[kgwgk]

Using overvalued stock could make the acquisition “cheaper” than the sticker price (not really free). However, they’ve said they’ll do extraordinary buybacks to cancel the dilution in six months following the transaction. So unless the price of MSFT shares has a large correction during that period they are really going to spend over $7bn in cash.

[scarface74]

Just to add to your response and making assumptions about how you came up with the $7 billion....

The new stock is about 1% of the total number of shares outstanding. Thier total market cap is around. $785 billion. If they did a stock buyback to cancel the dilution it would be 7.85 billion.

My numbers are rounded - the new stock is actually less than 1% and the market cap as of right now is a little less than 785 billion so around 7 billion is more accurate.

[kgwgk]

I just rounded down (to give a conservative estimate) the $7.5bn I've seen everywhere. If they are giving them new MSFT shares worth $7.5bn, buying those shares back would cost around $7.5bn assuming the price doesn't move. Of course it may be significantly more or less that depending on the evolution of the stock price.

By the way, I said they will buy back stock in the next six months but it will be in the six months following the closing of the transaction (which is expected to take place by the end of the year). I've edited my previous comment slightly.