Mario Monti Fines Microsoft 100 Million?

n3k5 writes "EU competition commissioner Mario Monti has been in the news a lot lately, following "[...] a preliminary decision that Microsoft is breaking European law by abusing its dominant position in the personal computers' market. However, [the Commission] needs to carry out a series of consultations before finalising its verdict, due by May 1." (Financial Times article) The latest articles all cite German magazine FOCUS, which reports in its current issue that, according to "informed" EU sources, the Commission is considering imposing a record fine of EUR 100,000,000 (USD 123,840,000) on Microsoft. "Amelia Torries, a spokeswoman for Monti, dismissed the report as 'pure and utter speculation.'" (Channel NewsAsia article)"

Comments

Re:That's, what, about 1% of MS's cash reserves?

[Tester]

Actually, this is not true! From Microsoft's latest SEC filings, it has a $US 52 billion dollar reserve.. 100 million would be avout 0.2% of that...

Calculation

[lonb]

I wonder what the calculation is for MSFT to determine how valuable this settlement is? I mean, their stock price has been held in abeyance while the EU was trying to finalize the case. This is one of the last major legal cases for MSFT. After this, their 80 billion (or whatever) in cash reserves can be pumped into kicking the crap out of the rest of the industry.

MSFT has 10,805,000,000 outstanding shares. An increase of $0.009 will generate the $100M in shareholder value. If the stock price

Re:Bingo

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, its one big anti-American conspirecy

Gee, don't see many EU companies in that list do we? Oh wait yes we do!

Other reports state 3.22 *billion* dollars

[slumped]

In The Scotsman:

MICROSOFT is working around the clock to find a way of avoiding a fine of up to $3.22bn that the European Commission is about to levy.

Anonymous sources, though....