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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
(Rule 14A-101)
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Definitive Proxy Statement |
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Yahoo! Inc.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
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Yahoo! Inc.
released the following press release on June 9, 2008.
YAHOO! FILES ITS DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT
Urges Stockholders to Reelect Current Board of Directors and Reject Carl Icahns Slate
SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 9, 2008 Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO), a leading global Internet company,
filed its definitive Proxy Statement today. Yahoo! is including the following letter to Yahoo!
stockholders from Chairman Roy Bostock and CEO Jerry Yang with its proxy materials:
Dear Fellow Stockholder:
The vote you will cast for directors at Yahoo!s August 1, 2008 annual meeting is
the most important for stockholders in our history.
We believe that the reelection of our current board is in the best interests of
Yahoo!s stockholders. Under the leadership of the current board and management team we
are executing on our strategy to create value that is gaining traction. In addition, in
responding to Microsoft Corporations proposal to acquire the company and exploring
strategic alternatives, Yahoo!s board has been focused on one central goal: how best
to maximize stockholder value. In this regard, you should know that we have at all
times been open to a transaction with Microsoft if it offers our stockholders full and
certain value. We write to ask you to support our slate of highly qualified and capable
directors standing for reelection.
You are probably aware that Carl Icahn proposes to replace our entire board of directors
with his hand-picked slate. Mr. Icahn has no credible plan except to sell the company to
Microsoft despite the fact that Microsoft has publicly indicated that it has no current
interest in such a transaction. Given Microsofts stated position of not wanting to acquire
Yahoo!, the election of Mr. Icahns slate could result in substantial erosion of
stockholder value.
We Urge You To Act Now To Protect Your Investment By Rejecting Mr. Icahns Slate
And By Voting For Our Board Today, By Telephone, Internet, Or By Signing, Dating,
And Returning The Enclosed WHITE Proxy Card.
Last year, after making changes in management, our board oversaw an intensive review by the
new management team, led by Jerry Yang, of Yahoo!s business and strategy. The result was a
more focused strategy, a more streamlined company and a significant acceleration of
specific initiatives to capitalize on the fast-growing online advertising market. As part
of that strategy, we made a deliberate, disciplined decision to make investments that would
generate greater long-term value for stockholders.
We started from a great place. Yahoo! is clearly a one-of-a-kind asset. Were a leader in
search, a pioneer in mobile advertising, and the clear leader in display advertising
where we see the greatest growth opportunity in online advertising. With more than 500
million monthly users worldwide, many best-in-class technology platforms, and strategically
unique Asian assets, we are well-positioned to capture growth in an online advertising
market that is projected to grow from approximately $40 billion in 2007 to approximately
$75 billion in 2010.
The key is the knowledge and experience to execute with this unique asset. We believe that
successfully executing on our strategy of being the starting point for the most consumers on the
Internet and the must buy for advertisers will enable us to generate double-digit growth in
operating cash flow and will lead to improved stockholder returns.
Our recent financial results, coupled with a number of strategic acquisitions and a string of
significant product rollouts demonstrate that we are executing on our strategy:
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Were continuing to see benefits from last years rollout of Panama, our new search
monetization platform that is helping to close the monetization gap. |
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Our acquisitions of Right Media, BlueLithium, Zimbra, and Maven Networks have all helped
advance our core strategies. |
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We are winning new business partners and expanding relationships with existing partners
WPP, Wal-Mart, CBS, and more than 770 newspapers now in our newspaper publisher
consortium. |
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Soon, we will roll out our new advertising management platform AMP! from Yahoo! that
will enable us to offer advertisers and publishers an extraordinarily simple, seamless way
to market over the Internet, helping us further our goal of becoming the must buy for
online advertising. |
Our Board Is Committed To Maximizing Stockholder Value.
Our board carefully evaluated Microsofts original offer and determined that it substantially
undervalued our company and was not in the best interests of our stockholders. Over the ensuing
months, we engaged in serious discussions with Microsoft, including numerous face-to-face meetings,
some of which included one or more of our independent directors. During this period, our board was
fully engaged, meeting more than twenty times to review the status of the discussions with
Microsoft and to consider other available alternatives to maximize stockholder value. At all times,
our board and management have made clear that they have been open to entering into any transaction,
including a sale to Microsoft if it valued the company fairly and offered our stockholders
certainty that they would receive that value, an important consideration given the likely lengthy
regulatory review process before a deal would be approved.
Our board also explored and continues to explore a variety of other ways to maximize stockholder
value.
Carl Icahn Has No Credible Plan To Create Value.
Mr. Icahns only plan for Yahoo!, if his slate is elected, is to hope that Microsoft which
withdrew its acquisition proposal more than a month ago and has since publicly reaffirmed that it
is not now interested in a full acquisition can be persuaded to come back to the table and agree
to acquire our company. But this is not a strategy.
In our opinion, Mr. Icahn and his slate are not the right individuals to guide Yahoo! as a
standalone company.
Our current board has the independence, the experience, the knowledge, and the commitment to
navigate the company through the rapidly-changing Internet environment, execute on our
initiatives to capitalize on the fast-growing online advertising market and to deliver value
for Yahoo! and its stockholders.
The future of Yahoo! and the value of your investment are in your hands. We ask you to vote for
your highly qualified and dedicated directors today. If you have questions about voting your WHITE
proxy card, please call MacKenzie Partners, Inc. Toll-Free at (800) 322-2885.
Thank you for your support.
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Roy Bostock
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Jerry Yang |
Chairman of the Board
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Chief Executive Officer |
Forward Looking Statements
This letter contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties concerning
Yahoo!s projected financial performance as well as Yahoo!s strategic and operational plans.
Actual results may differ materially from those described in this letter due to a number of risks
and uncertainties. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, the implementation
and results of Yahoo!s ongoing strategic initiatives; Yahoo!s ability to compete with new or
existing competitors; reduction in spending by, or loss of, marketing services customers; the
demand by customers for Yahoo!s premium services; acceptance by users of new products and
services; risks related to joint ventures and the integration of acquisitions; risks related to
Yahoo!s international operations; failure to manage growth and diversification; adverse results in
litigation, including intellectual property infringement claims;
Yahoo!s ability to protect its
intellectual property and the value of its brands; dependence on key personnel; dependence on third
parties for technology, services, content and distribution; general economic conditions and changes
in economic conditions; and potential continuing uncertainty arising in connection with the
withdrawal of Microsofts unsolicited proposal to acquire Yahoo! and the announced intention by a
stockholder to seek control of our Board of Directors, the possibility that Microsoft or another
person may in the future make another proposal, or take other actions which may create uncertainty
for our employees, publishers, advertisers and other business partners, and the possibility of
significant costs of defense, indemnification and liability resulting from stockholder litigation
relating to the Microsoft proposal. More information about potential factors that could affect
Yahoo!s business and financial results is included under the captions Risk Factors and
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in Yahoo!s
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 and the Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2008, which are on file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) and available at the SECs website at www.sec.gov. All information in
this letter is as of June 9, 2008, unless otherwise noted, and Yahoo! does not intend, and
undertakes no duty, to update or otherwise revise the information contained in this letter.
About Yahoo! Inc.
Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations
worldwide. Yahoo! is focused on powering its communities of users, advertisers, publishers, and
developers by creating indispensable experiences built on trust. Yahoo! is headquartered in
Sunnyvale, California.
Yahoo! and the Yahoo! logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc. All other
names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Yahoo! Inc.
Brad Williams, 408-349-7069 (Media)
bhw@yahoo-inc.com
Marta Nichols, 408-349-3527 (Investor)
mnichols@yahoo-inc.com
or
The Abernathy MacGregor Group for Yahoo! Inc.
Adam Miller, 212-371-5999 (Media)
alm@abmac.com
Winnie Lerner, 212-371-5999 (Media)
wal@abmac.com