Microsoft, Google bidding for minority stake in Facebook

Filed under: Internet, Google, Microsoft, Social Software

Microsoft, Google bidding for minority stake in Facebook

by Brad Linder Sep 25th 2007

The internet is starting to look like a Highlander movie. In the end, there can be only one company. And that company will have untold power over all the web.

Today's big news is that Microsoft and Google are reportedly in a bidding war for a minority stake in Facebook. Sure, neither is planning on buying the site outright, but the move could help Microsoft bolster its online business or help Google expand its social network offerings.

Apparently Microsoft is willing to pay $300 to $500 million for a 5% stake in Facebook. That would give Facebook a $10 billion valuation, which is a bit silly if you ask us. Sure, the site is the hottest thing since we burned our hands on the oven the other day, but Facebook is just starting to turn out revenue. And the social networking space if fickle. We remember a time not so long ago when people couldn't stop talking about how cool Friendster was.

Google is also interested in buying a stake in Facebook, although it seems nobody's leaked exactly how much money Google is willing to spend. Oh yeah, and Facebook is getting greedy. Part of the reason we're still talking about negotiations and not a deal is because Facebook is holding out for a higher valuation, possibly as high as $15 billion, which if our math is correct would mean Microsoft or Google would have to pay $750 million for a 5% stake.

Tags: facebook, friendster, merger, myspace

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