Ashkan Karbasfrooshan

Sirius, GM, AIG: Where Is the Leadership in American Boardrooms?

Folks, relax, I know it's an impairment charge... but the fact remains:

The Boards and mgmt of US corporations have become a farce.

The truth hurts?

Where Is the Online Video Advertising Revenue Going?

UB, it was eMarketer's own figures, which they recently scaled back:

www.emarketer.com/Arti...

Microsoft Adopts Adobe Flash; Scores Touchdown Against Apple

Mr. Bean you are right, not sure why it says Google...

Yahoo!'s Mismanagement Shows Through

@TheNoseKnows - $8? Once YHOO fell below $20/share, given the assets, revenue/profits and cash on hand, it was inevitable that someone saw this was an asset in distress that was undervalued and would make a move. It just so happens that MSFT beat a PE firm to it. And frankly, as many have stated, MSFT is the one who can reap most value out of the deal, and as such, can overpay. If MSFT would back away (they won't, because they're almost there), the stock would fall... but if it falls below $20, then guess what - someone will make an offer, again.

@Thomas - Once YHOO is publicly traded, it loses control.

Once YHOO fails to execute and hit the promises it lays out to investors, then it becomes vulnerable to a takeover.

That's what is happening here. This has nothing to do with choice. Jerry Yang chose to bring on Terry Semel, give him $500M in shares and evaporate 50% of the company's value. He's run out of choices. I am not speaking opinion there, I am speaking facts.

@Fedup - As per Flickr, it's moot. One of the many vestiges of Bubble 2.0 where we thought eyeballs = value. Flickr, like Webshots before it, is a nice tool or feature but not one that MSFT (or anyone else) will monetize.

In other words, MSFT is not interested in Flickr or Crappr or anything else the hippy love crowd (aka Silicon Valley) became enamorated with, they're interested with "the billboard" that is YHOO that Thomas referred to above.

All of this is part of a cleansing process that is well overdue. Again, I would love to see YHOO independent, heck, I rooted for that for 4 years... but in last week's analyst call, I could no longer in clear conscience support Jerry and Sue.

Yahoo!'s Mismanagement Shows Through

Even more arguments against outsourcing search to Google:

watchmojo.com/web/blog.../

My point: outsourcing search made sense in 2003 before the company bought Inktomi, Overture and spent billions on Panama. Now that it has spent billions and lost so much time, it would be accelerating its demise.

A sale to MSFT creates a strong #2 in online advertising, I would think. Google is not doing this for cloud computing as much as they are doing it to build an online advertising business.

Yahoo!'s Mismanagement Shows Through

I am neither a MSFT fanboy nor a critic, but I don't think that most people (users) care much who owns YHOO. Only people in the industry - be it finance, marketing, or tech industries - have such positive or negative biases.

Frankly, YHOO is a bit sloppy and buggy, with more resources it would be more robust.

Lastly, as an investor I will sell for the price MSFT ultimately acquires YHOO, I believe that might be more than $31, hence why I did not sell, but many have. As well, many have bought in expecting it to go higher.

Based on your comments you seem to be smart, but outsourcing search to Google is foolish. It only makes Google stronger, it only adds 25% more revenue now but over time Google will squeeze YHOO's margins (ask yourself if AOL is indeed stronger today than when it sold 5% to Google and powered its search with Google).

So long as YHOO is independent, it will be benchmarked to Google. And by handing off search to Google, it is showing that it has not learned from history and repeating the same mistake it did in 2000.

At least now YHOO is better positioned in Asia than Google (world's fastest market). Problem is: Yang and Decker are incompetent and dishonest. They don't know what they are doing.

I would vote FOR the sale to MSFT at a price higher than $31.

I would vote AGAINST the sale to MSFT if Decker and Yang - and many others - would resign which I doubt they will do.

All in all, outsourcing search to Google only weakens YHOO and strengthens GOOG. Google's offer showed just how self-serving Google is. It does nothing but further weaken YHOO, in my opinion.

Yahoo!'s Mismanagement Shows Through

Thomas, respectfully, if YHOO rejects the offer, then they owe shareholders an explanation of what their plan is to match the $31 share price. If it involves "time" then existing shareholders will ask for Yang, Decker et al.'s resignation.

If they reject simply to get MSFT to up its price, they better hope that the strategy pans out because regardless Sue and Jerry are due for a change of landscape.

I cannot understand how you can mismanage a company with YHOO's assets and brand, but Sue and Terry have done just that. One way or another, it's time to go.

Response to Ashkan Karbasfrooshan's 'Is Yahoo Is Being Prepped for Sale?'

I am honored you penned an official response. Let me know what you think about this:

watchmojo.com/web/blog.../

Wal-Mart Challenges Google To An SEM Marketing Duel

I agree in search, Google is king... and Walmart is no threat, but didn't we say that about Walmart, too?

Google: Nowhere To Go But Up?

Thomas, just playing devil's advocate: I'm not sure for MSFT - a firm with $20B cash on hand and lagging big time in online advertising - investing $240M in Facebook is reckless. They're not an investment group, so they don't really care about the 1.6% stake or $15B paper valuation.

They get in bed with a fast growing social networking site; bear in mind MySpace is in bed with Google... and they ensure that Google won't buy Facebook. Time will tell if the investment was wise, for sure, but reckless, I don't think so...

Microsoft, Yahoo! Merger Makes Sense

Thomas - I've written so many articles blasting YHOO; investors would short the stock after reading those. My point is: if I write the odd article that suggests YHOO will always be an M&A target, please do not think it's got anything to do with owning shares. I'd argue I own shares because I think it will remain an M&A target, not the other way around!

David - I never said MSFT+YHOO is the optimal option for YHOO, I simply said this makes sense, the best pick is to go private (though with a more expensive interest rate this is less likely), gut the senior levels of management, reposition and spin off in an IPO in 3 years or so. That would almost triple the value but the bulk of the upside would not be at current investors' benefit, Thomas!

Frank - GOOG bought YouTube once it became clear Google Video had little traction... for example. So while I get your point, I think ultimately YHOO and MSFT might realize a merger makes sense because GOOG - whose shares I do NOT own - is running away with online ads...

Should I Sell My Sina Shares?

Siwei, that is a pretty good observation. I can just imagine the folly and euphoria then.

aQuantive/Microsoft Clears Anti-Trust Hurdle, AQNT Gains $1B

Alan, Thanks for the clarification. Though technically, AQNT rose from $5.03B to $5.19B, the headline was an editorial addition (not mine). My post had little with the gain based on market cap, solely based on price change movement.

eBay's Kijiji Move Is Yet Another Challenge to Newspapers

maybe too clean, CL fans like the no-frills aspect of CL. and yeah, kijiji is a mess to spell and look at. i know it need glasses, i don't need to be reminded of it when i see the word.

Limelight Networks: Friday Stock Spike Pinned On Positive Lawsuit News

Rob, thanks for the clarification. It's going to be interesting, though I wonder if that increases the chances of a settlement...