Yahoo-Google deal sparks fresh concerns
Published: 30 Oct 2008 08:41 GMT
A consumer group, legislators and Wall Street weighed in this week on Yahoo's proposed search-advertising deal with Google.
With the companies having granted the US Department of Justice (DoJ) two extensions to issue a decision on the deal, a fresh round of public commentary was to be expected.
JPMorgan analyst Imran Khan issued a research note on Wednesday that re-examines the potential of Yahoo reviving a search-only deal with Microsoft, which the internet search pioneer rejected back in July. Previously, Microsoft had offered to buy all of Yahoo for $33 a share, but then walked away from the table after Yahoo countered with $37 a share.
Khan, noting the unlikelihood the DoJ will sign off on the Yahoo-Google partnership in its current form, said: "We estimate that Yahoo could gain an additional $725m in annual OCF through a Microsoft search deal. In our estimates, outsourcing search to Microsoft could lead to $1.4bn in cost savings which would more than offset our estimated revenue loss of $649m resulting from affiliate revenue loss and the revenue split with Microsoft."
Khan explained the benefits the deal would offer Yahoo: "Without its search business, Yahoo would be very clearly positioned as a content and display advertising entity, thereby clarifying and defining its purpose to advertisers and users. Additionally, the one time cash infusion of $1bn (as was made in a previous offer) from the search asset purchase would allow the company to be nimble in buying back shares at depressed prices, making strategic acquisitions, and making more targeted headcount cuts."
Yahoo had previously noted it expected to generate $800m in its first year of a Google search-advertising agreement, in which it would allow Google to run its ads on the Yahoo search pages.
Meanwhile, senator Joe Barton, who heads the US congressional committee on energy and commerce, sent a letter on Tuesday to the head of the DOJ's antitrust unit, Thomas Barnett.
In his letter to Barnett, Barton urges the DoJ to "thoroughly investigate issues of competition and privacy that Yahoo failed to address fully in responding to questions about the online search advertising partnership agreement between Google and Yahoo".
Barton also described his concerns about the deal: "Specifically, I am concerned about the adverse effects such a partnership could have on competition and pricing within the online search-advertising industry."
Expressing similar concerns is the US Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG), a consumer group that opposes the proposed partnership. PIRG, which does not accept any corporate donations, is sending opposition letters to both Barnett and US attorney general Michael Mukasey, said Amina Fazlullah, a PIRG spokeswoman.
She noted the organisation is concerned that the deal could leave Yahoo in a weakened state. PIRG is concerned that companies in the internet industry, when weakened, may take steps to regain a competitive edge by sharing an increasing amount of their users' information, thereby affecting their privacy.
As a result, PIRG has been particularly interested in acquisitions in the internet industry and their effects on those competitors that are not part of the transactions.
Yahoo, however, contends its deal is misunderstood and would not result in less competition or higher prices for advertisers. The internet search pioneer has previously said it has no plans to exit the search-advertising market should the deal be implemented.
In the meantime, Yahoo's shares Tuesday came within close range of falling into the $10 a share range, setting a new five-year low of $11.25 a share during intraday trading before ending the day at $12.36 per share. Yahoo's shares closed Wednesday down 1.8 percent to $12.14 a share.
Credit: Yahoo-Google deal faces yet another round of concern from CNET News
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