

But LinkedIn will give Microsoft a far bigger reach in terms of social networking services and professional content - developing the early signs of enterprise social networking that it kicked off with its acquisition of Yammer for $1.2 billion in 2012.
#Current linkedin stock price software#
Today, Microsoft is focused squarely on software (and some hardware by way of its very downsized phones business). The acquisition is a big one for both sides.įor Microsoft, it’s bringing a key, missing piece into the company’s strategy to build out more services for enterprises, and give it a key way to compete better against the likes of Salesforce (which it also reportedly tried to buy).
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LinkedIn’s CEO Jeff Weiner will report to Satya Nadella. LinkedIn is keeping its branding and product, and it will become a part of Microsoft’s productivity and business processes segment. Microsoft’s price is down 4 percent to $49.66 in pre-market trading.)
(And in pre-market trading, unsurprisingly, LinkedIn’s stock has nearly crept up 64 percent to reach the share price Microsoft is paying. The $196 per share offer is a big hike on its closing price from Friday, $131.08. If for some reason the deal does not go through, LinkedIn will have to pay Microsoft a $725 million termination fee, according to Microsoft’s SEC filing detailing the merger. The transaction has already been approved by both boards, but it must still get regulatory and other approvals. Huge news today in the world of M&A in enterprise and social networking services: Microsoft has announced that it is acquiring LinkedIn, the social network for professionals with some 433 million users, for $26.2 billion, or $196 per share, in cash.
