WHAT THE PAPERS SAY: Mixed views on Microsoft retreat

After three months of discussions, Microsoft walked away from its bid to buy Yahoo, which was seen back in February as a 'last chance' to challenge Google for 'its title as heavyweight champion of the internet' (The Economist, 4 May).

CEO Jerry Yang angered investors by trying to push the offer higher and, despite returning a year ago to revive Yahoo's fortunes, may find his own head on the block.

Darren Chervitz, a Yahoo shareholder, complained: 'They didn't show much regard for shareholders' best interests in this process' (The Times, 6 May).

The prospect of Yahoo outsourcing a 'lucrative part of its business to Google in the event that Microsoft tried to launch a formal, hostile takeover' (The Times, 5 May) proved to be the last straw for Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, despite the view that it would attract interest from the regulators.

But WPP's Sir Martin Sorrell admired the retreat, saying: 'Microsoft showed price discipline by not going above is revised offer' (The Sunday Times, 4 May).

Analysis conducted by Echo Research from data supplied to PRWeek fromNewsNow.
www.echoresearch.com
www.newsnow.co.uk

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