In 2007, Microsoft paid $6.3 billion for digital marketing company, aQuantive.
We thought it overpaid by $600-$700 million. It turns out we were wrong.
It overpaid by $6.2 billion.
Microsoft is taking a $6.2 billion non-cash write down in its online services division "mostly related" to its aQuantive acquisition.
Microsoft says in a release: "While the aQuantive acquisition continues to provide tools for Microsoft's online advertising efforts, the acquisition did not accelerate growth to the degree anticipated, contributing to the write down."
The write-down might be "mostly" related to aQuantive, according to Microsoft, but it doesn't look like it's solely related to aQuantive. It also says: "While the Online Services Division business has been improving, the company's expectations for future growth and profitability are lower than previous estimates."
