Rumors are circulating Friday that Microsoft will soon close on a deal to acquire Yammer, operator of a social network for businesses.
Sources close to the negotiation shared their insight with Bloomberg, which further speculates that the acquisition could cost Microsoft at least $1 billion.
If the talks are as far along as they appear to be, a final deal could be reached before the end of business Friday.
Gaining closely-held Yammer would help Microsoft, the world’s largest software maker, add social-networking tools to the suite of products it offers corporate customers. Large information-technology companies are snapping up nimbler startups, sometimes before they reach an initial public offering, spending $17.4 billion on enterprise software acquisitions in 2011, compared with $715.5 million in 2009, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
For now, representatives for Yammer and Microsoft won’t provide any details or comment on the rumored acquisition talks.
MMW will keep you updated as the story develops.
