starcraft said:
Last financial year Microsoft's revenue breached $50 billion. Its market capitalisation is $261 billion and its profit last year alone was $12 billion. Microsoft could purchase SE which is worth $3.3 billion and not even bat an eyelid. It could then go on to purchase Sony, Nintendo and the country New Zealand and still have enought left over for ice-cream and an executives weekend retreat. (ok maybe that last sentence was an exaggeration but Microsoft could purchase SE in its entirety and not experience handicapping of any kind). |
1. When acquisitions happen, it is usually a fact of business that a substantial premium has to be paid on the company being purchased, meaning that if the information that you provided me is correct that SE is in fact worth 3.3billion, then Microsoft might have to pay $6 billion for the purchase.
2. Secondly, you do realize that Microsoft has to allocate its earnings among various other things correct? You completely ignored this point. Do you have any idea of the expenses that microsoft needs just to keep the Windows division operating? Do you have any idea of the capital needs to keep HD-DVD afloat? A company can't just decide to throw away its big moneymaker (windows) and just concentrate on the losing division( 360) and expect for this division to do well by merely making an acquisition.