Google Wraps Up $3.1B DoubleClick Deal

Google Completes $3.1 Billion Takeover of DoubleClick After Gaining European Approval

By Michael Liedtke
AP Business Writer

March 12, Yahoo

The $3.1 billion deal, completed Tuesday after nearly a year of regulatory wrangling, also may intensify the pressure on Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc. to resolve their stormy courtship so they don't risk further distractions while Google tries to sprint further ahead in the race for Internet advertising.

Google took control of DoubleClick a few hours after Europe's antitrust regulators removed the final stumbling block by approving a deal that was first announced 11 months ago.

U.S. regulators cleared the transaction in December, casting aside objections from Microsoft and other companies that argued DoubleClick would give Google too much control over online advertising and potentially sensitive information about consumer behavior on the Internet.

Besides opening up new opportunities, Google's takeover of DoubleClick will create more challenges for a management team already grappling with concerns about how the slowing U.S. economy will affect the company's earnings growth this year.

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