Facebook and Microsoft Expand Strategic Alliance

Microsoft to take equity stake in Facebook; companies expand advertising deal to cover international markets.

PALO ALTO, Calif. and REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Facebook® and Microsoft Corp. today announced that Microsoft will take a $240 million equity stake in Facebook's next round of financing at a $15 billion valuation, and the companies will expand their existing advertising partnership. Under the expanded strategic alliance, Microsoft will be the exclusive third-party advertising platform partner for Facebook, and will begin to sell advertising for Facebook internationally in addition to the United States. "We are pleased to take our Microsoft partnership to the next level," said Owen Van Natta, vice president of operations and chief revenue officer at Facebook. "We think this expanded relationship will allow Facebook to continue to innovate and grow as a technology leader and major player in social computing, as well as bring relevant advertising to the more than 49 million active users of Facebook."

"Making this investment and expanding this partnership will position Microsoft and Facebook to better take advantage of advertising opportunities around the world, and is a great win for not only for our two companies, but also our collective users and advertisers," said Kevin Johnson, president of the Platforms & Services Division at Microsoft. "We have partnered well over the past year and look forward to doing some exciting things together in the future. The opportunity to further collaborate as advertising partners is a big reason we have decided to take an equity stake, and is a strong statement of our confidence in the long-term economics of this partnership."

Facebook continues to experience strong growth both in the U.S. and international markets; 59 percent of Facebook's users are outside the U.S. With an average of 250,000 new users registering each day, Facebook continues to be one of the most-trafficked sites on the Internet.

On Aug. 22, 2006, the companies announced a U.S.-only strategic alliance that named Microsoft the exclusive provider of standard banner advertising on Facebook using Microsoft's digital advertising solutions and the Microsoft® adCenter platform. In early 2007, the terms were extended to 2011.

About Facebook

Founded in February 2004, Facebook is a social utility that helps people communicate more efficiently with their friends, family and coworkers. The company develops technologies that facilitate the sharing of information through the social graph, the digital mapping of people's real-world social connections. Anyone can sign up for Facebook and interact with the people they know in a trusted environment. Facebook is a part of millions of people's lives and half of the users return daily. Facebook is a privately-held company and is headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT - News) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc.

Microsoft is registered trademark of the Microsoft group of companies.