링크트인, MS에 262억 달러에 매각된다 (LinkedIn soars on deal to sell to Microsoft for $26.2 billion)

기사송출: 2016-6-13

편집부 기자 :

cf986b0cb7b00f80b89676a6c3d8dd77_1465829

링크트인이 MS에 매각된다. 구직-구인정보로 시작해 세계최대 비즈니스 네트워크 사이트로 성장한 링크트인의 가격은 262억달러로 평가됐다.

세계 최대 비즈니스네트워크 사이트 링크트인(LinkedIn)이 마이크로소프트(MS)에 262억 달러에 팔린다고 13일(현지시간) 블룸버그와 마켓워치 등이 일제히 보도했다.

보도에 의하면, MS는 링크트인을 주당 196달러에 현금 매입하기로 합의했다. 이 가격은 지난 주말 종가 대비 49.5% 높은 수준이다.

MS는 매입 자금을 채권 발행을 통해 조달할 것으로 알려졌다. 이번 링크트인 인수는 사티야 나델라 CEO가 지난 20014년 취임한 이후 단행하는 최대 규모의 인수로 꼽히고 있다.

링크트인은 MS에 인수된 이후에도 브랜드와 조직문화, 독립성을 유지하며 CEO 제프 와이너도 유임된다. 이번 거래는 올해 완료될 것으로 전해졌다.

링크트인은 지난 2002년 창업자 리드 호프먼회장이 자택에서 설립한 비즈니스 네트워크 사이트다. 현재 200여 개국 1억 명 이상이 가입해 있다.

런칭 초기에는 구직 및 구인관련 SNS로 인기를 모았지만 이후 기업인들이 바이어 발굴과 신규시장 개척 비즈니스 파트너 물색 등에 주로 활용하면서 여타 구직정보 사이트와 차별화를 이루게 됐다.

Microsoft to incorporate LinkedIn in 365 cloud business

MW-DE460_LNKD_0_20150129153539_ZH.jpg?uu

Shares of LinkedIn Corp. jumped nearly 50% on Monday morning after the company said Microsoft will buy it in a $26.2 billion deal that would merge Microsoft’s enterprise cloud services with the professional social network.

The all-cash transaction amounts to $196 a share, a 50% premium to Friday’s closing price.

Excluding Monday morning’s rally, LinkedIn shares had been up 14% over the last three months but down nearly 40% over the last year, underperforming the S&P 500. They are still down 14% in 2016.Jeff Weiner will remain CEO of LinkedIn LNKD, +47.17% reporting directly to Microsoft MSFT, -2.67% CEO Satya Nadella. The deal is expected to close later this year, pending regulatory approvals. Both company’s boards have unanimously approved the acquisition.

The acquisition is Microsoft’s largest under Nadella, who became CEO 2014. Microsoft said it expects to keep LinkedIn’s brand and independence, but will work to integrate the professional social network with Microsoft Office 365 and Dynamics, its customer relationship management offering.

“In essence, we can reinvent ways to make professionals more productive while at the same time reinventing selling, marketing and talent management business processes,” said Nadella in a public message to Microsoft employees.

MW-EP171_msft_l_20160613100020_MG.jpg?uu

Courtesy LinkedIn

LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and LinkedIn Chairman Reid Hoffman, in a photo published June 13, 2016, the day the companies announced plans to merge.

LinkedIn’s results will be reported under Microsoft’s productivity and business processes segment, which includes Office and Office 365. In April, Microsoft reported a 1% quarterly increase to $65 million for that unit.

Last quarter, LinkedIn reported revenue of $861 million, a year-over-year increase of 35%. In a statement, Microsoft said it expects the acquisition to have “minimal dilution” or roughly 1% to non-GAAP earnings per share for the remainder of fiscal-year 2017 and for all of fiscal 2018.

The deal is expected to boost non-GAAP earnings Starting in fiscal 2019, Microsoft said.

Microsoft might have overpaid for LinkedIn, but it’s too soon to tell, according to Patrick Moorhead, founder and principal analyst at Moor Insight & Strategy. Moorhead said the deal could bolster Microsoft’s enterprise cloud offerings, which grew more slowly than expected last quarter.

“Based on the income statement and balance sheet, the numbers look high for an acquisition,” Moorhead said. “I see the potential for a beefed up business social media service which is more than a resume posting service as it is today. I can envision a service where businesses more freely collaborate, leveraging online versions of Office 365, Skype for business and OneDrive.”

Microsoft’s shares fell 4.7% early Monday. Its shares are down 3% over the last three months and up 12% over the last year. Microsoft said it would finance the transaction by issuing new debt.

Microsoft continues to expect to complete a $40 billion buyback plan in 2016.

Some analysts had described LinkedIn as a potential takeover target earlier this year.

LinkedIn Chairman Reid Hoffman called the transaction a “re-founding moment” for the company.

“Imagine a world where we’re no longer looking up at Tech Titans such as AppleAAPL, -1.26% Google GOOG, +0.52% Microsoft, Amazon AMZN, +0.25% and Facebook, and wondering what it would be like to operate at their extraordinary scale — because we’re one of them,” Weiner said in a statement.

In LinkedIn’s latest quarter, the company reported stronger revenue in its talent solutions business, which helps recruiters connect with potential job seekers. Total membership soared 19% year-over-year to more than 433 million, while job listings increased 101% to 7 million active jobs.