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Microsoft Buys Ad Firm for $6 Billion

Posted by Zonk on from the a-bunch-of-people-just-got-really-quite-wealthy dept.

bain writes "The BBC is reporting that Microsoft has agreed to buy the digital marketing firm Aquantive, in what will be its biggest ever acquisition. The software giant spent almost $6 billion acquiring the agency, in its first bid to tackle the online advertising market. 'The deal is expected to be completed in the first half of 2008, subject to regulation. Microsoft said the expensive price tag was worth it to access the complementary technology of Aquantive. The firm will continue to operate from Seattle as part of Microsoft's online operations, and will help the software giant broaden the scope of services its MSN consumer internet unit can offer. Microsoft is the latest technology firm to pounce on the shrinking independent online advertising sector.'"

7 of 167 comments (clear)

  1. Microsofts newest aquisition by Recovering+Hater · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Will have its addresses as the newest addition to my hosts file.

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    My humor is probably your flamebait
  2. Breaking news: by zyl0x · · Score: 5, Funny

    In an attempt to foil Microsoft's plans for internet advertising domination, Google has upped the bidding to eleventy billion dollars, a number which does not even exist. Yet.

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    Blerg.
    1. Re:Breaking news: by Gatekeyper · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I find it amusing, according to MS and others, that Google "overpaid" for Double-Click...#1 in the market. Not to mention the cries from Redmond of monopoly. However now, MS dishes out nearly twice the amount for the #2 in the market. Oh the irony. Google schools MS again.

  3. how innovative by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ahh, I see they've decided to innovate some more to compete with Google...

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    This guy's the limit!
  4. crazy by grub · · Score: 5, Interesting


    $1/per pair of eyeballs on the planet.

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    Trolling is a art,
  5. a bid to unseat flash? by pohl · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This strikes me as an expensive (but possibly effective) way to ensure that silverlight-based adverts get shoved in our faces.

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    The "cue the foo posts in 3, 2, 1..." posts will commence with no subsequent foo posts in 3, 2, 1...

  6. Colour me confused.. by ratboy666 · · Score: 5, Informative

    aQuantive has ~900 million in assets, and a current shareholder equity of ~600 million. Net revenue is the first quarter of this year was ~14 million.

    Microsoft is aquiring them for 6 billion? Sounds about as dumb-ass as Google with DoubleClick (what, 31x premium?).

    aQuantive stock is now 64.75 *up 27.88*. I missed it.

    As a Microsoft shareholder, I don't like this. What a waste of money! I mean, paying 3 billion would be high, but 6 billion?

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    Just another "Cubible(sic) Joe" 2 17 3061