Microsoft has just announced that the company has reached an agreement where it will be acquiring the business-oriented social networking service, LinkedIn. The deal is valued at $26.2 billion (about RM106 billion), which is $192 (approximately RM780) per share, inclusive of LinkedIn’s net cash.
Despite the acquisition, the deal also states that LinkedIn will retain its branding, culture, as well as independence. The CEO of LinkedIn will continue to be Jeff Weiner and he will be reporting to Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft.
Over the years, LinkedIn has grown at a rapid pace, creating a platform for professionals to communicate and network. Through the acquisition, both these companies are looking to expand the market for their respective products.
Microsoft’s Office tool is the key product in this relationship. Microsoft could gain more Office users, while LinkedIn users could be given additional data which would otherwise be hard to obtain. Sales representatives could pick up useful information of potential customers while attendees of meetings would be able to learn about one another through their calendars.
Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella said,
Together we can accelerate the growth of LinkedIn, as well as Microsoft Office 365 and Dynamics as we seek to empower every person and organisation on the planet.
Both parties seem to fully support the transaction, and the deal is expected to close by the end of this year. However, should LinkedIn decide to back out from the deal, the company would need to pay a $725 million (RM2.9 billion) breakup fee.
(Source: Microsoft via Wall Street Journal)
