After Yahoo quickly rejected Microsoft’s latest offer to buy its search business this weekend, Microsoft has just issued its own statement in the “he-said, she-said” wars playing out in public between the two companies.
According to Microsoft, after talking to investor Carl Icahn, Yahoo chairman Roy Bostock basically came crawling on his knees to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer indicating that better guarantees could revive the search-only deal. (Yeah, right). Microsoft came back with a proposal that ” significant revenue guarantees, higher TAC rates, an equity investment and an option for Yahoo! to extend the agreement over a 10 year period.”
The deal broke down, partly because of Yahoo’s belief that it had to take it or leave it within 24 hours. Microsoft denies ever setting a 24-hour deadline. (Maybe Carl Icahn did?) Whatever happened, it sounds like some lines got crossed there with all the telephone tag. But what do you expect when you have a three-way negotiation going on?
Update: Here is Carl Icahn’s version of events, and Jerry Yang’s most recent talking points e-mail to the troops (all republished in full, along with Microsoft’s statement, after the break):
Here is Microsoft’s statement:
Microsoft Sets the Record Straight
REDMOND, Wash. – July 14, 2008 – On the evening of July 12, Yahoo! Inc. released a statement relating to recent discussions involving Yahoo!, Microsoft Corporation, and Carl Icahn. Microsoft believes the statement contains inaccuracies that need to be corrected. Among other things, the enhanced proposal for an alternate search transaction that we submitted late Friday was submitted at the request of Yahoo! Chairman Roy Bostock as a result of apparent attempts by Mr. Icahn to have Microsoft and Yahoo! engage on a search transaction on terms Mr. Icahn believed Microsoft would be willing to accept and which Microsoft understands Mr. Icahn had discussed with Yahoo!.
Specifically, on Thursday afternoon, July 10, Mr. Bostock called Steve Ballmer’s office to arrange a call. On that subsequent call, Mr. Bostock told Mr. Ballmer that “with substantial guarantees on the table and an increase in the TAC (traffic acquisition cost) rate, there are the pillars of a search only deal to be done.” Mr. Bostock encouraged Mr. Ballmer to submit a new proposal to Yahoo! for a search only deal reflecting these terms.
After considering Yahoo’s request and taking into account Yahoo’s previous feedback about our prior search proposal, Microsoft determined late Friday to propose an enhanced search transaction. This proposal included significant revenue guarantees, higher TAC rates, an equity investment and an option for Yahoo! to extend the agreement over a 10 year period.
Microsoft’s proposal did not include changes to Yahoo’s governance.
At the time Microsoft submitted its enhanced proposal, Microsoft asked that Yahoo! confirm whether it would agree that the enhancements were sufficient to form the basis for the parties to engage in negotiations over the weekend on a letter of intent and more detailed term sheets. This discussion has been mischaracterized as a take it or leave it ultimatum, rather than a timetable in order to move forward to intensive negotiations. Yahoo! informed Microsoft on Saturday that it had rejected the proposal.
Jerry Yang’s e-mail to the troops, with talking points:
To: all-worldwide@yahoo-inc.com
From: jerry
Subject: over the weekend — joint microsoft/carl icahn proposal
yahoos,
on friday evening, our board received a search and restructuring proposal from microsoft and carl icahn.
in essence, this proposal would hand over to microsoft yahoo!’s search business and the rest of the business to carl icahn. our board rejected this for a number of reasons, that boil down to a determination that this deal would be disadvantageous to yahoo! stockholders. with our annual meeting quickly approaching on august 1, i want to give you an idea of what to expect over the coming days and weeks.
proposals and attacks by microsoft and carl icahn leading up to our meeting are likely to get even more contentious.
i know this could is distracting at the very least. but i know that we can count on all of you to continue to focus on what we do best — transforming the experiences of our users, advertisers, publishers and developers. i also realize that you, and our customers and partners, may have additional questions. to address these, below is a brief faq that should help.
please be assured that the board, the management team, and i are all focused on doing what’s best for the business and our stockholders. we are prepared to let our stockholders, not microsoft and carl icahn, decide what is in their best interests. and we look forward to the upcoming vote at our stockholder meeting.
thank you for your hard work and commitment to yahoo!.
jerry
**********************
Questions and Answers for Employees
Is Yahoo!’s management now considering selling off search and splitting up the company?
• Microsoft and Carl Icahn made a joint proposal for restructuring Yahoo! which included the acquisition of Yahoo!’s search business by Microsoft.
• Yahoo!’s Board rejected the proposal, concluding that delivering our search business to Microsoft on terms that would be disadvantageous to Yahoo! stockholders does not make sense.
• We remain committed to being a principal in algorithmic and paid search and believe that financial benefits from our announced agreement with Google will allow Yahoo! to advance its ability to compete in the convergence of display and search advertising by allowing us to accelerate investment in sponsored search, display and web search businesses in parallel.
Does Yahoo! believe that being a principal in both search and display is the best way to maximize stockholder value?
• We believe that the convergence of search and display is the next major development in the evolution of the rapidly changing online advertising industry.
• Our strategies — including our recently announced agreement with Google — are specifically designed to capitalize on this convergence.
What exactly did Microsoft and Carl Icahn propose to Yahoo!?
• Microsoft and Carl Icahn jointly proposed a complex restructuring of Yahoo! that would include the acquisition of Yahoo!’s search business by Microsoft.
• The Microsoft/Icahn proposal would require the immediate replacement of the current Board and removal of the top management team at Yahoo!. The Yahoo! Board believes these moves would destabilize Yahoo! during the up to the one year it would take to gain regulatory approval for this deal.
• Yahoo!’s Board of Directors determined that accepting the proposal is not in the best interests of its stockholders.
As an employee, what can I do to support Yahoo! during this time?
• We ask that you continue to focus on what we do best — transforming the experiences of our users, advertisers, publishers and developers, all while enhancing our leadership position in the online marketplace.
Additional Customer / Partner Questions and Answers
With all the commotion surrounding the Microsoft/Icahn proposal, as a customer/partner — should I be concerned that Yahoo! is taking its eye off the ball?
• Yahoo! is very focused on continuing to provide its customers and partners with the high-quality level of service and attention that they have come to expect from all Yahoo! employees, including management.
• While this public volley can be challenging for everyone, it does nothing to change Yahoo!’s fundamental commitment to maintaining the highest standards of service.
Is Yahoo!’s management now considering selling off search and splitting up the company?
• Yahoo!’s Board rejected the joint Microsoft/Icahn restructuring proposal that would have included the acquisition of its search business by Microsoft.
• Yahoo! remains committed to being a principal in algorithmic and paid search and believes that the financial benefits of our announced agreement with Google will allow Yahoo! to advance its ability to compete in the convergence of display and search advertising by allowing us to accelerate investment in sponsored search, display and web search businesses in parallel.
What exactly did Microsoft and Carl Icahn propose to Yahoo!?
• Microsoft and Carl Icahn jointly proposed a complex restructuring of Yahoo! that would include the acquisition of Yahoo!’s search business by Microsoft.
• The Microsoft/Icahn proposal would require the immediate replacement of the current Board and removal of the top management team at Yahoo!. The Yahoo! Board believes these moves would destabilize Yahoo! during the up to the one year it would take to gain regulatory approval for this deal.
• Yahoo!’s Board of Directors determined that accepting the proposal is not in the best interests of its stockholders.
Carl Icahn’s version of events, via his latest letter to shareholders:
July 14, 2008
Dear Fellow Yahoo! Shareholders:
Over the years I have attempted to make changes at many companies but I have yet to see a company distort, omit and twist events and facts in the manner that Yahoo! has done in their press release issued Saturday night, July 12th.
During the last week, Goldman Sachs called me a number of times asking me to relate to them any transaction that Microsoft might be interested in transacting with Yahoo! I discussed with them the possibility of doing a “Search only” deal wherein Microsoft would purchase “Search” from Yahoo! and pay Yahoo! for any searches that would originate from a Yahoo! content page. Yahoo! felt that a deal of this nature would be very interesting, but only if Microsoft would guarantee the revenue that Yahoo! now received. This would obviously be a great deal for Yahoo! because Yahoo! would, for five years, receive a minimum of the $2.3 billion they are currently receiving as long as they continued to supply the page views and affiliate traffic they now had. Heretofore, Microsoft had been unwilling to even come close to making this guarantee. However, after I negotiated with Steve Ballmer for the better part of a week, he agreed to the guarantee. He also agreed to commit $7.7 billion dollars to the transaction (consisting of a $1 billion payment for “Search”, a $2.8 billion loan and a $3.9 billion tender offer to Yahoo! shareholders). Under the transaction, Yahoo! shareholders would receive $16.25 per share in distributions (consisting of cash and securities) and be left with a content company which would have a minimum guarantee of $2.3 billion per year of “Search” revenue from Microsoft and cost saving synergies from exiting the “Search” business that Yahoo! has publicly stated would be $750 million per year (excluding the benefits from reduction of stock compensation and other non-cash items). However, Microsoft believes the synergies from Yahoo! exiting “Search” would be far superior and that Yahoo!’s 2009 GAAP operating income would exceed $2 billion. Microsoft would be making a substantial equity investment in the remaining company at a valuation of $19.50 per share. Furthermore, Yahoo! would be spared the great expense of maintaining “Search” as well as having to spend billions in developing new technology to compete with Google and Microsoft — which it is highly doubtful they would be able to do successfully. Additionally, Yahoo! would be able to avoid the great risk of seeing “Search” continue to lose market share and eventually melt away.
I spoke to Goldman Sachs and Roy Bostock on Thursday concerning the breakthrough with Microsoft. A call to discuss the details of the transaction was then set up among Microsoft, Yahoo! and me on Friday afternoon, July 11th. However to my surprise and consternation, on the Friday call Yahoo!, instead of being interested in the Microsoft offer, seemed to me to be focused on who would be running Yahoo!. Finally, Steve Ballmer suggested that we not spend the rest of Friday afternoon on corporate governance. “First tell us if you like the deal,” he said.
The Yahoo! Press Release
a. Yahoo! in their Saturday night press release makes much of the fact that they were only given 24 hours to decide on the Microsoft offer because of the time constraints relating to the proxy fight, but neglects to mention that they were offered more time if they would be willing to postpone the annual meeting for a short period.
b. Yahoo! conveniently neglects in its press release to tell you about the extremely important above mentioned guarantees that Microsoft was willing to make;
c. Yahoo! tells you in their press release that a condition of the deal was the immediate replacement of the current board and removal of top management. Yahoo! neglected to mention we were willing to discuss keeping a number of the current board members and Jerry Yang as Chief Yahoo!
d. Yahoo tells you the Microsoft proposal precludes the potential sale of all Yahoo! however, they neglect to tell you that that train has left the station in that Microsoft is no longer willing to buy all of Yahoo! with the current board overseeing the company.
e. Yahoo!’s press release states that “this odd and opportunistic alliance of Microsoft and Mr. Icahn has anything but the interest of Yahoo stockholders in mind”, raising the innuendo that I am on Microsoft’s side in this manner. That is patently ridiculous. Since Yahoo! failed to consummate a transaction with Microsoft this year, I have spent hours and hours attempting to get the parties together because I believe that it is beneficial to Yahoo! shareholders to have a deal with Microsoft and I have worked hard trying to make it happen. It is important to note that my funds and affiliates own 70 million shares of Yahoo and own no shares of Microsoft or Google while the current board outside of Jerry Yang owns only the shares they have received from Yahoo for being directors. My interests are aligned with yours and not Microsoft and I think it is in our interest to have this transaction consummated so that we can get value much in excess of the recent and current market for Yahoo! shares.
In June, Microsoft apparently made a $33 per share offer for all of Yahoo! which was met with Yahoo countering at $37, thereby rejecting the $33 offer. Amazingly, before Microsoft decided that it would not buy all of Yahoo! with this board in place, it offered $33 and was turned down. The Yahoo! press release indicates that Yahoo!, in rejecting the current Microsoft proposal, stated that it would do a deal in which the entire company was sold to Microsoft for $33 per share. It is hard to understand why it turned down $33 and is now willing to accept it. It is the same obfuscation that is so prevalent in the rest of the press release. DON’T BE FOOLED.
I believe that, just like the $33 per share offer that was refused by Yahoo! in early June, refusing the Microsoft offer for the Yahoo! search business is also another grave mistake that will be deeply regretted. Our company is on a precipice and our Board seems ready to take the risk of seeing it topple — ARE YOU, THE REAL OWNERS OF YAHOO!, WILLING TO TAKE THE SAME RISK?
The following are the details of the offer that was presented by Microsoft to Yahoo! on Friday.
$/share should:
Value to Yahoo! Shareholders ————————- No Shares Tender———-All Shares Tender
1. Yahoo! distributes $12.5B in
Asian Assets —————-$9.00 ———————$9.00
2. Yahoo! distributes $3.5B in
cash to shareholders comprised of
$1B from Microsoft for search,
$2.5B of cash on hand ————–$2.50 ——————-$2.50
3. Microsoft offers $2.8B in
preferred debt at 5% —————$2.00 ———————$2.00
4. Microsoft tenders $3.9B for
Yahoo! shares at $19.50 ———————— $2.77
5. Remaining Shares
$16.73 = effective value of shares
after tender (86% x $19.50) ——————$19.50 —————–$16.73
Total Value To Yahoo! Shareholders ———————$33.00 ——————$33.00
Search Deal Would Increase Yahoo! EBIT to over $2B in CY09 — remaining share valuation represents 14.5 x GAAP pre-tax income
– Microsoft acquires Yahoo! search assets for $1B in cash
– Microsoft is the exclusive provider to Yahoo! and its partners of paid search, contextual search and algo search for the term of the deal
– Microsoft guarantees Yahoo! the greater of:
(a) 85% net revenues for the first three years, and 70% of net revenues thereafter,
(b) $2.3B per year of after-TAC revenues scaled down in event of underperformance of Yahoo! US Homepage views and affiliate rev.
– At the end of 5 years, the agreement expires unless Microsoft or Yahoo! exercise one of the following:
- Microsoft may extend the agreement for 5 years should Microsoft guarantee $3B net revenues per year
- Yahoo! may extend the agreement for 5 years with Microsoft bound to guarantee $1.6B per year
– Yahoo! no longer needs to support the costs of employees or infrastructure of the search business.
– Microsoft will cooperate with Yahoo! to allow Yahoo! to collect data from its web search to support its display advertising business.
– Microsoft will provide Yahoo! with a limited, non-exclusive IP license for use of search IP in support of its display advertising platform.
– Yahoo! will guarantee that Microsoft’s search will retain equal or greater prominence throughout the Yahoo! site as Yahoo! search does today.
Steve Ballmer has made it clear to me that if a new board consisting of my nominees were to be elected, Microsoft would be willing to enter into discussions immediately regarding a transaction along the lines described above. If and when elected, I strongly believe that in very short order the new board would, subject to its fiduciary duties, be approving an offer along these lines for its shareholders.
PLEASE VOTE THE GOLD PROXY CARD
Your vote is important. Please act at your earliest convenience.
If you’ve already signed and returned Yahoo’s WHITE proxy card, you can revoke that vote and cast a new vote by completing, signing, dating and mailing the GOLD proxy card today.
If your shares of Yahoo Common Stock are held for you by a broker or bank, only your broker or banker can vote your shares and only after receiving your specific instructions. In that case, you are asked to complete, sign, date and mail the voting instruction form today. Please do so for each account you maintain.
If you need assistance in voting your shares, please call D. F. King & Co., Inc., which is assisting us, toll-free at 800-859-8509.
Thank you for your patience, cooperation and support.
Sincerely,
CARL C. ICAHN
I can’t believe the (2) companies are really “airing out their frustrations” in such a public manner, then again this is a stock fight.
– How could MSFT expect yahoo to take it for 1b, when yahoo will make 800mm and lose no equity with the Goog deal.
There’s a lot of buzz goin at
http://vishtecho.blogspot.com
I really dont understand also why these companies are making so much noise for nothing, because their image are weakning this way
Nath
http://www.them...rfulcompany.com
eh, look at the stock tank.
nuff said. yahoo sucks
Who cares about yahoo anymore anyway.
Hey Carl, if that deal was so great, why couldn’t you get Bill Miller at Legg-Mason on board?
Does it mean anything that Arrington is no longer writing the MSFT/YHOO stories anymore?
nathh@3: Sig lines are for old people and retards.
Blah blah blah and the shareholders went blah blah blah. So they assumed blah blah blah blah blah blah. And then blah blah blah. But when it turned out blah blah blah blah, she said “blah blah blah.” It looks like just blah blah blah blah blah blah. Of course we may not know until blah blah blah blah blah blah. In the meantime, blah blah blah blah blah blah.
this is all a silly game to get Yahoo’s price to drop below $20/share so Microsoft’s original offer looks great by way of comparison. I think it’s working pretty well. Microsoft will buy this company before the end of the year.
@EH
Someone pointed out a couple of weeks ago that Arrington probably shouldn’t be kanoodling with Yahoo employees because they have NDA’s and Arrington is a lawyer, which would make it unseemly at the least, and an ethics violation at the worst, if he was conspiring to get those employees to provide confidential information to Techcrunch. That answer your question?
ms just makes them more and more beloved by their statements. true dirtbags.
microsoft just makes themselves more and more belowved by their statements. true dirtbags. really hoping yahoo stays free of them.
if google’s motto is don’t be evil. microsoft seems to have the opposite. why is that?
I think it just shows proof to Microsoft’s original representation that they can’t trust Yahoo to deal as long as the current board and management remain in charge. Hopefully MSFT will just ignore Yahoo till after August 1st, and we can stop getting the Yahoo press releases trying to make themselves out as the good guys (and prop up the stock price) prior to the meeting.
Wow this is a never-ending battle… a little off topic but check out Web 3.0… http://www.goth...te.blogspot.com
By the way, anyone seen this video yet.
http://www.twis...5?episodeNum=29
Ahh, internet company valuation jokes.
@Harry Butt – You’re an ass and you stink. You’re also a crappy neighbor.
Just do it already! Frankly, as a member of the apple/google camp, this is like watching excessive flirting and PDA by two people. Everybody knows they’re going to get busy!
Buyout Yahoo and give more room to Google to dominate the internet search.
where can i buy an iphone in SF? someone telled me?
Let’s look at the facts:
1. YHOO was trading under $20 before this whole thing happened.
2. When Microsoft offered $31 the stock went up
3. Now that Microsoft has publicly pulled back, the stock has gone down
4. Each time Arrington and Co. write an article (founded in truth or not) the stock jumps up.
Obvious Conclusion: Without a M$ deal YHOO is currently worth around $20/share and M$ was willing to pay $31/share (~50% over the value at the time of the first offer).
Less obvious conclusion: Michael Arrington is a day trader and is making a mint off of having his company pump out fake YHOO/M$ stories and knowing when the stock will fluctuate up/dpwn…SEC should investigate.
Microsoft looks pathetic in all of this. Yahoo doesn’t need them as they are solid in the #2 position, Microsoft desperately needs Yahoo to compete with Google. Steve Ballmer better get this deal done or the shareholders will want his head on a plate.
What does Google have to say in this whole situation? Are they negotiating as well?
Isaac: That may be the most cogent explanation for this drama so far.
@Isaac
That is some hefty accusations. Mr Arrington should have it in his disclosure if he has investments in the companies he write about. Besides, it is silly for SEC to investigate an author of a blog. Instead, they should investigate the “internal” sources of these stories. Corporate emails should not be leaked into the public before a formal public statement.
I think Google is sitting on the couch chilling while watching the 2 killing each other and probably laughing
… what’s a great show!!!
“It’s time for me to take a nap now … since this day things slow for me!”
I think we should cool down too. Check out America Funniest Video.
http://youtube....;oq=america+fun
A perfect example of the reason why consumers distrust companies. Had MS and Yahoo! been forthright, transparent and timely with this opportunity, they may have been able to really create some buzz. Instead, it looks like two old ladies bickering in a backroom – each trying to borrow enough make-up to look pretty, but both looking like lost causes.
Here’s Icahn’s statement with his take on what happened. It’s interesting reading.
http://www.icah...-issues-pr.html
This is getting boring now. Move on, nothing to see here.
Nothing is going to happen until the August 1st stock holder’s meeting. Once the votes are counted we’ll see if Jerry gets the boot or not. Meanwhile, short Yahoo if you think the current board is safe, buy if you thing Icahn can pull it off.
PS Yahoo will be bought out by someone by year’s end. The only question is who and how much.
More proof Yang is an idiot. Why would this idiot be in charge? OK, he wrote with his buddy some neat software for search, what 12-15 years ago? Since then the Company reached its zenith in 1999 and has fallen out of grace. Why would any one think this guy, with NO experience running a multi-national billion dollar firm, should run the show. He’s already shown how inept he is in picking a Terry Semel.
Sell the frickin’ thing and put US out of your misery!
hello apple, pls save yahoo from microsoft
@Mogliny, do you really think that major publishers (and I mean the guys pulling the strings, not the individual writers) don’t weigh in on topics for personal gain (or for the gain of their associates)?
Disclosure – The part about Arrington making $ from day trading was a joke…kind of… (sorry, sarcasm is hard to write in a post)
Iwhy these companies are making so much noise for nothing, their image are weakning
rc
trading tennis blog
Who cares anymore? If you didn’t sell when MSFT made its first offer… you are a bigger tool than Yang.
Although Yang is pretty damn smart (and wealthy) he just doesn’t want to let go of his baby. Sorry Yang — when you want to make the big bucks and go public, you have to do what is best for the whole. Not you. It’s no longer YOUR company.
Microsoft has been dumping money into their Live.com search offering cash back on purchases made, primarily via eBay. Microsoft just doesn’t get it. I will still use Google until something better comes along.
Remember Webcrawler? Yahoo? Excite? Astavista? Ask Jeeves? People go where it is better (see Facebook vs Myspace).
Anyway thanks for the cash MSFT
“Its a done deal Microsoft will own Yahoo. I guarantee it.” – Micheal Arrington March 2008
When will this soap opera be over? Haven’t we had enough?
What is wrong with bankers that represent MS? Can’t they do a hostile takeover anymore in wall st?
Someone should write a soap opera about it already…
try live search, you will know MS sucks.
Yahoo search is far better than live search and close to Google.
# 41 I agree.
Yahoo is search is getting better and they are nice… Getting close to google.
People just have to start with Yahoo..! I really liked the way they placed ther NEWS just below the INBOX of yahoo now, i read that news a lot.
Cheers, Nag
More popcorn please, thought I had enough…but I was apparently wrong.
I just can’t get enough of this MS Yahoo deal. Please give us MORE. MUCH MORE.
yahoo is fighting hard to save face because they are toast and they know it.
yang fiddles and while the ship burns.
The truth is that MS and YHOO need each other. They should just hold hands and sing kumbaya.
I agree with NewWorldOrder.
—————————————————————————————————–
Tall singles waiting to hook up @ http://www.tallchat.com
My opinion: Screw Microsoft. They suck and are trying to devalue Yahoo with what I believe to be completely BS statements. Who the hell is this Icahn guy anyway, I think he is out to screw Yahoo! shareholders in the long run.
Microsoft has proven they have no value when it comes to search or they wouldn’t need to make a deal in the first place.
If Microsoft does get their hands on Yahoo!, I will set up my computers to redirect to another search engine so no-one can access the site from computers. =P
I am not sure why MSFT is still behind Yahoo. If they leave Yahoo alone now 1 year later they will be able to buy it for $16 / share. All is not well in Yahoo camp…
MSFT is getting desperate as Google continues to grow its search monopoly. Yahoo has a decent share of search but seems to be lost. It is not in the least bit surprising that MSFT is doing whatever it can to get Yahoo!
This s MSFT’s latest tactic to get Yahoo to give up the fight.