OUR research has long found that big technology companies are among the weakest when it comes to online investor relations communications — and we’re now seeing that manifest itself in the Yahoo!-Microsoft dust up.
I’ve already highlighted how neither company is making effective use of its website to keep shareholders informed, and I’ve complained aloud about Yahoo’s irritating practice of hiding its best communications in SEC filings.
But of the two, Microsoft now looks decidedly the least capable of orchestrating a coherent online communications campaign.
After seeing its overtures to Yahoo! spurned Monday, Microsoft issued a news release after the market close saying that based on “conversations with stakeholders” it is “confident that moving forward promptly to consummate a transaction is in the best interests of all parties” and that it “reserves the right to pursue all necessary steps” to put its proposal to shareholders.
Those are fighting words, for sure.
But an hour after that release went out over the wires, there was still nothing on Microsoft’s IR homepage even acknowledging that it wants to buy Yahoo!
Boggles the mind.
Personally, I think this is all very unfortunate because it looks increasingly like we are headed for a public war of words between the two companies and possibly a proxy battle.
Frankly, I can stomach watching these two tech giants wobble and slur their way through a proxy fight as much as I look forward to watching two drunks duke it out in a back alley.
I mean, if you’re going to do these things, at least do it with a bit of class.
Dominic Jones (bio) created IR Web Report in 2001. He is a consultant to leading public companies and investor relations service providers worldwide. You can contact him via the contacts page.
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