Microsoft vs Yahoo! Round 2
Este pasado fin de semana, estuvo muy movido en cuestiones de noticias tecnológicas, pero la que considero más importante es la “segunda vuelta” de la “pelea” estrella de la temporada: Microsoft vs Yahoo! Como ustedes sabrán, en semanas pasadas Microsoft puso una oferta de 44.6 billones de dólares (sí, leíste bien, billones), y Yahoo! la rechazó, por considerarla como una subvaloración a su compañía.
Pues bien, este sábado pasado, Microsoft le envío la siguiente carta a Yahoo!, de la cual les pongo lo más interesante (aunque los exhorto a leerla completa):
April 5, 2008
Board of Directors
Yahoo! Inc.
701 First Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94089Dear Members of the Board:
It has now been more than two months since we made our proposal to acquire Yahoo! at a 62% premium to its closing price on January 31, 2008, the day prior to our announcement. Our goal in making such a generous offer was to create the basis for a speedy and ultimately friendly transaction. Despite this, the pace of the last two months has been anything but speedy.
…
Given these developments, we believe now is the time for our respective companies to authorize teams to sit down and negotiate a definitive agreement on a combination of our companies that will deliver superior value to our respective shareholders, creating a more efficient and competitive company that will provide greater value and service to our customers. If we have not concluded an agreement within the next three weeks, we will be compelled to take our case directly to your shareholders, including the initiation of a proxy contest to elect an alternative slate of directors for the Yahoo! board. The substantial premium reflected in our initial proposal anticipated a friendly transaction with you. If we are forced to take an offer directly to your shareholders, that action will have an undesirable impact on the value of your company from our perspective which will be reflected in the terms of our proposal.
…
Sincerely,
Steven A. Ballmer
Chief Executive Office
Microsoft Corp.
En negritas, pueden notar el ultimatum de Ballmer (en pocas palabras: “Acepta nuestra oferta o en tres semanas compraremos a tus accionistas”)… WTF! Es notable la desesperación de la empresa de Redmond que recurren a tan bajas y reprochables técnicas. ¿Será que Microsoft no tiene la capacidad de derrotar a los servicios web de Google por sus propios medios que tiene que recurrir a los servicios populares de Yahoo? Una tacha más para Microsoft. Creo que se cumple el dicho: “Todo lo que Redmond toca, lo destruye”.
Ahora bien, el día de hoy Yahoo! le ha contestado a Ballmer a través de un comunicado público (les invito a leerlo completo). Aquí lo más importante:
Dear Steve:
Our Board has reviewed your most recent letter with regard to the unsolicited proposal you made to acquire Yahoo! on January 31, 2008.
Our Board carefully considered your unsolicited proposal, unanimously concluded that it was not in the best interests of Yahoo! and our stockholders, and rejected it publicly on February 11, 2008. Our Board cited Yahoo!’s global brand, large worldwide audience, significant recent investments in advertising platforms and future growth prospects, free cash flow and earnings potential, as well as its substantial unconsolidated investments, as factors in its decision.
At the same time, we have continued to make clear that we are not opposed to a transaction with Microsoft if it is in the best interests of our stockholders. Our position is simply that any transaction must be at a value that fully reflects the value of Yahoo!, including any strategic benefits to Microsoft, and on terms that provide certainty to our stockholders.
…
Very truly yours,
Jerry Yang
Chief Executive Officer
En pocas palabras, Yahoo! rechaza nuevamente la oferta de Microsoft, pero le deja la “puerta abierta” a que posiblemente aceptaría alguna transacción, siempre y cuando haya mas dinero de por medio. Ahora la pregunta es: ¿qué sucederá en tres semanas? ¿Microsoft volverá a jugar sucio (como ya se le está haciendo costumbre)? Estaré pendiente para darles las últimas noticias.
Vía: Fayerwayer, TechCruch, KnxDT, Alt10140.
Fecha: Abril 7th, 2008 | Por: Gregorio Espadas | Etiquetas: microsoft, yahoo
Categoría: Internet / Web2.0
