Microsoft Buying Companies

The giant software company, Microsoft purchased 23 companies in the past year, up from just 9 the year before. The big difference is that those 23 companies are much smaller than previous years.
While the 23 companies they have recently purchased are valued at about $650 million, just 3 companies purchased in 2003 were worth more than $2 billion.

Software Notebook: Microsoft in buying mood
"I think when they look at what they paid for Great Plains and Navision, and what they expected from those businesses, and how long it has taken to integrate them into Microsoft, they'll be very cautious about big acquisitions for precisely that reason," said Matt Rosoff, analyst at the independent Directions on Microsoft research firm" Seattle PI

# Major Companies