Verizon to Buy AOL for $4.4 Billion

[DonViejo]

Source: New York Times


Verizon said Tuesday that it would buy AOL at $50 a share in a deal with an estimated value of $4.4 billion.

The move is an effort to expand Verizon’s digital and video offerings.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/13/business/dealbook/verizon-to-buy-aol-for-4-4-billion.html?

[Human101948]

1. Sounds like a waste of money...

But the top executives of both companies will get a humongous bonus and bump in pay or golden parachute. What could be bad about that?

[leftofcool]

2. AOHell is still a company?

[bvf]

7. Doesn't it own Huffington Post?

[onehandle]

3. Not quite the same as Comcast owning NBC/Universal, but still anti-net neutrality. nt

[DFW]

4. Well, rats

I had offered $4.3 billion, and hoped it was enough...........

[BeyondGeography]

5. Up the cash portion of your offer and see what happens

It ain't ovah til it's ovah.

[DFW]

6. While I respect Yogi Berra's keen insight

After $4.3 billion, I'm tapped out. Have to let this one go, however reluctantly........

[NV Whino]

10. Perhaps you could sell some wine… or gold coins?

[DFW]

16. I'll see if I can ask Ro-BAIR to help me out? n/t

[NV Whino]

20. Perfect.

[DFW]

23. Send the memo to Juanita Chang

She'll make sure he gets it

[NV Whino]

26. I want to know where I can find a Juanita Chang to run my life.

[DFW]

27. So do I

That's what fiction is for, though, right? Fills in those gaps that reality can't or won't.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

19. Throw in the Picasso. NT

[DFW]

24. That could help round the price upwards

But I'm fresh out, wouldn't you now it?

[Reter]

8. Why not CompuServe or GEnie?

[Jester Messiah]

25. Hah, nice! [nt]

[davidpdx]

9. Well the merger between AOLHELL worked so well for Time Warner

Sounds like Verizon has a death wish.

[pstokely]

11. they still have people paying for AOL dial up

these people probably think they will have to give up their email address they've had for the past 2 years they drop AOL dial up

http://www.rttnews.com/2496866/millions-still-use-aol-dial-up.aspx
http://consumerist.com/2015/04/28/83-year-old-racks-up-24289-in-att-charges-by-still-using-aol-dial-up/

[FLPanhandle]

12. There are a lot of remote locations in the US where people still have to use dial up

Those dial up locations decline every year though.

I can't imagine they will ever get their $4 billion dollars back.

[eloydude]

13. Yes...they overpaid.. by a factor of 100

AOL isn't even worth 4.4 billion.

40 million, maybe.

[Demonaut]

14. I'm selling my set of AOL disc's, if your ISP fails this is a great back up, 56k ready!!

I'll even toss in early 28.8k disc's for free...a little slower but font friendly

[tazkcmo]

15. Love their free coasters! n/t

[father founding]

17. new name

Are they going to call it Beavis and Butthead Inc. ?

[William Seger]

22. I think it's AOLMAO (n/t)

[mahatmakanejeeves]

18. As I was making plans on how to handle my newfound wealth,

I discovered that, due to reverse splits and spinoffs and other corporate actions over the years, I own an entire 3 shares of AOL.

[hughee99]

21. I'm sure what Verizon really wanted was AOL's customer service department.

Yes, Verizon's is bad, but AOL's is something really special.

[moose65]

28. Wow, I'm surprised!

I didn't even know that AOL still existed! How quaint - brings back memories of 1998 and "You've Got Mail"! Verizon is always on the cutting edge!

[PasadenaTrudy]

29. A friend

still uses it. Has an AOL email address, too.

[X_Digger]

30. Verizon and redbox tanked a while back.. so.. double down?!? n/t