Microsoft, Icahn plot Yahoo takeover

Microsoft has said it would be willing to reopen talks to buy all or part of Yahoo, but only if a new Yahoo board is elected. The announcement is a major boost for investor Carl Icahn's board slate.

Microsoft, which broke off talks in early May to buy the internet company for $47.5bn (£24.1bn), said it would enter into talks immediately if a new board were elected at Yahoo's 1 August stockholder meeting.

Billionaire financier Icahn, a major Yahoo shareholder who is running a slate of candidates to replace the Yahoo board, said in an open letter released on Monday that he had spoken frequently with Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer over the past week.

Icahn said: "Steve made it clear to me that, if a new board were elected, he would be interested in discussing a major transaction with Yahoo", including purchasing either its 'search' function with large financial guarantees, or an outright purchase of Yahoo.

Microsoft said it would be premature to discuss details, such as the price it might offer for Yahoo. Its latest offer was $33 per share, but Yahoo demanded $37.

Icahn has been highly critical of the Yahoo board and its chief executive Jerry Yang in recent months, claiming the company "botched" negotiations with Microsoft.

Icahn said he would immediately move to replace Yang if his board slate were elected at the August meeting.

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