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Data: Cash balances at large tech companies
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| PictureMicrosoft has reduced its legendary cash balance by tens of billions
| of dollars in recent years through a series of buybacks, dividends and
| acquisitions. The importance of cash was evident in the Microsoft-Yahoo saga:
| Had the Redmond company succeeded in the proposed $44.6 billion acquisition,
| it would have needed to borrow money for the first time in its history to
| fund the deal.
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http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/138129.asp?source=rss
Will there be enough for Microsoft to pay Munchkins and break the Web?
Adjusting the Ballmer Mood Index: Frustrated
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| Understanding the Steve Ballmer Mood Index (SBMI)
| # Frustrated: May or may not include chair-throwing, depending on whom you
| believe.
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http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/138130.asp?source=rss
Recent:
Microsoft sees slide in profits
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7366106.stm
Does Microsoft Need Yahoo Before Its Windows Shatter?
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| And what happens if Windows becomes moot? Microsoft loses the foundation of
| its success–your desktop. If we agree that Google is building its empire
| around your web browser, it’s fair to say that Microsoft has built its empire
| around your operating system. If Microsoft Windows takes a huge hit, the
| company loses that solid foundation. But, if Microsoft can acquire Yahoo, it
| will find itself with a back-up platform–your web browser.
`----
http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2008/04/does-microsoft-need-yahoo-before-its-windows-shatter.html
Microsoft says to borrow money for Yahoo deal
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| Microsoft Corp said on Monday it may borrow money for the first time in its
| history to fund a portion of its $44.6 billion unsolicited offer for Yahoo
| Inc.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNews/idUSN0455692920080205
Microsoft's DreamSpark – What a Giveaway
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| The rest of the $44.6bn (£22.3bn) deal would be financed with an undisclosed
| amount of credit.
|
| What that means is that it must squeeze as much money as it can from its
| operations to fund that debt and still pay dividends to shareholders, who
| will be looking for some payback from the Yahoo takeover.
`----
http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/microsofts-dreamspark-%E2%80%93-what-giveaway
Microsoft Profit Drops; Forecast May Miss Estimates
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| The world's biggest software maker said sales of Windows for PCs sank 24
| percent and revenue from its online advertising unit came in at the low end
| of its projections. Microsoft's report contrasted with positive comments from
| chipmaker Intel Corp. and computer company International Business Machines
| Corp.
|
| [...]
|
| Microsoft declined $1.60 to $30.20 in extended trading after closing at
| $31.80 at 4 p.m. New York time on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The stock has
| fallen 11 percent this year.
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http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aQ7_iN1SxJ.c&refer=worldwide
Microsoft stock drops amid slumping sales
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| Microsoft Corp., whose Windows software dominates the personal-computer
| market, fell 6.2 percent Fridayin Nasdaq trading after sales slumped, casting
| doubt on whether PC demand can hold up in a slowing economy. The software
| maker reported a 24 percent drop in sales of Windows last quarter and
| forecast earnings that may miss analysts' estimates.
|
| [...]
|
| "The risk is that Linux gets a foothold and then affects their long-term
| revenue significantly."
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http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_9061263
Microsoft’s elephant in the OS room: Apple
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| Microsoft’s three reasons for the client malaise are all legitimate. What’s
| curious is that piracy–always a big deal for Microsoft–was mentioned 12 times
| on the conference call by CFO Christopher Liddell and analysts, who were
| following the software giant’s lead. The takeaway: Microsoft is facing tough
| growth comparisons and any blip in piracy levels can be the difference
| between Vista and XP hitting Wall Street targets. If Microsoft didn’t need
| that extra percent of growth or two it’s unlikely we’d get a conference call
| where piracy chatter was dominant.
|
| Also see: Salesforce dumping 4,000 PCs for Macs?
|
| But let’s dig deeper: Could it be that the real elephant in the room was
| Apple? Let’s be real: Apple isn’t taking over operating system dominance, but
| it is fast enough to take away a few incremental dollars from Microsoft.
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http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=8614&tag=nl.e589
Is Vista to Blame for Windows Revenue Drop?
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| Microsoft said this week that Windows revenues during the first three months
| of 2008 were down nearly 24% from the same period last year.
|
| One analyst argued that the decline is more evidence that the company is
| having trouble convincing users of Windows Vista's value.
|
| "More than a year has passed since the rollout of Vista to both the business
| and consumer markets, and experiencing revenue declines so early in the
| product lifecycle is not a positive sign," said Allan Krans, an analyst with
| Technology Business Research.
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http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,145153-pg,1/article.html
Microsoft earnings post-mortem: The cash cows quiver
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| I can’t help but wonder if the lackluster Windows/Office results also can be
| attributed to Microsoft brass’s complete and crazy obsession with Google (and
| taking over Yahoo) has resulted in no one minding the Windows store. Kevin
| Johnson, the head of Microsoft’s Platforms & Services division seems to be so
| laser-focused on the online-ad business these days that he almost seems to
| have forgotten Microsoft is still in the software business, too.
|
| Microsoft execs’ claims about walking away from the Yahoo deal are nothing
| more than bluster. A protracted hostile takeover bid is just going to
| distract not just employees in Microsoft’s online services business, but
| company management, too. It’s not a pretty picture.
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1362
Feeling the heat at Microsoft
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| If I ask you who is Microsoft's biggest competitor now, who would it be?
|
| Ballmer: Open...Linux. I don't want to say open source. Linux, certainly have
| to go with that.
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http://www.news.com/Feeling-the-heat-at-Microsoft/2008-1012_3-6232458.html?tag=ne.fd.mnbc
Microsoft's SEC:
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| A prominent example of open source software is the Linux operating system...
| To the extent open source software gains increasing market acceptance, sales
| of our products may decline, we may have to reduce the prices we charge for
| our products, and revenue and operating margins may consequently decline.
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http://www. microsoft.com/msft/SEC/default.mspx
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