In a deal announced on Tuesday morning, eBay has agreed to sell Internet calling service Skype to a group of investors which includes private equity firm Silver Lake, Index Ventures, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, and Andreessen Horowitz, the venture capital fund launched by eBay board member Marc Andreessen earlier this year.
The deal, which the New York Times first reported, values Skype at around $2.75 billion. EBay will get US$1,9bn upfront in cash, around $125m in short-term debt, and will retain a 35% stake in the company. The San Jose company purchased Skype in 2005 for $3,1bn, but later wrote down $900m of that investment.
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