![]() Recent news that Skype is now in litigation with a company controlled by those founders over key Skype technology only complicates the picture further.ĮBay acquired Skype in 2005 for $4.1 billion, although about $1 billion of that, an earnout, was never paid. Skype founders Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, were also reportedly in talks with several private equity firms earlier this year to make a bid for the company. Presumably, the investor group, if successful in acquiring Skype, would run it privately and eventually prepare it for an initial public offering. Skype, under Silverman, grew revenue to $551 million last year, and eBay has said it expects the company to top $1 billion in revenue in 2011. Sources we’ve spoken with have said he is generally well thought of both within Skype/eBay as well as the possible investors. The latest price was 332.89 (25 minute delay). During the day, the price has varied from a low of 323.88 to a high of 333.4. It opened the day at 324.02, after a previous close of 325.92. Skype is owned by Microsoft (MSFT), a leading Software business based in the USA. It isn’t clear if current Skype CEO Josh Silverman would continue to lead the company after any acquisition. The current share price is 332.89 (25 minute delay). The Andreeseen Horowitz fund can make single commitments of up to $50 million. ![]() ![]() These announcements are often made to generate acquisition offers from potential suitors. And the unnamed private equity firm is apparently Silver Lake Partners, who is likely supplying the bulk of the capital needed to pay the $2 billion price tag.ĮBay ( NASDAQ: EBAY) announced earlier this year that they would be spinning off the company in an initial public offering in 2010. The deal will be announced Tuesday, says Brad Stone and Claire Cain Miller, citing unnamed sources (perhaps people that… read our post last week).Īs we reported, Index Ventures is also participating in the acquisition. ![]() The NY Times is now confirming our report last week the sale of Skype to an investor group led by Andreessen Horowitz is imminent. ![]()
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