Microsoft to buy Web ad firm aQuantive for $6 bln [Microsoft's biggest acquisition ever]

MSNBC ^ | May 20, 2007 | Reuters

[jdm]

SEATTLE/NEW YORK - Microsoft Corp. said Friday it will buy aQuantive Inc. for $6 billion, paying an 85 percent premium to snap up one of the last large independent companies in a consolidating Web advertising market.

In announcing its biggest acquisition ever, Microsoft has made its most aggressive move to date in trying to narrow the gap with Google Inc. in the online advertising market.

Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, said it would pay aQuantive shareholders $66.50 a share, a hefty premium to the previous day's closing share price of $35.87.

Shares of aQuantive shot up to $63.76 in midday Nasdaq trade while Microsoft fell 0.84 percent to $30.72.

[jdm]

In announcing its biggest acquisition ever, Microsoft has made its most aggressive move to date in trying to narrow the gap with Google Inc. in the online advertising market. Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, said it would pay aQuantive shareholders $66.50 a share, a hefty premium to the previous day's closing share price of $35.87.

FYI

[martin_fierro]

Microsoft Corp. said Friday it will buy aQuantive Inc. for $6 billion, paying an 85 percent premium to snap up one of the last large independent companies in a consolidating Web advertising market.

Expect an aggressive ad campaign to follow.

[Petronski]

In Before Psycho Troll

[Petronski]

I suspect copyleftists like Smallman are like this.

Of course, they also executed that flat tire I had last month, and the rain that ruined my barbecue too.

Scabies? Periodontal disease? Malformed Spamloaf Syndrome?

SMALLMAN!!!

[Moonman62]

Microsoft and anybody else could have bought them for less than a dollar a share back in 2001.

[ShadowAce]