Starboard Reiterates Yahoo Should Combine With AOL

Advertisement
By Reuters | Updated: 9 January 2015 16:57 IST
Activist-investor Starboard Value LP has reiterated that Yahoo Inc should consider a merger with AOL Inc and cut costs to improve profits, spurred by media reports that Yahoo is exploring other large-scale acquisitions.

Starboard, in September, urged Yahoo to consider merging with AOL on the grounds that a deal could create up to $1 billion (roughly Rs. 6,245 crores) in "synergies" by reducing overlaps in online display advertising and other overhead costs.

The activist-investor holds stake in both companies.

Advertisement

Starboard said in a letter on Thursday that it was "increasingly concerned" by media reports of Yahoo planning acquisitions as it believed the company should first focus on monetizing its investments in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Yahoo Japan Corp.

Yahoo holds an approximately 15 percent stake in Alibaba valued at about $39.17 billion (roughly Rs. 2,47,953 crores) as of Wednesday's close and about an $8 billion (roughly Rs. 49,965 crores) stake in Yahoo Japan, as of September 30, 2014.

"A combination with AOL does make sense. They are two laggards who can combine forces and better compete with companies such as Google Inc," B. Riley & Co analyst Sameet Sinha said.

Advertisement

The Starboard letter highlighted reports speculating that Yahoo was considering buying cable assets, including Scripps Networks Interactive Inc and Time Warner's CNN.

Some large shareholders have also reached out directly to Starboard expressing their concern over the media reports, the activist-investor said.

Advertisement

Starboard disclosed a 7.7 million share stake in Yahoo and a 1.9 million share stake in AOL in November.

Yahoo's shares were up 2.4 percent at $49.75, while AOL was up 4.6 percent at $48.27 in afternoon trading on Thursday.

Advertisement

© Thomson Reuters 2015

 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Further reading: AOL, Internet, Yahoo
Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Moto G37 Power Review: Covers All the Bases and More
  2. New iPhone 18 Pro Leak Suggests It Could Arrive in These Battery Variants
  3. AMD Celebrates 10 Years of AM4 With Ryzen 7 5800X3D Anniversary Edition
  4. HP OmniBook X 14, Ultra 16 Refreshed With Nvidia RTX Spark 'Superchip'
  5. Samsung Galaxy Fit 4 Could Debut Alongside Galaxy S26 FE
  6. ViewSonic IN05 Series ViewBoard 4K Displays With Android 16 Debut in India
  7. Asus Unveils These ROG Edition 20 Lineup Products at Computex 2026
  8. Itel Aqua Launched in India With IP67 Rating, 1,200mAh Battery: See Price
  9. Xiaomi 17T India Launch Roundup: Launch Date, Expected Specifications
  1. Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 With Larger 7.4-Inch OLED Display Unveiled at Computex 2026
  2. ViewSonic IN05 Series ViewBoard 4K Displays Launched in India With Android 16, AI Features
  3. Asus ProArt P16, ProArt P14 and New ProArt Mini PC With Nvidia RTX Spark Unveiled at Computex 2026
  4. Computex 2026: MSI Prestige N16 Flip AI+ Announced as Company's First Nvidia RTX Spark-Powered Laptop
  5. Apple Releases New ‘Glow All Out’ Wallpaper, Apple Music Playlist Hinting at Next Week’s WWDC 2026 Theme
  6. Xiaomi's HyperOS 3 Adds AirDrop Support on Select Models With Ability to Share Files With Apple Devices
  7. iPhone 18 Pro Leak Hints at Two Battery Variants With Slightly Different Capacities
  8. Samsung Galaxy Fit 4 Launch Timeline Reportedly Leaked; May Debut Alongside Galaxy S26 FE
  9. iPhone Ultra Tipped to Launch in White Colourway; May Feature Vapour Chamber Cooling
  10. Asus ROG Edition 20 Lineup Unveiled at Computex 2026 to Commemorate 20 Years of ROG Series Products
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.