Within the internet and tech industry, acquisitions are a major trend. Over the last few years, we have seen some of the world’s most formidable companies taking over all kinds of companies, from startups to major corporations. It is a trend which is growing and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Acquisitions have been happening for decades but now, as we see more and more innovative startups coming along, multibillion dollar corporations are all too eager to snap them up for their own personal gains. Let’s take a quick look at some of the internet’s biggest companies and their various acquisitions of other companies.
Amazon
This list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Amazon, one of the biggest acquisition hungry companies on the market. The world’s hottest company didn’t get to where it is today just by selling books, although that is how it began. Amazon has grown massively, and it impacts the lives of virtually everyone in the modern world. It has taken over lots of companies over the years as part of its growth effort to infiltrate a varying number of industries. Some of Amazon’s purchases have included Audible, LoveFilm, Twitch and, most recently, Whole Foods Market which was purchased for $13.7 billion.
eBay
eBay – Amazon’s biggest competitor – has made some serious acquisitions over the years. Its biggest acquisition is by far PayPal, which it still owns today. Some of its other acquisitions have included Skype and Gumtree.
It later sold Skype to Microsoft, but it is holding on to Gumtree and all of its other acquisitions. eBay’s acquisition strategy seems to involve taking over any and all companies it can get its hands on which operate in the ecommerce industry.
Expedia
Expedia is the world’s biggest travel company, but it didn’t get to where it is today without taking over lots of other travel related companies. Expedia is known for its fantastic offers and has bought many companies over the years operating in the travel and tech industries.
Expedia’s most important growth strategy is acquisitions, and it seems like they are hell bent on being the dominant company within the travel industry. Expedia’s major acquisitions include HomeAway, Hotels.com and Hotwire.com, among others.
These aren’t the only major companies addicted to acquisitions. Take a look at our infographic below to learn more. It is packed full of interesting facts, figures and statistics!
