eBay and Skype (continued)

Well the votes in the comments section of my prior post were mostly positive on this move by eBay.

For those who missed it, eBay announced that it was paying $2.6bn for Skype this morning plus an additional earnout which apparently could take the purchase price to $4bn.

First, let me congratulate the investors who had the foresight to invest in Skype.  They include Bessemer, DFJ, Index, and Mangrove.  Well done guys.  Also, let me say that Niklas and Janus are in the top tier of entrepreneurs having now done Kazaa and Skype.  That’s impressive as hell.

I suspect the Street will not like it and will see it as an overpay.

But I believe that PayPal was a bargain at $1.5bn and that Skype will be a bargain at $2.6bn.

Maybe Meg is turning eBay into something more like IAC, a diversified holding company of premium Internet assets.

If so, then I get this deal.

But I still don’t buy the synergy stuff, even though most of the commenters see it in spades.

#VC & Technology