April 13th, 2007
Silence surrounds DoubleClick sale...hmmm
After a barrage of leaks about DoubleClick's potential sale to Microsoft–and then Google–things have gotten quiet.
It's enough to make you go hmmm.
So what's going on? Here are a few thoughts.
1. Google's interest in DoubleClick was more about market intelligence than an actual purchase. Folks very familiar with Google have noted that the company's due diligence for acquisitions is often filed under intelligence gathering. And given Google may build a DoubleClick killer why wouldn't you feign interest to potentially gather data. Double bonus points if you can up the price for Microsoft. With the leaks to the Wall Street Journal out of the way Google's work is done.
2. DoubleClick and Microsoft are in a no-shop agreement–a pact indicating that the seller will hold off negotiations with other buyers–as the two parties work to seal a deal. This outcome would indicate that Microsoft is indeed serious about DoubleClick. It's also possible that DoubleClick has a no-shop with another party.
3. The news that Google was interested in DoubleClick upped the price and scared off Microsoft and other bidders. It's possible that DoubleClick has nothing to say. Just imagine if DoubleClick thought it had a bidding war only to find out Google was just joshing to get some intelligence. Perhaps interested parties agreed with Phil Wainewright and figured DoubleClick was about to become a dinosaur.
While it's unclear what's going on with DoubleClick the buzz about the deal has gone silent quickly. That fact may mean something's up.
Larry Dignan is Editor in Chief of ZDNet and Smart Planet as well as Editorial Director of ZDNet sister site TechRepublic. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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