windows and Windows Live groups, according to sources familiar with the company's plans.

The changes have been in the works for some time, though the exact announcement date has been in flux. The most recent date heard by a couple of sources is next Thursday, though that date is still not firm. (Memo to Microsoft: you've got a lot to learn when it comes to celebrating Valentine's Day.)

Among those expected to be out as part of the … Read more

Nu-uhhh.

That's a one word summary of Microsoft's statement Sunday rebutting Google's statement earlier in the day that said Microsoft's $44.6 billion bid for Yahoo could raise antitrust concerns.

"The combination of Microsoft and Yahoo will create a more competitive marketplace by establishing a compelling number two competitor for Internet search and online advertising," Microsoft lawyer Brad Smith said in a statement. "The alternative scenarios only lead to less competition on the Internet."

Smith argues that Google already has three-quarters of the paid search market and about … Read more

Google's top lawyer has penned a letter outlining a number of concerns it sees if Microsoft's bid for Yahoo goes through.

In the letter, "Yahoo and the future of the Internet," Google chief legal officer David Drummond says that Microsoft's offer "raises troubling questions" given the company's monopolistic past.

"This is about more than simply a financial transaction, one company taking over another," Drummond said. "It's about preserving the underlying principles of the Internet: openness and innovation.

Drummond warns that Microsoft could attempt the same things it did … Read more

For those wondering how long Yahoo may take to respond to Microsoft's unsolicited $44.6 billion takeover bid, Yahoo says don't hold your breath.

In a brief FAQ posted to its Web site, Yahoo says it is "undertaking a deliberate review process" and warns it could "take quite a bit of time."

Yahoo said its process "will include evaluating all of the Company's strategic alternatives--including maintaining Yahoo as an independent company."

That could include pursuing bids from other companies, Yahoo said. "That process will take some time, but the Board … Read more

On Friday, I had a brief phone interview with Kevin Johnson, president of the Microsoft division that includes Windows and Windows Live, shortly after the software giant announced its $44.6 billion bid for Yahoo. I tried to get more details on the how Microsoft plans to bridge the cultural gap between the two companies, which brands it is tied to and what it will do if Yahoo says no. Sorry, I don't have more concrete answers, but I've posted a pretty complete transcript so you can read for yourself.

What makes you guys feel like the cultural … Read more

Note: Here's the text of the e-mail Steve Ballmer sent to Microsoft employees on Friday, following its $44.6 billion bid to buy Yahoo.

Subject line: Proposed Acquisition of Yahoo!

Today, I am very excited to announce that Microsoft has made a proposal to acquire Yahoo. This announcement represents a big opportunity for Microsoft, and is the next major milestone in our companywide transformation to embrace online services, search, and advertising.

By combining the strengths of our companies, we can deliver an efficient and highly competitive offering for our customers. Our complementary assets will give us increased talent and … Read more