It remains to be seen whether Groupon, which rejected a Google takeover last week, rumored to be about $6 billion, has made a once-in-a-lifetime decision that financially emulates Facebook or Yahoo. In other words, only time will tell whether Groupon should have taken Google's offer, given the misgivings many financial analysts might have had about Google "overpaying" for the asset. That phrase tends to indicate a good deal for the seller, and Groupon has passed, in hopes of doing even better, as Facebook has, as an independent company.
The story doesn't always end that way. Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang refused to sell to Microsoft Corp. for $47.5 billion in 2008. After rejecting the deal, Yahoo saw its valuation cut in half. In retrospect, Yahoo missed its chance, and won't get another that rich, ever.
At Facebook, founder Mark Zuckerberg turned down a $1 billion offer from Yahoo in 2006. Less than five years later, the social- networking service is valued at more than 40 times that.
Nobody can predict yet which outcome awaits Groupon.
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