Comments on: Destruction of YHOO Shareholder Value Impressively Well Realized

By: Thku Forgrace

Thku Forgrace — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 02:37:11 +0000

I feel Microsoft is the winner in this failed bid, while yahoo shareholders are the losers. Yahoo and Microsoft are both slowly bleeding market share and it now appears irreversible. Microsoft thought they could realize some new marketing muscle with their market share doubled but it wouldn’t have stopped the bleeding. You can’t buy yourself out of a lack of marketing and tech prowess. It would have been what AOL was for Time/Warner. In that same way, Yahoo shareholders would have benefited much as AOL shareholders benefited at the expense of Time/Warner, and yet Yahoo’s arrogant, stupid, egotistical mismanagement instead gave Microsoft a gift. Now, they’re trying to convince their shareholders that their mismanagement is the right path? That’s adding insult to injury. Yang to shareholders: Hey, all you idiots, here’s my new plan. I look forward to my next bonus, but we’ll save that for another shareholder meeting.

By: Jeff Fields

Jeff Fields — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:11:24 +0000

As Yahoo’s “leaders” continue to look back and attempt to justify themselves, the stock will probably sink even further. What’s really needed John is a companion piece, written by you and called “Destruction of MSFT Shareholder Value Impressively Well Realized!” I believe MSFT hit 35+ on the day Ballmer announced this “deal.” While I’m glad he finally crawled away from this ill-conceived purchase, – my own MSFT shareholder votes won’t be for him.

By: Steve Baldwin

Steve Baldwin — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:12:27 +0000

I think that one of the most important, albiet least discussed aspect of this disaster is the role played by Microsoft’s own employees in derailing it. While it might be too strong to characterize what happened as a “mutiny,” it was clear after an all-hands meeting on May 1 that there was deep unhappiness at MSFT about the integration challenges faced by the acquisition, the cost-benefit equasion, and perhaps fear as to the impact on MSFT’s own share price. At this point Yahoo’s coyness wore out its welcome, and Ballmer decided to walk away, realizing that Yahoo’s adolescent recalcitrance was actually a tremendous blessing in disguise.