Microsoft boss Satya Nadella's caution on acquisitions is a refreshing change at the $400 billion giant. Along with co-founder Bill Gates, the chief executive declined to splash out some $8 billion for corporate messaging service Slack Technologies, according to TechCrunch. That would have been a hefty price, considering the hip start-up may be seeking funding at a valuation about half that figure, according to Bloomberg News.
Slack would have slotted in nicely with Microsoft's enterprise social network Yammer and video-calling software Skype.
If Nadella did indeed decide to pass and focus on Microsoft's existing products, it's the second time he has avoided writing a blank M&A check.
He also turned down a potential deal last year for $50-billion Salesforce.com which augured a potential mess.
Steve Ballmer, Nadella's predecessor, wasn't so restrained. He threw $6.3 billion at digital advertising agency aQuantive and almost $10 billion at Finnish mobile phone firm Nokia .
Those didn't go so well. All told, Microsoft's writedowns have totalled $14 billion over the past four years.
As it happens, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that money managers Fidelity and BlackRock are cutting their valuations for stakes in high-profile start-ups Evernote and Snapchat.
Unicorns, as technology firms worth $1 billion or more are dubbed, are in danger of losing their appeal.
That suggests the timing for an overblown purchase of Slack could have been particularly troublesome. Nadella's cool, calm and collected approach is an improvement over Ballmer's.
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