NEW YORK - The world`s largest software maker Microsoft said Friday it was taking over aQuantive, a global digital marketing company, for six billion dollars.
The software giant said in a statement that it hopes the deal will enable it to expand its presence in the growing world of online advertising from which rivals such as Google already reap rich revenues.
Microsoft said it had agreed to buy Seattle, Washington state-based aQuantive in an all-cash transaction valued at 66.50 dollars per share. The digital marketing firms employs 2,600 workers.
The software behemoth said it planned to wrap aQuantive into its online services business division.
"This deal expands upon the company`s previously outlined vision to provide the advertising industry with a world class, Internet-wide advertising platform," Microsoft said.
"The advertising industry is evolving and growing at an incredible pace, moving increasingly toward online and IP-served (Internet protocol-) platforms, which dramatically increases the importance of software for this industry," Microsoft`s chief executiver Steve Ballmer said.
Microsoft said the deal would not significantly dent its finances.
05/18/2007 13:15 GMT