As news continues to filter in about Microsoft’s pending multi-billion dollartakeoverof Skype, it’s worth taking a step back to look at some of the numbers we’re talking about here.
A number of figures have been bandied about, and with the official announcement likely to be hours away, it seems that somewhere in the region of$8bnwill exchange hands. But who’s hands will get what?
Well, it’s commonly reported that eBay sold Skype two years ago…but it still actuallyownsalmost a third of the company. So, going by that, eBay should make a cool $2.5bn (give or take…) if this sale goes ahead as planned.
Of the remaining $5.5bn, it seems that the Skype co-founders – Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis – were wise to retain a14% stakein the company, as they should pocket a little over $1bn between them.
The big winners are, obviously, the majority shareholders. Silver Lake, Andreessen Horowitz and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) own56%of Skype, and will walk away with well over $4.5bn between them.
The investment group initially secured a 65% stake in Skype Technologies from eBay in 2009, which meant they stumped up$1.9bn. Following alaw-suit, the co-founders secured their 14% which meant that the investment group only walked away with a 56% stake. But they have more than doubled-up on their initial investment.
What Microsoft does with Skype remains to be seen, but it clearly values Skype and the deal may be a vital step in the company’s plans to keep up with the other major technology pacesetters.
Story byPaul Sawers
Paul Sawers was a reporter with The Next Web in various roles from May 2011 to November 2014.
Follow Paul on Twitter: @psawers or check h(show all)Paul Sawers was a reporter with The Next Web in various roles from May 2011 to November 2014.
Follow Paul on Twitter:@psawersor check him out onGoogle+.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.
