Yahoo! to become part of Microsoft?

REDMOND, Washington (AFP) - In a move that could dramatically alter the shape of the Internet for both consumers and advertisers, Microsoft this morning has offered a $44.6 billion bid to acquire web giant Yahoo!.

Microsoft said it had proposed 31 dollars per share to Yahoo's board of directors, "representing a total equity value of approximately 44.6 billion dollars," the statement said. The offer represents a 62 percent premium above the closing price of Yahoo stock on Thursday, it said. It said Yahoo shareholders could elect to receive cash or a fixed number of shares of Microsoft stock, with its total offer consisting of one-half cash and one-half stock.

After word of layoffs at Yahoo!, disappointing revenue reported for Q4 of 2007, and plummeting stock prices, should Yahoo! become another acquisition for Microsoft? What do you think?

For a related post, please see Yahoo! Still in the Game.

Tags: acquisitions, Yahoo, Microsoft, $44.6 billion