eBay said it has completed the sale of a 70-percent stake in Skype communications service for an amount that values the company at $2.75 billion.
The buyer is an investor consortium led by Silver Lake Partners, the private equity buyout firm. It includes participation from Joltid, the company founded by Skype’s founders. Other members include Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and venture firm Andreessen Horowitz.
eBay is getting $1.9 billion in cash and a note from buyer worth $125 million. eBay retained about 30 percent of the ownership of Skype. The deal came after the end of a big legal battle. Skype founders Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis had settled with eBay over the ownership of Skype’s technology in return for a 14 percent and board seats.
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