Back when the Internet was still growing into the massive entity that it is today, there were a few names that everyone knew about, and one of those was definitely Yahoo. Famous for their somewhat quirky TV ads back in the day, Yahoo quickly became an online favorite thanks to its search engine as well as a front page that offered users a separate door for every part of the Internet, a sort of TV guide for the Web. Times have certainly changed since then, and Yahoo could arguably be considered a sinking ship at this point, and it looks like AOL’s new owner, Verizon, is looking to scoop up what’s left of the firm’s online presence.
As Reuters is reporting, Verizon is apparently the “clear favorite” at the moment, with the firm putting a lot of faith in AOL’s CEO, Tim Armstrong. Verizon has been linked with a purchase of Yahoo since word got out that the company was putting itself and its assets up for sale, and given their purchase of AOL last Summer – for an impressive $4.4 Billion – it would make a lot of sense for Verizon to scoop up Yahoo as well. The idea would be for Verizon to purchase Yahoo and keep the company as it is, much as they have done with AOL, but use the two together to become a serious contender in the world of online advertizing and perhaps help extend Verizon’s reach even further.
The problem with acquiring a firm like Yahoo – or part of it in this case – is that Yahoo has fingers in a lot of different pies, including stakes in Alibaba and Yahoo Japan, both of which are said to be worth more than the online assets Verizon is eyeing up. This could leave another buyer to come in – with Japan’s SoftBank being mentioned – to purchase the rest of Yahoo. Verizon will certainly have a fight on their hands if they’re seriously looking to get their hands on Yahoo, but it could be one of the few ways in which Yahoo becomes a serious online presence once again.