What was the value of Microsoft's acquisition of LinkedIn in 2016?

Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn in 2016 was valued at 26.2 billion dollars.

Microsoft announced the all-cash deal on June 13, 2016, agreeing to pay $196 per LinkedIn share. The purchase expanded Microsoft’s presence in professional networking and offered potential connections between LinkedIn’s career data and products such as Office, Outlook, and Dynamics. LinkedIn was expected to retain its distinct brand, culture, and operating independence.

The transaction closed on December 8, 2016. Jeff Weiner remained LinkedIn’s chief executive and reported to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. At the time, it was Microsoft’s largest acquisition, although the company later surpassed it with its purchase of Activision Blizzard in 2023.

A minor source of confusion is that some transaction documents refer to approximately $26.4 billion in cash merger consideration, while the widely reported announced value was $26.2 billion. Those figures reflect deal-accounting details and timing; $26.2 billion is the standard headline figure used for this trivia question. The other listed amounts do not describe Microsoft’s LinkedIn purchase.