Yahoo(YHOO) investors may be learning a costly lesson in the dangers of tax efficiency. Under pressure from investors to maximize the value of its Alibaba(BABA) stake, the company unveiled a plan to spin off the stake, with a small business unit, as Aabaco Holdings. The spinoff was intended to avoid paying $12 billion in taxes. For months, however… Read More »
Following in the time honored tradition of Yellow Pages locksmiths, Yahoo(YHOO) has opted to name its upcoming spinoff Aabaco Holdings. Perhaps if they stick enough A’s in the name, they can get tax free status for the spin. Though no uplifting corporate message was given for the name, which presumably rhymes with tobacco, it appears to be a… Read More »
The drama surrounding Yahoo(YHOO)’s proposed spinoff of its Alibaba(BABA) stake continues. Though the company has said it is pushing forward and is optimistic, Barron’s reports that Morgan Stanley feels a 0% probability of the deal is priced in at the current stock price. The sentiment on the stock is now as if they’ll never make the spin happen,… Read More »
For the past month, Yahoo (YHOO) has been awash with uncertainty over saber rattling by the IRS that calls the tax-free nature of the spinoff of its Alibaba(BABA) stake into question. Last week, Marissa Mayer downplayed concerns. This week, Yahoo General Counsel Ron Bell tried to do the same. Yahoo! Inc. is working with tax officials to complete… Read More »
On May 19th, Yahoo’s (YHOO) stock plunged at the close after word leaked that the IRS was reviewing its rules regarding spinoffs. This was big news because Yahoo, after months of prodding by numerous activists, is in the process of spinning off its $30+b stake in Alibaba (BABA). A spinoff will help the company avoid a massive tax bill estimated… Read More »
A few short hits for the Friday before Memorial Day – A very minor footnote to the abandoned Comcast (CMCSA)/Time Warner Cable (TWC) megadeal is the cancellation of the GreatLand Connections spinoff. The spin would have shed millions of customers in select markets and was part of the two companies’ strategy to win regulatory approval. I think they… Read More »
Yesterday, Yahoo(YHOO) shares plunged on word that the IRS was examining treatment of asset-rich spinoffs. In a statement emailed to the Wall Street Journal, a Yahoo spokesperson stated that they expect no impact to the spinoff that is planned. In an emailed statement, a Yahoo spokeswoman said that because the company filed its request with the IRS earlier… Read More »
In the last minute or so of trading today, Yahoo (YHOO) dropped 7.5% on huge volume. At the same time Alibaba (BABA) spiked. Readers will recall that Yahoo is spinning off its stake in Alibaba together with its small business unit. The move is expected to save billions of dollars in taxes. Though scant information is available, Twitter… Read More »
After months of sustained pressure, Yahoo (YHOO) finally unveiled plans to spinoff its stake in Alibaba (BABA) last week during its earnings call. A spinoff was chosen for its tax efficiency and in order to accomplish that goal, the company said that a small operating unit would need to be included as part of the transaction. At the time,… Read More »
Ever since Alibaba’s (BABA) wildly successful IPO, investors have been wondering what Yahoo (YHOO) had in mind for its roughly $40 billion minority stake in the company. A sale would generate a lot of cash for the company, but also bring a monstrous $16 billion tax bill with it such as when the company unloaded shares during the… Read More »
Some activist funds like to work behind the scenes and then there are the others which seem to be in the news almost every day. A day after making waves at Yahoo (YHOO), Jeffrey Smith’s Starboard Value fund was back in the news after long time target MeadWestvaco (MWV) announced plans to spin off its specialty chemical business… Read More »
In separate filings today, Dan Loeb, fresh off his successful fight for Yahoo(YHOO) board seats, revealed that he had increased his Sara Lee(SLE) stake, and John Paulson announced a new stake in the disappearing conglomerate. Sara Lee will be paying a special dividend of $3 per share and spinning off its coffee and tea business by June 30.… Read More »