After deal dies, Yahoo weighs its next move

These questions are high in the minds of Yahoo shareholders, and probably its management, as the company considers its options after Microsoft’s decision to withdraw its offer to buy Yahoo for $33 a share, or approximately $47.5 billion.

Much will depend on Yahoo’s next moves, which could include a partnership with its chief competitor, Google.

People close to Yahoo said that the chief executive, Jerry Yang, and his team, who told Microsoft they would not sell for less than $37 a share, greeted Microsoft’s decision as a victory. High-fives were exchanged Saturday afternoon when they learned Microsoft was backing down.

Yet some Yahoo shareholders, large and small, have indicated that they favored a deal at around $34 to $35 a share. Even those who were holding out for a higher price said a merger with Microsoft made strategic sense.

Click here to read Miguel Helft's full report via NYTimes.com.