Yahoo! Inc. is considering cutting its 40 percent stake in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. to about 15 percent, two people briefed on the matter said.
The Yahoo board is scheduled to meet later today to consider the transaction, said the people, who asked to remain anonymous because the deliberations are private. The deal, which may let Alibaba repurchase the stake in a tax-free manner, values the Asian assets at about $14 a Yahoo share, or more than $17 billion, one of the people said. Yahoo also would sell all of its stake in Yahoo Japan Corp. (4689) in the deal, this person said.
Alibaba stepped up efforts to buy back the stake after the September ouster of Yahoo Chief Executive Officer Carol Bartz, who had opposed a sale. Yahoo, buffeted by user attrition and search-market share losses to Google Inc., is also considering proposals by private-equity firms seeking to buy minority stakes.
Full story: Yahoo considers cutting its 40% Alibaba stake