Microsoft Investors Shrug Off $6B Write-Down

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Microsoft Investors Shrug Off $6B Write-Down

Despite Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s admission that its $6.2 billion acquisition of the online advertising firm aQuantive to bolster its position in online advertising is a mistake, shareholders dismissed the under writing.  In fact, the company’s stock value slightly increased by 0.3% to $30.64 On Tuesday.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) press statement reads that aQuantive  “continues to provide tools for Microsoft’s online advertising efforts, the acquisition did not accelerate growth to the degree anticipated,” which lead to the company’s write down.

Several analysts expressed that the company’s statement regarding its 2007 acquisition of the online advertising firm is not surprising and they do not consider it as a significant factor to pull down Microsoft’s stock price.

Rick Sherlund of Nomura Equity said that most investors are less optimistic about the Microsoft’s online business and they would be happy to see the company sell aQuantive to Facebook and to concentrate more on strategic areas. However, based on the latest report from the International Data Corporatio (IDC), online advertising is critical. The research firm projects that online advertising will grow from $87 billion to 145 billion by 2011 and it will surpass print advertising this year.

IDC analyst Karstein Weide suggested that despite Microsoft’s difficulties in online ad sales, there is a great chance for the company to become a big player in the online advertising market with the launching of the new Windows 8.

According to Weide, “The only chance they have is that Windows 8 on tablets and mobile phones turns out to be a big success. If that happens, then there would be an ecosystem in which they can successfully sell ads.”

Technology experts also expect that the introduction of Windows 8 will revitalize the PC market and to further expand the mobile market.

Microsoft previously acquired Skype for $8 billion and Yammer for $1.2 billion as a strategic move for the company to increase its share in the social networking market.

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