[ThrowawayR2]

Profitable, sure. But businesses that are poised for future success don't sell themselves, particularly to a has-been like IBM.

[rightbyte]

What would the stockowners care who pays them? I don't think they have much emotional attachment to Redhat.

IBM just have to pay more than the stockholders believe the stock is worth. It has nothing to do with if the owners believe in the company or not.