Yahoo Plans Major Cost Cuts, Including Layoffs!

www.AmCy.org https://domains.fedprimerate.com/

Messages:: 1,642

Likes Received:: 60

Best Answers:: 0

Trophy Points:: 190

#1

From WSJ:

Yahoo Inc. is drafting significant cost-cutting plans to try to reverse its fortunes from the inside.

The Sunnyvale, Calif., Internet company is expected to disclose the cost cuts as soon as Tuesday, when it reports quarterly earnings, say people familiar with the matter. The cuts will involve layoffs, among other things, these people say.
[Chart]

The exact number of jobs to be eliminated remains unclear, though it is expected to exceed the 1,000 jobs that Yahoo announced it was cutting in January, say people familiar with the matter. Precisely which jobs will be excised isn't likely to be announced for at least a few weeks, say these people, though cuts are expected to come from across the company. Yahoo had 14,300 employees as of the end of June.

The San Jose Mercury News and several technology-industry Web sites have reported that Yahoo is planning job cuts.

Some Yahoo managers have also been asked to identify operating budget cuts of around 15%, according to people familiar with the matter. The company's U.S. hiring has slowed to a trickle, and Yahoo recently let go of two to three dozen external recruiters, according to these people.

Yahoo's moves come as the economic crisis is spurring belt-tightening across the country. But the Internet company's pain is more acute. Yahoo is scrambling to bounce back from years of disappointing revenue and profit growth as it has seen rivals such as Google Inc., News Corp.'s MySpace.com and Facebook Inc. grab more growth in the Internet sector.

Earlier this year, Yahoo spurned Microsoft Corp.'s takeover offer of $31 a share, or $45 billion. The move brought in activist investor Carl Icahn, who pressured Yahoo to sell itself to Microsoft and who has since taken a seat on Yahoo's board, along with two other directors he recommended. In the wake of the failed purchase, Yahoo's stock price has slid 43% in the past three months. On Friday, Yahoo shares closed at just $12.90.

Since Microsoft walked away from its bid, Yahoo has shuffled its management team and announced some new products to try to shore up its stock price. These have done little to improve the company's performance or restore investor and employee confidence in managers, including Yahoo chief executive Jerry Yang, who some shareholders blame for Yahoo's rejection of Microsoft's offer.

Yahoo says it has recently hired consultants Bain & Co. to help identify potential "structural changes." People familiar with the matter say that process continues and could result in suggestions beyond layoffs. Yahoo's new board also continues to ponder many moves, including a combination with Time Warner Inc.'s AOL, say people familiar with the discussions.

The two companies have been exploring a deal for months. People familiar with the situation say the two sides have started to discuss a value for AOL below the $8 billion to $10 billion that had been on the table before. The combination would see AOL folded into Yahoo, with Time Warner taking a minority stake.

Last week, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer raised the possibility that Yahoo and Microsoft could still pursue a search partnership during comments at an industry conference but said that there were no conversations between the companies about such a deal or a full acquisition of Yahoo by Microsoft.

Meanwhile, an Internet-search partnership with Google designed to help Yahoo generate hundreds of millions of dollars in additional revenue has run into a regulatory hitch. After many large advertisers have come out against the deal, which they fear could raise online ad prices, Google has been talking to the Justice Department about revising the agreement to prevent regulators from thwarting it, say people familiar with the matter.

At the same time, Yahoo is faced with a troubled economy that is causing some advertisers to rein in spending. The cutbacks appear to be hitting Yahoo's business harder than some of its competitors. Advertisers are reducing spending for display ads, the graphical ads that make up much of Yahoo's revenue, faster than other segments such as search ads, Google's stronghold.

Marianne Wolk, an analyst with Susquehanna Financial Group, says given the economic climate, 10% to 15% budget cutbacks for Yahoo would be "sensible." But she added that such moves would do little to address the company's bigger problems such as an exodus of employees and a broader "graphical advertising business that appears to be in freefall."

Investors will also be watching for whether spending cutbacks from some brand advertisers have grown severe enough to cause Yahoo to cut its annual revenue estimates. Yahoo is forecasting revenue of between $1.78 billion to $1.98 billion for the third quarter quarter and between $7.35 billion and $7.85 billion for the year.
Click to expand...

AmCy

www.AmCy.org, Oct 19, 2008 IP

mo.asghar Banned

Messages:: 140

Likes Received:: 4

Best Answers:: 0

Trophy Points:: 0

#2

As Google have captured the World wide web, every one else on the web have to cut expenses and i guess one day every one would have to sell all online contents to Google..... Yahoo might now agree to sell it to Google.

mo.asghar, Oct 19, 2008 IP

dimmakherbs Active Member

Messages:: 1,330

Likes Received:: 31

Best Answers:: 0

Trophy Points:: 90

#3

mo.asghar said: ↑

As Google have captured the World wide web, every one else on the web have to cut expenses and i guess one day every one would have to sell all online contents to Google..... Yahoo might now agree to sell it to Google.
Click to expand...

As much as a lot of us love Google, TRUST me competition is more of your friend than google is

dimmakherbs, Oct 19, 2008 IP

dairyman Notable Member

Messages:: 7,224

Likes Received:: 274

Best Answers:: 0

Trophy Points:: 205

#4

Google defied the downturn to post a better result whereas yahoo joined others to show the negative trend. While google is the boss in its niche, yahoo is not and it is reflected in the result...
BTW, layoff is a common phenomenon during recession.

dairyman, Oct 20, 2008 IP

Cryptkeeper Guest

Messages:: 5

Likes Received:: 0

Best Answers:: 0

Trophy Points:: 0

#5

Advertisers are reducing spending for display ads, the graphical ads that make up much of Yahoo's revenue, faster than other segments such as search ads, Google's stronghold.
Click to expand...

I think it would be best for Yahoo to adopt slowly search based Ads like google and phase out their display and graphical ad systems and move towards newer more popular areas.

Cryptkeeper, Oct 20, 2008 IP

DomainGamer Peon

Messages:: 228

Likes Received:: 2

Best Answers:: 0

Trophy Points:: 0

#6

Almost all of Yahoo's business is based around display ads, it would be very hard for them to move out of that area completely. I agree they should focus on search more, but right now that ship has sailed, barring any new breakthroughs.

DomainGamer, Oct 20, 2008 IP

abook Peon

Messages:: 434

Likes Received:: 1

Best Answers:: 0

Trophy Points:: 0

#7

yahoo adv is very good place, you cant move it

abook, Oct 24, 2008 IP

ayushiZ Peon

Messages:: 266

Likes Received:: 2

Best Answers:: 0

Trophy Points:: 0

#8

i have heard they are about to axe 1500 staff??

ayushiZ, Oct 24, 2008 IP

Addman Peon

Messages:: 3

Likes Received:: 0

Best Answers:: 0

Trophy Points:: 0

#9

I read about this recently, I also heard that even though the stock is at an all time low Microsoft no longer wants them.

Addman, Oct 24, 2008 IP

freight guy Member

Messages:: 206

Likes Received:: 2

Best Answers:: 0

Trophy Points:: 28

#10

Things are really slow at yahoo, so what's next for yahoo

freight guy, Nov 22, 2008 IP

buzzerhutdotcom Peon

Messages:: 328

Likes Received:: 3

Best Answers:: 0

Trophy Points:: 0

#11

Yahoo have some great successes like yahoo messenger and yahoo answers which make it much more than just search engine , i think its shares should rebound

buzzerhutdotcom, Nov 23, 2008 IP