Reuters can not be taken out in hostile manner, given its 'Founder's Share' set up since the beginning of time which out votes all common shares, and that share resides inside a foundation of sort dedicated to editorial independence. It is a company with oddles of reporters, print and television content, Instinet, and a bunch of investments that was written off as 'research and development' (love conservative accounting), and all the ad revenue sharing (a lot from Yahoo). So, no, I do not think RTRSY will be taken over, friendly or otherwise.
In the case of Yahoo, Reuters' network stuff (Instinet, news, investments, business products) encompasses more than what Yahoo does.
Reuters' management is investment bank and VC savvy, almost to the calibre of some of the best banking houses. At the end of the day, we are betting on the people and the embedded value they control.
Deal heat generates thinking. And AOL TWX heats up the air more than people realize, yet. |
