According to reports, Microsoft’s bid to acquire Yahoo through a proxy fight (an unfriendly takeover where the company’s shareholders vote on whether or not to replace the Board of Directors) will be an uphill battle. Once you count the shares of the current directors and officers hold along with the “institutional investors,” a quarter of whom will reportedly look unfavorably on the merger, nearly one third of the shares are likely to vote to refuse the buyout without an increase in Microsoft’s bid price. One factor that is likely to influence the proceedings is Yahoo’s earnings report for the second quarter, which is due to be announced April 22.
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