Higher Bid Could Rattle Yahoo Holders

Many also hold Microsoft stock and could lose money
By Zach Samalin,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 27, 2008 9:24 PM CST
Higher Bid Could Rattle Yahoo Holders
This combination of two file photos shows Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, left, and Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang. Yahoo Inc. on Monday, Feb. 11, 2008 spurned Microsoft Corp.'s $44.6 billion takeover bid as inadequate, betting that it can elicit a higher offer from the world's largest software maker or find another...   (Associated Press)

A new Microsoft bid to take over Yahoo will do little to quash Yahoo holders' worries— primarily because many of them have greater holdings in Microsoft itself, reports MarketWatch. Eighteen of Yahoo's top shareholders—comprising 42% of its shares—have greater investments in the software Goliath "and could likely be hurt by a higher offer," says analyst David Hilal.

A significant increase could make large Microsoft shareholders "net losers," Hilal says. Consequently, Microsoft hasn't yet made a move since Yahoo rebuffed its unsolicited $31-a-share offer. Hilal's analysis suggests that, if a new bid is on the horizon, it could be slightly higher, "but it's not going to be absurd." (More Yahoo stories.)

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