Will Facebook Accept Offers from Microsoft?
Microsoft Corp. has approached Facebook Inc. in recent weeks proposing an investment that would give Microsoft a 5% stake in the popular social-networking company, The Wall Street Journal reported.
With Microsoft willing to invest between $300 million and $500 million, the deal would value Facebook at $10 billion or more, the Journal reported, quoting anonymous sources yesterday.
Google Inc. has also expressed an interest in acquiring a Facebook stake recently, according to the Journal. Thus, Microsoft could find itself competing for Facebook’s attention with Google.
However, Facebook’s discussions with Google and Microsoft are in the early stages and could end up with no agreement with either suitor, according to the newspaper.
Reached by IDG News Service, Facebook, Microsoft and Google declined to comment.
Founded in February 2004, Facebook is one of the world’s most popular social-networking sites with about 42 million active users. Facebook has been growing strongly in the past 12 months. In December, it had about 12 million active users.
