Microsoft could go on a shopping spree to acquire key technologies and services as soon as its legal problems are out of the way, according to a report from research firm Gartner. Other analysts aren't so sure, however.
As Microsoft's antitrust imbroglio drags on, the company is sitting on a cash reserve of $38 billion, something that makes large acquisitions almost inevitable, Stamford, Conn.-based Gartner said in a report released Wednesday.
Microsoft's cash hoard has recently been a topic of debate among parties including Wall Street analysts and consumer advocate Ralph Nader, who in January argued that the software giant should pay dividends to its shareholders.
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