The Street Suffers But Microsoft Increases Dividend And Announces Share Repurchase Program

$40 billion authorized for share repurchase; Dividend increased 18 percent

Microsoft Corp. today announced that its board of directors approved a new share repurchase program authorizing up to an additional $40 billion in share repurchases with an expiration of September 30, 2013.
The board of directors also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.13 per share, reflecting a two cent or 18 percent increase over the previous quarter’s dividend. The dividend is payable December 11, 2008 to shareholders of record on November 20, 2008. The ex-dividend date will be November 18, 2008.
In addition, the company stated that it has completed its previous $40 billion stock repurchase program. Microsoft has returned over $115 billion to shareholders through a combination of share repurchases and dividends over the last five years.

At least one company doesn't seem to suffering like AIG, Merryl Lynch, Lehman Brothers and others.

Got to go, have to buy some gold and platinum bars :-)

Microsoft to open up?

Microsoft announced yesterday: Microsoft Makes Strategic Changes in Technology and Business Practices to Expand Interoperability.

Steve Ballmer said:

Number one, we're committing to ensure open connections for our high volume products.
Number two, we're committing to promote data portability for our high volume products.
Number three, we're committing to enhancing Microsoft's support for industry standards.
And four, we're committing to fostering a more open engagement with industry, as well as the open source software community.

I think that Microsoft did this mostly to please the EU who is still on their case about openness and including the browser. If they don't do this then the EU would never approve the MSFT + YHOO deal. What do you think?

Microsoft offers to buy Yahoo, del.icio.us will become win.icio.us

Microsoft offers to buy Yahoo, del.icio.us will become win.icio.us, flickr will become Windows Live Ajax Photo Viewer ;-) Of course Microsoft has their own flavor of del.icio.us called Listas and a photo organizer called Windows Live Photo Gallery. Hopefully they won't touch any of those.

Well however owns YHOO stock will surely sell today. Microsoft recently did deals with facebook, digg and Wall Street Journal to provide ads, this will just strengthen their ad presence. Google was eating Yahoo's lunch for years ;-(