6 Terrible Tech Acquisitions

Microsoft-aQuantive

Speaking of big write-downs related to acquisitions, Microsoft's deal for aQuantive cost the software giant $6.3 billion in 2007, which at the time was the biggest acquisition in Microsoft's storied history. But the digital marketing company never meshed with Microsoft's grand plans for online advertising dominance. By 2011 Microsoft had chalked up aQuantive as a big part of a $6.2 billion write-down, which coincided with Microsoft reporting its first-ever quarterly loss as a public company.