Gamerpro

Until 2011, the largest acquisition of other companies was Microsoft's purchase of aQuantive corporation, which was engaged in online advertising (the deal was closed in August 2007, its total amount was $ 6.333 billion). In 2012, the corporation wrote off $ 6.2 billion from profits in connection with the recognition of this transaction as unprofitable [18].

In 2008, Microsoft tried to buy Yahoo !, for $ 48 billion, but, due to opposition from its minority shareholders, the deal did not take place [19].

In May 2011, the corporation announced the purchase of Skype Limited, a company specializing in Internet telephony, for $ 8.5 billion. The founders of Skype and a number of investment funds will be the sellers of the shares. After the end of the takeover, the Microsoft Skype Division was created on the basis of Skype Limited, while the director of Skype, Tony Bates, remained its head [19].