Yahoo! seeks USD500m for small businesses unit

Yahoo! is reportedly seeking USD500m for its Small Business Unit, which provides web-hosting services to small firms. However, a number of buyers have reportedly baulked at the asking price. 

Reuters reports that the unit has been up for sale for a number of months as Yahoo! goes through restructuring designed to scale back Yahoo!’s sprawling web of internet ventures. The company is hoping to refocus on ad-funded consumer services and has recently seen staff cuts, divisions merged, and the elimination of a number of executive posts. 

A number of firms and venture capital groups have reportedly expressed an interest in the Small Business Unit, but have deemed the price tag to high. Yahoo! is thought to want no less than USD350m for the unit.

Yahoo! reportedly hopes to elicit further interest from corporate buyers. It expects firms which are able to mesh the unit with their existing businesses to be more likely to meet its desired price.