eBay will sell its Skype communications unit to a group of private investors in a deal valuing the business at $2.75 billion.
In April 2009, eBay announced plans to separate Skype from the company, beginning with an IPO in 2010. The decision followed a year‐long review of Skype within eBay’s portfolio. As it prepared for an IPO, the company said it would naturally consider bids for Skype that offered an attractive valuation.
In 2008, Skype generated revenues of $551 million, a 44 percent increase compared to 2007. Total eBay Inc. revenues for 2008 were $8.5 billion. Registered Skype users reached 405 million by the end of 2008, a 47 percent increase from 2007. Skype is attracting hundreds of thousands of new users each week.
http://www.ebay.com
http://www.skype.com