List of mergers and acquisitions by Microsoft


Microsoft is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions. Established on April 4, 1975, to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800, Microsoft rose to dominate the home computer operating system market with MS-DOS in the mid-1980s, followed by the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems. Microsoft would also come to dominate the office suite market with Microsoft Office. The company has diversified in recent years into the video game industry with the Xbox, the Xbox 360, the Xbox One, and the Xbox Series X/S as well as into the consumer electronics and digital services market with Zune, MSN and the Windows Phone OS.
The company's public offering was held on March 14, 1986. The stock, which eventually closed at $27.75 a share, peaked at $29.25 a share shortly after the market opened for trading. After the offering, Microsoft had a market capitalization of $519.777 million. Microsoft has subsequently acquired over 225 companies, purchased stakes in 64 companies, and made 25 divestments. Of the companies that Microsoft has acquired, 107 were based in the United States. Microsoft has not released financial details for most of these mergers and acquisitions.
Since Microsoft's first acquisition in 1986, it has purchased an average of six companies a year. The company purchased more than ten companies a year between 2005 and 2008, and it acquired 18 firms in 2006, the most in a single year, including Onfolio, Lionhead Studios, Massive Incorporated, ProClarity, Winternals Software, and Colloquis. Microsoft has made fourteen acquisitions worth over one billion dollars: Skype Technologies, aQuantive, Fast Search & Transfer, Navision, Visio Corporation, Yammer, Nokia's mobile and devices division, Mojang, LinkedIn, GitHub, Affirmed Networks, ZeniMax Media, Nuance Communications, and Activision Blizzard.
Microsoft has also purchased several stakes valued at more than a billion dollars. It obtained an 11.5% stake in Comcast for $1 billion, a 22.98% stake in Telewest for $2.263 billion, and a 3% stake in AT&T for $5 billion. Among Microsoft's divestments, in which parts of the company are sold to another company, only Expedia Group was sold for more than a billion dollars; USA Networks purchased the company on February 5, 2002, for $1.372 billion.

Key acquisitions

Microsoft's first acquisition was Dynamical Systems Research on June 20, 1986. DSR developed a clone of IBM's TopView operating environment for DOS; Microsoft employed their technology and programmers to further the development of Windows. Its second acquisition was Forethought on July 30, 1987. Forethought was founded in 1983 and developed a presentation program that would later be known as Microsoft PowerPoint.
On December 31, 1997, Microsoft acquired Hotmail.com for $500 million, its largest acquisition at the time, and integrated Hotmail into its MSN group of services. Hotmail, a free webmail service founded in 1996 by Jack Smith and Sabeer Bhatia, had more than 8.5 million subscribers earlier that month.
In 1999, Microsoft reportedly discussed a buyout of Nintendo. However, execs failed to negotiate a deal, with Xbox co-inventor Kevin Bachus explaining "They just laughed their asses off."
Microsoft acquired Seattle-based Visio Corporation on January 7, 2000, for $1.375 billion. Visio, a software company, was founded in 1990 as Axon Corporation, and had its initial public offering in November 1995. The company developed the diagramming application software, Visio, which was integrated into Microsoft's product line as Microsoft Visio after its acquisition.
On July 12, 2002, Microsoft purchased Navision for $1.33 billion. The company, which developed the technology for the Microsoft Dynamics NAV enterprise resource planning software, was integrated into Microsoft as a new division named Microsoft Business Solutions, later renamed to Microsoft Dynamics.
Microsoft purchased aQuantive, an advertising company, on August 13, 2007, for $6.333 billion. Before the acquisition, aQuantive was ranked 14th in terms of revenue among advertising agencies worldwide. aQuantive had three subsidiaries at the time of the acquisition: Avenue A/Razorfish, one of the world's largest digital agencies, Atlas Solutions, and DRIVE Performance Solutions.
Microsoft acquired the Norwegian enterprise search company Fast Search & Transfer on April 25, 2008, for $1.191 billion to boost its search technology.
On May 10, 2011, Microsoft announced its acquisition of Skype Technologies, creator of the VoIP service Skype, for $8.5 billion. With a value 32 times larger than Skype's operating profits, the deal was Microsoft's largest acquisition at the time. Skype would become a division within Microsoft, with Skype's former CEO Tony Bates —then the division's first president —reporting to the CEO of Microsoft.
On September 2, 2013, Microsoft announced its intent to acquire the mobile hardware division of Nokia in a deal worth 3.79 billion euros, along with another 1.65 billion to license Nokia's portfolio of patents. Steve Ballmer considered the purchase to be a "bold step into the future" for both companies, primarily as a result of its recent collaborations. The acquisition, scheduled to close in early 2014 pending regulatory approval, did not include the Here mapping service or the infrastructure division Nokia Solutions and Networks, which will be retained by Nokia. While the deal went through, in May 2016 Microsoft abandoned its mobile business and sold the Nokia feature phone line.
In September 2014, Microsoft purchased Mojang for $2.5 billion.
On June 13, 2016, Microsoft announced it planned to acquire the professional networking site LinkedIn for $26.2 billion, to be completed by the end of 2016. The acquisition would keep LinkedIn as a distinct brand and retain its current CEO, Jeff Weiner, who will subsequently report to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. The acquisition was completed on December 8, 2016.
On June 4, 2018, Microsoft acquired the popular code repository site GitHub for $7.5 billion in Microsoft stock.
On September 21, 2020, Microsoft announced its intent to acquire ZeniMax Media and all its subsidiaries for $7.5 billion.
The acquisition was completed on March 9, 2021.
On January 18, 2022, Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard, an American video game holding company, for $68.7 billion in cash. The deal was finalized on October 13, 2023, with the total cost of the acquisition amounting to $75.4 billion, following international government regulatory review of the action.

Acquisitions

DateCompanyBusinessCountryValue
1Dynamical Systems ResearchOperating systems1500000
2Forethought, Inc.Computer software14000000
3Consumers SoftwareSoftware—
4Fox SoftwarePC database software174000000
5SoftimageWholesale 3-D visualization software130000000
6Altamira SoftwareSoftware—
7NextBaseSoftware—
8One Tree SoftwareSoftware—
9RenderMorphics3D graphics hardware—
10Network ManagersSystems design—
11The Blue Ribbon SoundWorksSoftware—
12NetwiseComputer software—
13Bruce Artwick OrganizationProgramming—
14Vermeer TechnologiesSoftware133000000
15VGA-Animation Software DivSoftware—
16Colusa SoftwareSoftware—
17ExosVideo game controllers—
18Aspect Software EngineeringComputer software14150000
19eShop Inc.Software50000000
20Electric GravityElectronic games—
21Panorama Software Sys-On-LineSoftware—
22NetCartaInternet software20000000
23InterseInternet software—
24WebTV NetworksInternet service provider425000000
25Dimension XJava-based platforms—
26Cooper & PetersProgramming—
27LinkAge SoftwareInternet software development—
28VXtremeInternet video software—
29HotmailInternet software500000000
30 Flash CommunicationsEnterprise instant messaging software—
31FireflyRelationship management software40000000
32MESA GroupData sharing software—
33Valence ResearchInternet software—
34LinkExchangeInternet advertising network265000000
35Virtual World Entertainment GroupVideo games—
36CompareNetShopping online—
37Numinous TechnologiesSoftware—
38Access SoftwareVideo games—
39Interactive Objects-DigitalWeb music software—
40Jump NetworksInternet service provider—
41ShadowFactor SoftwareWholesale computer software—
42OmnibrowseInternet software—
43IntrinsaDefect detection software58900000
44SenditApplication software125420000
45ZoomitEncryption software—
46STNCCommunity software—
47Softway SystemsComputer programming—
48EntropicSoftware—
49Visio CorporationWholesale drawing software1,375,000,000
50Peach NetworksDigital TV services—
51TravelscapeInternet service provider89750000
52Titus CommunicationsCable television944800000
53BungieVideo games—
54NetGamesSoftware—
55MongoMusicOnline music search engine65000000
56Pacific MicrosonicsDigital audio technology—
57Digital AnvilVideo games—
58VacationspotInternet service provider70850000
59Great Plains SoftwareBusiness management software939884000
60Intellisol InternationalSoftware—
61Ensemble StudiosVideo games100000000
62NCompass LabsInternet software36000000
63Maximal Innovative IntelligenceSoftware20000000
64YupiOnline Spanish portal—
65Classic Custom VacationsTravel agency78000000
66Sales Management SystemsSoftware—
67NavisionSoftware programming1,330,000,000
68MobilocityComputer consulting—
69XDegreesSecurity software—
70RareVideo games375000000
71VicinityOnline enterprise location95849000
72ConnectixSoftware—
73DCGInternet software—
74PlaceWareWeb conferencing200000000
75G.A. SullivanInformation technology—
76GeCAD SoftwareAntivirus technologyRomaniadts|2003|8|29USAUSAdts|2004|4|22USAdts|2004|4|26USAdts|2004|7|16USAdts|2004|12|16USAdts|2005|3|2USAdts|2005|3|10USAdts|2005|5|11USAdts|2005|5|31CHNdts|2005|6|21USAdts|2005|8|29USAdts|2005|8|31USAdts|2005|9|19USAdts|2005|11|3CHEdts|2005|11|17AUSdts|2006|1|19USAdts|2006|2|13FRAdts|2006|2|13USAdts|2006|3|7USAdts|2006|3|7USAdts|2006|4|6UKdts|2006|4|26CANdts|2006|5|4USAdts|2006|5|4USAdts|2006|5|15USAdts|2006|6|6USAdts|2006|6|27UKdts|2006|7|17USAdts|2006|7|18USAdts|2006|7|26ISRdts|2006|9|26ISRdts|2006|10|2USAdts|2006|10|12USAdts|2007|3|9USAdts|2007|3|26USAdts|2007|5|3FRAdts|2007|5|3USAdts|2007|5|9USAdts|2007|6|4USAdts|2007|6|7USAdts|2007|6|29USAdts|2007|8|13USAdts|2007|8|13USAntsh|6333000000dts|2007|10|2USAdts|2007|10|5USAdts|2007|10|29THAdts|2007|11|1DNKdts|2007|11|15FRAdts|2007|12|12UKdts|2008|1|22USAdts|2008|2|7USAdts|2008|2|27ISRdts|2008|3|14USAdts|2008|3|19USAdts|2008|3|31CANdts|2008|4|14USAdts|2008|4|15USAdts|2008|4|25clarify|date=February 2014NORntsh|1191000000dts|2008|5|26USAdts|2008|6|4BELdts|2008|6|18USAdts|2008|6|26PRTdts|2008|8|11USAdts|2008|9|16USAdts|2008|9|28USAdts|2009|03|01ISRdts|2009|05|07CANNeeds citation|date=December 2024dts|2009|06|01USAdts|2009|09|22USAdts|2009|12|10CANdts|2010|02|02USAdts|2010|10|06USAdts|2010|10|29USAdts|2011|5|10LUXntsh|8500000000dts|2011|6|7USAdts|2011|10|12USAdts|2011|11|22USAdts|2012|06|05DNKdts|2012|06|25USAntsh|1200000000dts|2012|07|09USAdts|2012|10|04USAdts|2012|10|16USAdts|2012|10|17USAdts|2013|01|03USAdts|2013|02|02USAdts|2013|03|04USAdts|2013|03|19CHEdts|2013|06|3CANdts|2013|9|02FINntsh|7200000000dts|2013|10|12AUTdts|2013|10|25USAdts|2014|01|07USAdts|2014|05|01NZLdts|2014|05|01FRAdts|2014|07|02FRAdts|2014|07|11INDdts|2014|08|01CANdts|2014|11|06SWEntsh|2500000000dts|2014|11|13ISRdts|2014|12|02USAdts|2014|12|11DEUdts|2015|01|20ISRdts|2015|01|23USAdts|2015|02|04USAdts|2015|02|12ISRdts|2015|03|26USAdts|2015|04|14CANdts|2015|06|02GERdts|2015|06|10USAdts|2015|07|16USAdts|2015|07|19ISRdts|2015|08|03USAdts|2015|09|03USAdts|2015|09|11USAdts|2015|09|28CANdts|2015|10|02IRLdts|2015|11|05USAdts|2015|11|09ISRdts|2015|12|18USAdts|2015|12|21USAdts|2016|1|13AUSdts|2016|1|19FINdts|2016|02|03UKdts|2016|2|9CANdts|2016|2|24USAdts|2016|5|3ITAdts|2016|6|16USAdts|2016|8|8USAdts|2016|8|20USANeeds citation|date=December 2024dts|2016|12|8USAntsh|26200000000dts|2017|1|13CANdts|2017|1|17SWEdts|2017|4|10USAdts|2017|4|18USAdts|2017|6|8ISRdts|2017|6|28ISRdts|2017|8|15USAdts|2017|10|3USAdts|2017|11|7USAdts|2018|1|3USAdts|2018|1|29USAdts|2018|5|18USAdts|2018|6|11UKntsh|117000000dts|2018|6|11USAdts|2018|6|11CANdts|2018|6|11UKdts|2018|6|18USdts|2018|6|20USdts|2018|9|13USAdts|2018|10|9USAdts|2018|10|26USAntsh|7500000000dts|2018|11|10USAdts|2018|11|10USAdts|2018|11|14USAdts|2018|11|19USAdts|2018|11|30USAdts|2019|1|24USAdts|2019|02|4USAdts|2019|4|18USAdts|2019|5|23UKdts|2019|5|28USAdts|2019|6|9USAdts|2019|6|17USAdts|2019|7|29USAdts|2019|8|5USAdts|2019|8|19USAdts|2019|9|5USAdts|2019|9|18USAdts|2019|10|21CANdts|2020|3|16USAdts|2020|3|26USAntsh|1350000000dts|2020|5|14UKdts|2020|5|19UKdts|2020|6|18USAdts|2020|6|22USAdts|2020|7|7USAdts|2020|9|21USAntsh|8100000000dts|2020|12|2USAdts|2021|3|16USAdts|2021|4|12USAntsh|19700000000dts|2021|4|29GERdts|2021|6|2USAdts|2021|6|30USAdts|2021|7|12USAdts|2021|7|22USAdts|2021|7|28USAdts|2021|8|10USAdts|2021|9|7AUSdts|2021|9|8USAdts|2021|10|7USAdts|2021|10|22USAdts|2021|10|29CANdts|2021|12|21USAntsh|1000000000dts|2022|01|18USAntsh|75,400,000,000dts|2022|02|28ISRntsh|85,000,000dts|2022|03|31NLDdts|2022|06|15USAdts|2022|12|09UKdts|2023|01|09USAdts|2023|04|05HUN

Stakes

DateCompanyBusinessCountryValue References
Santa Cruz OperationWholesale computer software—
Dorling KindersleyReference books14340000
Stac ElectronicsData compression software39900000
UUNetInternet service provider—
Wang LaboratoriesSoftware consulting90000000
IndividualOn-line information retrieval—
Mobile Telecom TechnologiesCellular telephones25000000
Helicon PublishingElectronic books—
SingleTracVideo games—
WebTV NetworksInternet service provider—
VDOnetInternet services—
CMGIDirect mail20000000
Digital AnvilVideo games—
InterseInternet software—
ComcastCable television1,000,000,000
Apple Inc.Personal computers150000000
Progressive NetworksInternet software30000000
Lernout & Hauspie SpeechMultilingual software45000000
E-StampInternet software—
General MagicCommunity software6000000
WavePhoreRadio and television equipment—
Pluto TechnologiesNetwork and storage—
Qwest CommunicationsTelecommunications200000000
SkyTel CommunicationsCellular telephones—
United Pan-Europe Comm NVBroadband communities300000000
NTLCommunications500000000
BanyanSoftware10000000
DialogicComputer telephony24200000
ReciprocalCopyright protection—
TV Cabo Portugal SACable television38600000
Lernout & Hauspie SpeechMultilingual software15000000
InpriseComputer software125000000
NaviSiteInternet service provider—
AT&TTelecommunications5,000,000,000
Concentric NetworkIP-based networks50000000
WebMDWeb-based health information250000000
Tuttle Decision SystemsMortgage pricing information—
Rogers CommunicationsRadio and television stations405120000
Korea ThrunetInternet service provider36000000
Globo CaboCable television126000000
Commtouch SoftwareCommunity security software20000000
GigamediaInternet service provider31470000
IntertainerInteractive systems56000000
VerticalNetManagement solutions100000000
BroadBand OfficeCommunication25000000
EcossComputer programming46000
RealNamesInternet navigation—
MEASAT Broadcast NetworkTelevision broadcasting100000000
Best BuyRetail stores200000000
Telewest CommunicationsCable television2,263,000,000
Blixer NetOnline telecommunications—
CAIS InternetInternet access40000000
Corel CorporationSoftware89370000
Chyron CorporationDigital graphics6000000
Audible.comOnline audio retail10000000
SendoMobile handset—
USA NetworksTelevision stations—
ByteTaxiSoftware—
FacebookSocial network240000000
OKWaveOn-line community site2515000
ZignalsOnline trading—
Toyota Media Service CorpWeb marketing services—
24/7Outsourcing and call center services—
Barnes & NobleBook retailer605000000
GrabRide-hailing firm—
DatabricksSoftware for processing large-scale data in public clouds—
Oyo RoomsHospitality5,000,000
WeMade EntertainmentVideo games and blockchain—
London Stock Exchange GroupFinancial services

Divestitures

DateAcquirerTarget companyTarget businessAcquirer countryValue References
Steve BallmerMicrosoftWholesale computer software46200000
MicrosoftMicrosoftWholesale computer software63750000
MicrosoftMicrosoftWholesale computer software348000000
TCI Technology VenturesMSNInternet service provider125000000
MicrosoftMSNInternet service provider125000000
ProginetTransAccessSoftware1740000
Avid TechnologySoftimage3-D visualization software284295000
Ticketmaster Online-CitySearchMSN SidewalkInternet city guide340000000
Electronic ArtsDreamWorks InteractiveVideo games—
Envoy CommunicationsSage Information ConsultantsConsulting23730000
Jupiter TelecommunicationsTitus CommunicationsCable television—
Technology Crossover VenturesExpedia, Inc.Online travel50000000
CNBCMSN MoneyCentralFinancial information—
USA NetworksExpedia, Inc.Online travel1,372,000,000
Liberty MediaChofu CATVCable television16000000
Agency.comKPE Inc-Certain Assets——
The Reynolds and Reynolds CompanyMSN Autos-Dealerpoint BusinessOnline auto retail—
Telewest 22.98%IDT—5000000
Perri CroshawHWW Ltd-Women's Money MagazineMagazines—
Northgate Information SolutionsPWA GroupSoftware7052000
Take-Two InteractiveIndie GamesVideo games—
The Washington Post CompanySlateOnline magazine—
Ubisoft EntertainmentMicrosoft Games- Sports GamesVideo games—
December 23, 2005NBC UniversalMSNBCCable news chanelUnited Statesdts|2006|8|17USAdts|2007|5|11USAdts|2008|9|22USAdts|2009|8|9FRANeeds citation|date=December 2024dts|2010|5|25DNKdts|2011|10|16NZLdts|2012|3|19FRA