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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 4, 1997
Registration No. 333- -
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
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FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
YAHOO! INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
CALIFORNIA 77-0398689
(State of incorporation) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
3400 CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY, SUITE 201
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA 95051
(408) 731-3300
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including
area code, of Registrant's principal executive offices)
TIMOTHY KOOGLE
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
3400 CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY, SUITE 201
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA 95051
(408) 731-3300
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
JAMES L. BROCK
STEVE J. BOOM
VENTURE LAW GROUP
A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
2800 SAND HILL ROAD
MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA 94025
(415) 854-4488
APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC:
FROM TIME TO TIME AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNTIL
JULY 29, 1998 OR UNTIL SUCH EARLIER TIME THAT ALL OF THE SHARES REGISTERED
HEREUNDER HAVE BEEN SOLD.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are to be offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the
following box. / /
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered
on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities
Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend
or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. /x/
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. / /
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering. / /
If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule
434, please check the following box. / /
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Amount Proposed maximum Proposed maximum
Title of each class of to be offering price aggregate Amount of
securities to be registered registered per share(1) offering price(1) registration fee
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Common Stock, par value
$0.001 per share........... 280,131 shares(2) $52.3125(2) $14,654,352.94 $4,440.72
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(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the
registration fee, based on the average of the high and low prices for
the Company's Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq National Market
on July 30, 1997 in accordance with Rule 457 under the Securities Act of
1933.
(2) On July 29, 1997, the Company announced a 3 for 2 forward split of its
Common Stock which will be payable on August 29, 1997 to shareholders of
record on August 11, 1997. The share numbers and share prices contained
in this Registration Statement do not reflect the stock split.
THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT
SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS
REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SECTION 8(a) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING
PURSUANT TO SECTION 8(a), MAY DETERMINE.
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NOTE: INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY
OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR
THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE
SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE
UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF
ANY SUCH STATE.
PROSPECTUS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED AUGUST 4, 1997
280,131 SHARES
YAHOO! INC.
COMMON STOCK, $0.001 PAR VALUE
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THE COMMON STOCK OFFERED HEREBY INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK. SEE "RISK
FACTORS" ON PAGE 5 OF THIS PROSPECTUS FOR INFORMATION THAT SHOULD BE
CONSIDERED BY PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS.
-------------------------
All references herein to "Yahoo!" or the "Company" mean Yahoo! Inc., a
California corporation, unless otherwise indicated by the context.
The 280,131 shares of Yahoo! Inc. Common Stock, $0.001 par value,
covered by this Prospectus (the "Shares") are offered for the account of
certain shareholders of the Company (the "Selling Shareholders"). 259,069 of
the Shares were issued to certain of the Selling Shareholders in connection
with a private placement of the Company's Common Stock on July 29, 1997 (the
"Private Placement"), and 21,062 of the Shares were issued to one of the
Selling Shareholders in connection with the acquisition by the Company of
NetControls, Inc. on July 31, 1997 (the "Acquisition"). For additional
information concerning the Private Placement and the Acquisition, see
"Issuance of Common Stock to Selling Shareholders." The Selling Shareholders
may sell the Shares from time to time on the over-the-counter market in
regular brokerage transactions, in transactions directly with market makers
or in certain privately negotiated transactions. See "Plan of Distribution."
Each Selling Shareholder has advised the Company that no sale or distribution
other than as disclosed herein will be effected until after this Prospectus
shall have been appropriately amended or supplemented, if required, to set
forth the terms thereof. The Company will not receive any proceeds from the
sale of the Shares by the Selling Shareholders.
Each of the Selling Shareholders may be deemed to be an "Underwriter,"
as such term is defined in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act").
On July 29, 1997, the Company announced a 3 for 2 forward split of its
Common Stock which will be payable on August 29, 1997 to shareholders of
record on August 11, 1997. The share numbers and share prices contained in
this Prospectus do not reflect the stock split.
The Company's Common Stock is quoted on the Nasdaq National Market under
the symbol "YHOO." On August 1, 1997, the last sale price of the Company's
Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market was $55.25 per share.
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THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES
COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMIS-
SION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON
THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS.
ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A
CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
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UNDERWRITING PROCEEDS TO
PRICE TO PUBLIC DISCOUNTS AND COMMISSION SELLING SHAREHOLDERS
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<S> <C> <C> <C>
Per Share ............
Total ................ See Text Above See Text Above See Text Above
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THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS IS _________, 1997
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No person is authorized in connection with any offering made hereby to
give any information or to make any representation not contained in this
Prospectus, and, if given or made, such information or representation must
not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Company or the Selling
Shareholders. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a
solicitation of an offer to buy any security other than the shares of Common
Stock offered hereby, nor does it constitute an offer to sell or a
solicitation of an offer to buy any of the shares offered hereby to any
person in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful to make such an offer or
solicitation. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any sale made
hereunder shall under any circumstances create any implication that the
information contained herein is correct as of any time subsequent to the date
hereof.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This Prospectus constitutes a part of a Registration Statement on Form
S-3 (herein, together with all amendments and exhibits, referred to as the
"Registration Statement") filed by the Company with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act. This
Prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the
Registration Statement, certain parts of which are omitted in accordance with
the rules and regulations of the Commission. For further information with
respect to the Company and the shares of Common Stock offered hereby,
reference is hereby made to the Registration Statement. Statements contained
herein concerning the provisions of any document are not necessarily
complete, and each such statement is qualified in its entirety by reference
to the copy of such document filed with the Commission.
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and in
accordance therewith files reports, proxy and information statements and
other information with the Commission. Such reports, proxy and information
statements and other information may be inspected and copied at the public
reference facilities maintained by the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, NW,
Washington, D.C. 20549, and at the following Regional Offices of the
Commission: New York Regional Office, Seven World Trade Center, New York, New
York 10048, and Chicago Regional Office, Northwest Atrium Center, 500 West
Madison Street, Chicago, Illinois 60661. Copies of such material can be
obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Commission, 450 Fifth
Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20549 upon payment of the prescribed fees. The
Company is also required to file electronic versions of these documents with
the Commission through the Commission's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis
and Retrieval System ("EDGAR"). The Common Stock of the Company is quoted on
the Nasdaq National Market. Reports, proxy and information statements and
other information concerning the Company may be inspected at The Nasdaq Stock
Market at 1735 K Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20006. In addition, the
Commission maintains a World Wide Web site (http://www.sec.gov) that contains
reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding
registrants that file electronically with the Commission.
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INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The following documents filed by the Company with the Commission are
incorporated by reference in this Prospectus:
1. The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 1996.
2. The Company's definitive Proxy Statement dated March 25, 1997, filed
in connection with the Company's April 30, 1997 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
3. The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
March 31, 1997.
4. The Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission
on August 4, 1997.
5. The description of the Company's Common Stock set forth in the
Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the Commission on
March 12, 1996.
All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Prospectus and prior to
the termination of the offering of the Common Stock offered hereby shall be
deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Prospectus. Any statement
contained in a document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to
be modified or superseded for purposes hereof to the extent that a statement
contained herein (or in any other subsequently filed document which also is
incorporated by reference herein) modifies or supersedes such statement. Any
such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed to constitute a
part hereof, except as so modified or superseded.
The Company will furnish without charge to each person, including any
beneficial owner, to whom this Prospectus is delivered, on the written or
oral request of such person, a copy of any or all of the documents
incorporated by reference, other than exhibits to such documents. Requests
should be directed to Andrea Klipfel, Investor Relations, 3400 Central
Expressway, Suite 201, Santa Clara, California 95051, telephone: (408)
731-3300.
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THE COMPANY
Yahoo! is an Internet media company that offers a network of
globally-branded properties, specialty programming, and aggregated content
distributed primarily on the World Wide Web (the "Web") serving business
professionals and consumers, and is among the most widely used guides for
information and discovery on the Web.
Under the "Yahoo!" brand, the Company provides intuitive, context-based
guides to online content, Web search capabilities, aggregated third-party
content and community and personalization features. In June 1997, Internet
users viewed an average of 38 million Web pages per day in "Yahoo!" branded
properties.
The Company makes its properties available without charge to users and
generates revenue primarily through the sale of banner advertising.
Advertising on Yahoo! properties is sold through the Company's internal
advertising sales force and third party agents. During the second quarter of
1997, more than 900 advertisers purchased advertising on Yahoo! properties.
Yahoo! was incorporated on March 5, 1995 under the laws of California.
The Company's principal executive offices are located at 3400 Central
Expressway, Suite 201, Santa Clara, California 95051 and its telephone number
is (408) 731-3300. As used in this Prospectus, the "Company" and "Yahoo!"
refer to Yahoo! Inc., a California corporation, and its wholly owned
subsidiaries.
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RISK FACTORS
THIS PROSPECTUS (INCLUDING THE DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
HEREIN) CONTAINS FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 27A
OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 AND SECTION 21E OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
OF 1934, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, STATEMENTS REGARDING THE COMPANY'S
EXPECTATIONS, BELIEFS, INTENTIONS OR FUTURE STRATEGIES. ALL FORWARD LOOKING
STATEMENTS INCLUDED IN THIS DOCUMENT ARE BASED ON INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO
THE COMPANY ON THE DATE HEREOF, AND THE COMPANY ASSUMES NO OBLIGATION TO
UPDATE ANY SUCH FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS. ACTUAL RESULTS COULD DIFFER
MATERIALLY FROM THOSE PROJECTED IN THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AS A RESULT
OF THE RISK FACTORS SET FORTH BELOW AND IN THE DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY
REFERENCE HEREIN. IN EVALUATING THE COMPANY'S BUSINESS, PROSPECTIVE
INVESTORS SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING RISK FACTORS IN ADDITION TO
THE OTHER INFORMATION SET FORTH HEREIN OR INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE.
EXTREMELY LIMITED OPERATING HISTORY; ANTICIPATED LOSSES
The Company was incorporated in March 1995 and did not commence
generating advertising revenues until August 1995. Accordingly, the Company
has a limited operating history upon which an evaluation of the Company can
be based, and its prospects are subject to the risks, expenses and
uncertainties frequently encountered by companies in the new and rapidly
evolving markets for Internet products and services, including the Web-based
advertising market. Specifically, such risks include, without limitation, the
failure to continue to develop and extend the "Yahoo!" brand, the failure to
develop new media properties, the rejection of the Company's services by Web
consumers and/or advertisers, the inability of the Company to maintain and
increase the levels of traffic on Yahoo! properties, the development of equal
or superior services or products by competitors, the failure of the market to
adopt the Web as an advertising medium, the failure to successfully sell
Web-based advertising through the Company's recently developed internal sales
force, potential reductions in market prices for Web-based advertising as a
result of competition or other factors, the inability of the Company to
effectively integrate the technology and operations or any other acquired
businesses or technologies with its operations, and the inability to
identify, attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel. There can be no
assurance that the Company will be successful in addressing such risks. As
of June 30, 1997, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $23.3 million.
The extremely limited operating history of the Company and the uncertain
nature of the markets addressed by the Company make the prediction of future
results of operations difficult or impossible and, therefore, the recent
revenue growth experienced by the Company should not be taken as indicative
of the rate of revenue growth, if any, that can be expected in the future.
The Company believes that period to period comparisons of its operating
results are not meaningful and that the results for any period should not be
relied upon as an indication of future performance. The Company currently
expects to significantly increase its operating expenses to expand its sales
and marketing operations, to fund greater levels of product development and
to develop and commercialize additional media properties. The Company also
has made $19.7 million in advertising revenue guarantees to Netscape over the
next two years in connection with the NETSCAPE GUIDE BY YAHOO!, a co-branded
navigational service operated by the Company under an agreement with
Netscape. See "Risks Associated With NETSCAPE GUIDE BY YAHOO!." As a result
of these factors, there can be no assurance that the Company will not incur
significant losses on a quarterly and annual basis for the foreseeable future.
For the quarter ended June 30, 1997, the Company reported a net loss of
$20.5 million ($0.74 per share). These results reflected, among other
factors, a one-time, non-cash charge of $21,245,000 incurred in connection
with an agreement relating to Yahoo! MarketPlace LLC, a joint venture
established in 1996 by the Company, Visa Marketplace, Inc. and Sterling Payot
Capital, L.P. Under this agreement the Company issued 466,321 shares of
Common Stock to the Visa Group and the Visa Group released the Company from
certain obligations and claims, and the Company purchased the Visa Group's
interest in Yahoo! MarketPlace LLC.
FLUCTUATIONS IN QUARTERLY OPERATING RESULTS
As a result of the Company's extremely limited operating history, the
Company does not have historical financial data for a significant number of
periods on which to base planned operating expenses. The Company derives
substantially all of its revenues from the sale of advertisements under
short-term contracts, which are difficult to forecast accurately. The
Company's expense levels are based in part on its expectations concerning
future revenue and to a large extent are fixed. The Company also has fixed
expenses in the form of advertising revenue guarantees of up to $19.7 million
over the next two years relating to the NETSCAPE GUIDE BY YAHOO!, which
subject the Company to additional risk in the event that advertising revenues
from this property are not sufficient to offset guaranteed payments and
related operating expenses. Quarterly revenues and operating results depend
substantially upon the advertising revenues received within the quarter,
which are difficult to forecast accurately. Accordingly, the cancellation or
deferral of a small number of advertising contracts
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could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, results of
operations and financial condition. The Company may be unable to adjust
spending in a timely manner to compensate for any unexpected revenue
shortfall, and any significant shortfall in revenue in relation to the
Company's expectations would have an immediate adverse effect on the
Company's business, operating results and financial condition. In addition,
the Company plans to continue to significantly increase its operating
expenses to expand its sales and marketing operations, to continue to develop
and extend the "Yahoo!" brand, to implement and operate the NETSCAPE GUIDE BY
YAHOO!, to fund greater levels of product development and to develop and
commercialize additional media properties. To the extent that such expenses
precede or are not subsequently followed by increased revenues, the Company's
business, operating results and financial condition will be materially and
adversely affected.
The Company's operating results may fluctuate significantly in the
future as a result of a variety of factors, many of which are outside the
Company's control. These factors include the level of usage of the Internet,
demand for Internet advertising, seasonal trends in Internet usage and
advertising placements, the addition or loss of advertisers, the level of
user traffic on YAHOO! and the Company's other online media properties, the
advertising budgeting cycles of individual advertisers, the amount and timing
of capital expenditures and other costs relating to the expansion of the
Company's operations, the introduction of new products or services by the
Company or its competitors, pricing changes for Web-based advertising, the
timing of initial set-up, engineering or development fees that may be paid in
connection with larger advertising and distribution arrangements, technical
difficulties with respect to the use of YAHOO! or other media properties
developed by the Company, incurrence of costs relating to acquisitions,
general economic conditions and economic conditions specific to the Internet
and online media. As a strategic response to changes in the competitive
environment, the Company may from time to time make certain pricing, service
or marketing decisions or business combinations that could have a material
adverse effect on the Company's business, results of operations and financial
condition. The Company also has experienced, and expects to continue to
experience, seasonality in its business, with user traffic on YAHOO! and the
Company's other online media properties being lower during the summer and
year-end vacation and holiday periods, when usage of the Web and the
Company's services typically decline. Additionally, seasonality may also
affect the amount of customer advertising dollars placed with the Company in
the first and third calendar quarters as advertisers historically spend less
during these quarters.
Due to all of the foregoing factors, in some future quarter the
Company's operating results may fall below the expectations of securities
analysts and investors. In such event, the trading price of the Company's
Common Stock would likely be materially and adversely affected.
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH NETSCAPE GUIDE BY YAHOO!
During March 1997, the Company entered into certain agreements with
Netscape Communications Corporation (Netscape) under which the Company has
developed and operates an Internet information navigation service called
"NETSCAPE GUIDE BY YAHOO!" (the GUIDE). The Co-Marketing agreement provides
that revenue from advertising on the GUIDE, which is managed by the Company,
is to be shared between the Company and Netscape. Under the terms of the
Trademark License agreement, the Company made a one-time non-refundable
trademark license fee payment of $5,000,000 in March 1997 which is being
amortized over the initial two-year term, which commenced in May 1997. The
Company also provided Netscape with a minimum of $10,000,000 in guarantees
against shared advertising revenues in the first year of the Co-Marketing
agreement and up to $15,000,000 in the second year of the agreement, subject
in the second year to certain minimum levels of impressions being reached on
the GUIDE. In June 1997, an amendment to this agreement was signed whereby
the first year shared advertising revenue guarantee was reduced to $4,660,000.
The Netscape Guide agreement exposes the Company to a number of
significant risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: the risk
that the Company and its sales agents will fail to generate sufficient
advertising revenue to offset the initial and future guaranteed payments to
Netscape, including any failure that results from negative trends in the
Web-based advertising business (such as price erosion) or the inability of
the Company and its agents to rapidly expand their advertising sales and
management efforts to match the additional inventory currently anticipated
from the Guide; the risk that projected user traffic levels for the Guide
will not be achieved, which may be affected by several factors, such as
declines or slower growth in the number of users of Netscape's browser
product; particularly as a result of continued increases in the market share
of Microsoft Corporation's ("Microsoft") Internet Explorer browser product;
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any failure by the Company to successfully operate the Guide or to provide a
compelling user experience; the effect of competitive personalized
information services from other parties; the risk that the Netscape Guide and
any related services will divert substantial user traffic away from the
Company's other online media properties, including the YAHOO! main site and
the MY YAHOO! personalized information service, and thus reduce the Company's
advertising revenues from such other services (which are not subject to the
revenue sharing arrangements with Netscape), and potentially dilute the
strength of the Company's "Yahoo!" brand; the risk that Netscape does not
elect to renew the agreement at the end of the two year term, after which the
agreement permits Netscape to use certain elements of the user interface
developed by the Company without payment of any consideration to the Company;
and the risk that the Company will not effectively manage the substantial
additional complexity and scope of operations required for successful
development and operation of the Guide, including, among others, the
difficulties associated with higher levels of user traffic and challenges in
licensing and integrating content from a large number of third party content
providers on acceptable terms. As a result of the foregoing factors, there
can be no assurance that the Company will implement and operate the Guide
successfully, or that the Guide activities will not have a material adverse
effect on the Company's business, operating results or financial condition.
COMPETITION
The market for Internet products and services is highly competitive and
competition is expected to continue to increase significantly. In addition,
the Company expects the market for Web-based advertising, to the extent it
continues to develop, to be intensely competitive. There are no substantial
barriers to entry in these markets, and the Company expects that competition
will continue to intensify. Although the Company currently believes that the
diverse segments of the Internet market will provide opportunities for more
than one supplier of products and services similar to those of the Company,
it is possible that a single supplier may dominate one or more market
segments.
The Company competes with many other providers of online navigation,
information and community services. Many companies offer competitive
products or services addressing Web navigation services, including, among
others, Digital Equipment Corporation (AltaVista), Excite, Inc. ("Excite"),
including WebCrawler and NetFind, the version of Excite's service for
America Online ("AOL") users, Infoseek Corporation, Inktomi, Lycos, Inc.
(Lycos and A2Z), Open Text Corporation (Open Text Index), C|NET (Snap!
Online) and Wired (hotbot). In addition, the Company competes with
metasearch services and software applications, such as C|NET's search.com
service, that allow a user to search the databases of several directories and
catalogs simultaneously. The Company also competes indirectly with database
vendors that offer information search and retrieval capabilities with their
core database products. The Company also faces competition from providers of
software and other Internet products and services that incorporate search and
retrieval features into their offerings. For example, Web browsers offered
by Netscape and Microsoft, which are the most widely used browsers,
incorporate prominent search buttons and similar features that direct search
traffic to competing services, including those that may be developed or
licensed by such parties. In addition, entities that sponsor or maintain
high-traffic Web sites or that provide an initial point of entry for Internet
users, such as the Regional Bell Operating Companies or Internet Service
Providers ("ISPs") such as Microsoft and AOL, currently offer and could
further develop, acquire or license Internet search and navigation functions
that compete with those offered by the Company. For example, the Company is
aware that Microsoft intends to offer additional Internet search engine and
directory services that are scheduled to be made publicly available in the
near future. The Company expects that such search and directory services will
be tightly integrated into the Microsoft operating system, the Internet
Explorer browser and other software applications, and that Microsoft may
promote such services within the Microsoft Network of through other end-user
services such as WebTV. Insofar as Microsoft's Internet navigational
offerings may be more conveniently accessed by users than those of the
Company, this may provide Microsoft with significant competitive advantages
that could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business. A large
number of Web sites and online services (including, among others, the
Microsoft Network, AOL, and other Web navigation companies such as Excite,
Lycos and Infoseek) offer informational and community features, such as news,
stock quotes, sports coverage, Yellow Pages and e-mail listings, weather
news, chat services and bulletin board listings that are competitive with the
services offered by the Company. Several companies, including large
companies such as Microsoft and AOL and their affiliates, also are developing
or currently offer online information services for local markets, which
compete with the Company's regional Yahoo! online properties. The Company
also faces intense competition for "Yahoo!" branded online properties in
international markets, including competition from U.S.-based competitors as
well as media and online companies that are already well established in those
foreign markets. Many of the Company's existing competitors, as well as a
number of potential new competitors, have significantly greater financial,
technical and marketing resources than the Company. In addition, providers
of Internet tools and services may be acquired by, receive investments from
or enter into other commercial relationships with larger, well-established
and well-financed companies, such as Microsoft or Netscape. For example, AOL
is a significant shareholder of Excite, and a version of the Excite service
(AOL NetFind) has been designated as the exclusive Internet
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search service for use by AOL's subscribers. Greater competition resulting
from such relationships could have a material adverse effect on the Company's
business, operating results and financial condition.
In the future, the Company expects to face competition in the various
special interest, demographic and geographic markets addressed by media
properties that are under development. This competition may include
companies that are larger and better capitalized than the Company and that
have expertise and established brand recognition in these markets. There can
be no assurance that the Company's competitors will not develop Internet
products and services that are superior to those of the Company or that
achieve greater market acceptance than the Company's offerings. Moreover, a
number of the Company's current advertising customers, licensees and partners
have also established relationships with certain of the Company's
competitors, and future advertising customers, licensees and partners may
establish similar relationships.
The Company also competes with online services and other Web site
operators, as well as traditional offline media such as television, radio and
print for a share of advertisers' total advertising budgets. The Company
believes that the number of companies selling Web-based advertising and the
available inventory of advertising space have increased substantially during
recent periods. Accordingly, the Company may face increased pricing pressure
for the sale of advertisements. There can be no assurance that the Company
will be able to compete successfully against its current or future
competitors or that competition will not have a material adverse effect on
the Company's business, operating results and financial condition.
The Company believes that the principal competitive factors in its
markets are brand recognition, ease of use, comprehensiveness, independence,
quality and responsiveness of search results, the availability of targeted
content and focused value added products and services, and access to end
users. Competition among current and future suppliers of Internet
navigational and informational services, high-traffic Web sites and ISPs, as
well as competition with other media for advertising placements, could result
in significant price competition and reductions in advertising revenues.
Moreover, many of the Company's current and potential competitors have
significantly greater financial, technical, marketing, distribution and other
resources than the Company. There can be no assurance that the Company will
be able to compete successfully against current and future sources of
competition or that the competitive pressures faced by the Company will not
have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results
and financial condition.
DEPENDENCE ON CONTINUED GROWTH IN USE OF THE INTERNET
The Company's future success is substantially dependent upon continued
growth in the use of the Internet and the Web in order to support the sale of
advertising on the Company's online media properties. Rapid growth in the
use of and interest in the Internet and the Web is a recent phenomenon.
There can be no assurance that communication or commerce over the Internet
will become more widespread or that extensive content will continue to be
provided over the Internet. The Internet may not prove to be a viable
commercial marketplace for a number of reasons, including lack of acceptable
security technologies, potentially inadequate development of the necessary
infrastructure, such as a reliable network backbone, or timely development
and commercialization of performance improvements, including high speed
modems. In addition, to the extent that the Internet continues to experience
significant growth in the number of users and level of use, there can be no
assurance that the Internet infrastructure will continue to be able to
support the demands placed upon it by such potential growth or that the
performance or reliability of the Web will not be adversely affected by this
continued growth. In addition, the Internet could lose its viability due to
delays in the development or adoption of new standards and protocols required
to handle increased levels of Internet activity, or due to increased
governmental regulation. Changes in or insufficient availability of
telecommunications services to support the Internet also could result in
slower response times and adversely affect usage of the Web and the Company's
online media properties. If use of the Internet does not continue to grow,
or if the Internet infrastructure does not effectively support growth that
may occur, the Company's business, operating results and financial condition
would be materially and adversely affected.
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DEVELOPING MARKET; UNPROVEN ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMPANY'S PRODUCTS AND MEDIA
PROPERTIES
The markets for the Company's products and media properties have only
recently begun to develop, are rapidly evolving and are characterized by an
increasing number of market entrants who have introduced or developed
information navigation products and services for use on the Internet and the
Web. As is typical in the case of a new and rapidly evolving industry,
demand and market acceptance for recently introduced products and services
are subject to a high level of uncertainty and risk. Because the market for
the Company's products and media properties is new and evolving, it is
difficult to predict the future growth rate, if any, and size of this market.
There can be no assurance either that the market for the Company's products
and media properties will develop or that demand for the Company's products
or media properties will emerge or become sustainable. The Company's ability
to successfully develop additional targeted media properties depends
substantially on use of YAHOO! to promote such properties. If use of YAHOO!
fails to continue to grow, the Company's ability to establish other targeted
properties would be materially and adversely affected. If the market fails
to develop, develops more slowly than expected or becomes saturated with
competitors, or if the Company's products and media properties do not achieve
or sustain market acceptance, the Company's business, operating results and
financial condition will be materially and adversely affected.
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH BRAND DEVELOPMENT
The Company believes that establishing and maintaining the "Yahoo!"
brand is a critical aspect of its efforts to attract and expand its Internet
audience and that the importance of brand recognition will increase due to
the growing number of Internet sites and the relatively low barriers to
entry. Promotion and enhancement of the "Yahoo!" brand will depend largely
on the Company's success in providing high quality products and services,
which cannot be assured. If consumers do not perceive the Company's existing
products and services to be of high quality, or if the Company introduces new
products and services or enters into new business ventures that are not
favorably received by consumers, the Company will be unsuccessful in
promoting and maintaining its brand, and will risk diluting its brand and
decreasing the attractiveness of its audiences to advertisers. Furthermore,
in order to attract and retain Internet users and to promote and maintain the
"Yahoo!" brand in response to competitive pressures, the Company may find it
necessary to increase substantially its financial commitment to creating and
maintaining a distinct brand loyalty among consumers. If the Company is
unable to provide high quality products and services or otherwise fails to
promote and maintain its brand, or if the Company incurs excessive expenses
in an attempt to improve its products and services or promote and maintain
its brand, the Company's business, operating results and financial condition
will be materially and adversely affected.
RELIANCE ON ADVERTISING REVENUES AND UNCERTAIN ADOPTION OF THE WEB AS AN
ADVERTISING MEDIUM
The Company derives substantially all of its revenues from the sale of
advertisements on its Web pages under short-term contracts. Most of the
Company's advertising customers have only limited experience with the Web as
an advertising medium, have not devoted a significant portion of their
advertising expenditures to Web-based advertising and may not find such
advertising to be effective for promoting their products and services
relative to traditional print and broadcast media. The Company's ability to
generate significant advertising revenues will depend upon, among other
things, advertisers' acceptance of the Web as an effective and sustainable
advertising medium, the development of a large base of users of the Company's
services possessing demographic characteristics attractive to advertisers,
and the ability of the Company to develop and update effective advertising
delivery and measurement systems. No standards have yet been widely accepted
for the measurement of the effectiveness of Web-based advertising, and there
can be no assurance that such standards will develop sufficiently to support
Web-based advertising as a significant advertising medium. In addition,
there can be no assurance that the advertisers will determine that banner
advertising, which comprises substantially all of the Company's revenues, is
an effective or attractive advertising medium, and there can be no assurance
that the Company will effectively transition to any other forms of Web-based
advertising, should they develop. Certain advertising filter software
programs are available that limit or remove advertising from an Internet
user's desktop. Such software, if generally adopted by users, may have a
materially adverse effect upon the viability of advertising on the Internet.
The Company relies primarily on its internal advertising sales force for
domestic advertising sales, which involves additional risks and
uncertainties, including (among others) risks associated with the
recruitment, retention, management, training and motivation of sales
personnel. As a result of these factors, there can be no assurance that the
Company will sustain
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or increase current advertising sales levels. Failure to so will have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and
financial position.
In addition, there is intense competition in the sale of advertising on
the Internet, including competition from other Internet navigational tools as
well as other high-traffic sites, which has resulted in a wide range of rates
quoted by different vendors for a variety of advertising services, which
makes it difficult to project future levels of Internet advertising revenues
that will be realized generally or by any specific company. Competition
among current and future suppliers of Internet navigational services or Web
sites and advertising networks, as well as competition with other traditional
media for advertising placements, could result in significant price
competition, reduced pricing for Internet advertising and reductions in the
Company's advertising revenues. There also can be no assurance that the
Company's advertising customers will accept the internal and third-party
measurements of impressions received by advertisements on YAHOO!, the
Company's online media properties, or that such measurements will not
contain errors.
SUBSTANTIAL DEPENDENCE UPON THIRD PARTIES
The Company depends substantially upon third parties for several
critical elements of its business including, among others, technology and
infrastructure, development of targeted content for localized Internet
navigational guides, distribution activities and, to a lesser extent,
advertising sales.
TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE
The Company supplements its Internet directory listings with full-text
Web search results provided by AltaVista, a division of Digital Equipment
Corporation ("Digital"), under a non-exclusive agreement. The Company
believes that these search results provide a key competitive element for its
Internet navigation services. The Company therefore depends substantially
upon ongoing maintenance and technical support from Digital to ensure
accurate and rapid presentation of such search results to the Company's
customers. Any failure of Digital to effectively provide such search results
could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating
results and financial condition. In addition, any termination of the
agreement with Digital or Digital's failure to renew such agreement upon
expiration could result in substantial additional costs to the Company in
developing or licensing replacement technology, and could result in a loss of
levels of use of the Company's navigational services. The Company also relies
on a private third party provider, GlobalCenter, Inc. ("GlobalCenter"), to
provide the Company with access to three partial T3 (45 megabit per second)
Internet connections. Any disruption in the Internet access provided by
GlobalCenter or any failure of GlobalCenter to handle current or higher
volumes of queries could have a material adverse effect on the Company's
business, operating results and financial condition. The Company also
licenses technology and related databases from third parties for certain
elements of Yahoo! properties, including, among others, technology
underlying news, stock quotes and current financial information, chat
services, street mapping, telephone and e-mail listings and similar services.
The Company has experienced and expects to continue to experience
interruptions and delays in service and availability for such elements, such
as recent interruptions in the Company's stock quote services. Any errors,
failures or delays experienced in connection with these third party
technologies and information services could negatively impact the Company's
relationship with users and adversely affect the Company's brand and its
business, and could expose the Company to liabilities to third parties.
CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
A key element of the Company's strategy involves the implementation of
Yahoo! branded media properties targeted for interest areas, demographic
groups and geographic areas. In these efforts, the Company has relied and
will continue to rely substantially on content development and localization
efforts of third parties. For example, the Company has entered into an
agreement with Ziff-Davis pursuant to which Ziff-Davis publishes two online
publications and a print magazine under the "Yahoo!" brand. The Company also
expects to rely exclusively on third party affiliates, including SOFTBANK in
Japan, Rogers Communications ("Rogers") in Canada, and Ziff-Davis in European
countries to localize, maintain and promote these services and to sell
advertising in local markets. There can be no assurance that the Company's
current or future third-party affiliates will effectively implement these
properties, or that their efforts will result in significant revenue to the
Company. Any failure of
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these parties to develop and maintain high-quality and successful media
properties also could result in dilution to the "Yahoo!" brand, which could
have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, results of
operations and financial condition.
DISTRIBUTION RELATIONSHIPS
The Company has entered into certain distribution agreements and
informal relationships with software vendors and operators of online networks
and leading Web sites, such as Microsoft and Netscape. The Company believes
these arrangements are important to the promotion of the Company's online
media properties particularly among new Web users who may first access the
Web through these services or Web sites. The Company's business
relationships with these companies consist of cooperative marketing programs
and licenses to include YAHOO! in online networks or services offered by
these parties, which are intended to increase the use and visibility of
YAHOO!. These distribution arrangements typically are not exclusive, and may
be terminable upon little or no notice. Third parties that provide
distribution channels for the Company may also assess fees or otherwise
impose additional conditions on the listing of YAHOO! or other online
properties of the Company, such as Netscape's requirement of substantial
payments for placement of YAHOO! on the "Net Search" Web page accessible from
a button on the Netscape Web browser. In April 1997, the Company also
launched the NETSCAPE GUIDE BY YAHOO!. See "Risks Associated With NETSCAPE
GUIDE BY YAHOO!." In addition, these companies may terminate or reduce their
joint marketing activities with the Company, or develop and market their own
Internet navigational guides or those of the Company's competitors. Any such
events could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
results of operations and financial condition.
THIRD PARTY ADVERTISING SALES AGENTS
The Company relies and expects to continue to rely on third parties to
sell advertising on mirror sites of YAHOO! and targeted media products,
particularly versions of YAHOO! that are localized for international markets.
There can be no assurance that such advertising representatives will achieve
the Company's advertising sales objectives. Because advertising sales have
constituted and are expected to continue to constitute substantially all of
the Company's revenues, any failure of the Company's third party sales
representatives to achieve successful advertising sales could have a material
adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial
condition.
ENHANCEMENT OF YAHOO! MAIN SITE AND DEVELOPMENT OF NEW MEDIA PROPERTIES
To remain competitive, the Company must continue to enhance and improve
the responsiveness, functionality, features and content of the YAHOO! main
site, as well as the Company's other branded media properties, such as the
NETSCAPE GUIDE BY YAHOO!. There can be no assurance that the Company will be
able to successfully maintain competitive user response times or implement
new features and functions, such as greater levels of user personalization,
localized content filter and information delivery through "push" methods,
which will involve the development of increasingly complex technologies.
The Company's future success also depends in part upon the timely
processing of Web site listings submitted by users and Web content providers,
which have increased substantially in recent periods. The Company has from
time to time experienced significant delays in the processing of submissions,
and further delays could have a material adverse effect on the Company's
goodwill among Web users and content providers, and on the Company's business.
A key element of the Company's business strategy is the development and
introduction of new YAHOO! branded navigational products targeted for
specific interest areas, user groups with particular demographic
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characteristics and geographic areas. There can be no assurance that the
Company will be successful in developing, introducing and marketing such
products or media properties or that such products and media properties will
achieve market acceptance, enhance the Company's brand name recognition or
increase traffic on Yahoo!'s online properties. The Company depends
substantially on third party efforts in the development and operation of
these new media properties. The introduction of new media properties also
may be subject to delays that may negatively affect advertising revenues and
the Company's competitive position. Furthermore, enhancements of or
improvements to YAHOO! or new media properties may contain undetected errors
that require significant design modifications, resulting in a loss of
customer confidence and user support and a decrease in the value of the
Company's brand name recognition. Any failure of the Company to effectively
develop and introduce these properties, or failure of such properties to
achieve market acceptance, could adversely affect the Company's business,
results of operations and financial condition.
TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
The market for Internet products and services is characterized by rapid
technological developments, evolving industry standards and customer demands,
and frequent new product introductions and enhancements. These market
characteristics are exacerbated by the emerging nature of this market and the
fact that many companies are expected to introduce new Internet products and
services in the near future. The Company's future success will depend in
significant part on its ability to continually improve the performance,
features and reliability of YAHOO! and other properties in response to both
evolving demands of the marketplace and competitive product offerings, and
there can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in doing so.
In addition, the widespread adoption of new Web functionality through
developments such as the Java programming language and increasingly
personalized information filtering and delivery could require fundamental
changes in the Company's services and could fundamentally affect the nature,
viability and measurability of Web-based advertising, which could adversely
affect the Company's business, operating results and financial condition.
MANAGEMENT OF POTENTIAL GROWTH
The Company's recent growth has placed, and is expected to continue to
place, a significant strain on its managerial, operational and financial
resources. To manage its potential growth, the Company must continue to
implement and improve its operational and financial systems and to expand,
train and manage its employee base. The Company also currently intends to
establish mirror, or duplicate, sites in other geographic locations, which
will create additional operational and management complexities, including the
need for continual updating and maintenance of directory listings among
geographically dispersed network servers. The Company also expects that its
operational and management systems will face additional strain as a result of
the development and operation of the NETSCAPE GUIDE BY YAHOO!. See "Risks
Associated With NETSCAPE GUIDE BY YAHOO!." The process of managing
advertising within large, high traffic Web sites such as YAHOO! is an
increasingly important and complex task. The Company relies on both internal
and licensed third party advertising inventory management and analysis
systems. To the extent that any extended failure of the Company's
advertising management system results in incorrect advertising insertions,
the Company may be exposed to "make good" obligations with its advertising
customers, which, by displacing advertising inventory, could defer
advertising revenues and thereby have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, operating results and financial condition. There can be
no assurance that the Company will be able to effectively manage the
expansion of its operations, that the Company's systems, procedures or
controls will be adequate to support the Company's operations or that Company
management will be able to achieve the rapid execution necessary to fully
exploit the market opportunity for the Company's products and media
properties. Any inability to effectively manage growth, if any, could have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and
financial condition.
RISK OF CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS AND SYSTEMS FAILURES
A key element of the Company's strategy is to generate a high volume of
use of its online media properties. Accordingly, the performance of the
Company's online media properties is critical to the Company's reputation,
its ability to attract advertisers to the Company's Web sites and to achieve
market acceptance of these products and media properties. Any system failure
that causes interruption or an increase in response time of the
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Company's products and media properties could result in less traffic to the
Company's Web sites and, if sustained or repeated, could reduce the
attractiveness of the Company's products and media properties to advertisers
and licensees. An increase in the volume of queries conducted through the
Company's products and media properties could strain the capacity of the
software or hardware deployed by the Company, which could lead to slower
response time or system failures, and adversely affect the number of
impressions received by advertising and thus the Company's advertising
revenues. In addition, as the number of Web pages and users increase, there
can be no assurance that the Company's products and media properties and
infrastructure will be able to scale accordingly. The Company also faces
technical challenges associated with higher levels of personalization and
localization of content delivered to users of its services, which adds strain
to the Company's development and operational resources. The Company is also
dependent upon Web browsers and Internet and online service providers for
access to its products and media properties. In particular, a private third
party provider, GlobalCenter, provides the Company with access to three
partial T3 (45 megabit per second) Internet connections. In the past, users
have occasionally experienced difficulties due to system failures, including
failures unrelated to the Company's systems. Any disruption in the Internet
access provided by GlobalCenter or any failure of GlobalCenter to handle
higher volumes of user traffic could have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, operating results and financial condition. Furthermore,
the Company is dependent on hardware suppliers for prompt delivery,
installation and service of servers and other equipment used to deliver the
Company's products and services.
The Company's operations are dependent in part upon its ability to
protect its operating systems against physical damage from fire, floods,
earthquakes, power loss, telecommunications failures, break-ins and similar
events. The Company does not presently have redundant, multiple site
capacity in the event of any such occurrence. Despite the implementation of
network security measures by the Company, its servers are vulnerable to
computer viruses, break-ins and similar disruptions from unauthorized
tampering with the Company's computer systems. The occurrence of any of
these events could result in interruptions, delays or cessations in service
to users of the Company's products and media properties, which could have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business, operating results and
financial condition.
INTEGRATION OF POTENTIAL ACQUISITIONS
Since inception, the Company has formed a number of joint ventures, and
recently the Company acquired a small software development company involved
in the delivery of current information through the Internet. As part of its
business strategy, the Company expects to enter into further business
combinations and/or make significant investments in complementary companies,
products or technologies. Any such transactions would be accompanied by the
risks commonly encountered in such transactions. Such risks include, among
other things, the difficulty of assimilating the operations and personnel of
the acquired companies, the potential disruption of the Company's ongoing
business, the inability of management to maximize the financial and strategic
position of the Company through the successful incorporation of acquired
technology or content and rights into the Company's products and media
properties, the difficulties of integrating personnel of acquired entities,
additional expenses associated with amortization of acquired intangible
assets, the maintenance of uniform standards, controls, procedures and
policies, the impairment of relationships with employees and customers as a
result of any integration of new management personnel, and the potential
unknown liabilities associated with acquired businesses. There can be no
assurance that the Company would be successful in overcoming these risks or
any other problems encountered in connection with such acquisitions.
TRADEMARKS AND PROPRIETARY RIGHTS
The Company regards its copyrights, trademarks, trade dress, trade
secrets and similar intellectual property as critical to its success, and the
Company relies upon trademark and copyright law, trade secret protection and
confidentiality and/or license agreements with its employees, customers,
partners and others to protect its proprietary rights. The Company pursues
the registration of its trademarks in the United States and (based upon
anticipated use) internationally, and has applied for the registration of
certain of its trademarks, including "Yahoo!" and "Yahooligans!" Effective
trademark, copyright and trade secret protection may not be available in
every country in which the Company's products and media properties are
distributed or made available through the Internet. The Company has licensed
in the past, and it expects that it may license in the future, elements of
its distinctive trademarks, trade dress and similar proprietary rights to
third parties, including in
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connection with branded mirror sites of YAHOO! and other media properties
that may be controlled operationally by third parties. While the Company
attempts to ensure that the quality of its brand is maintained by such
licensees, no assurances can be given that such licensees will not take
actions that could materially and adversely affect the value of the Company's
proprietary rights or the reputation of its products and media properties,
either of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's
business. Also, the Company is aware that third parties have from time to
time copied significant portions of YAHOO! directory listings for use in
competitive Internet navigational tools and services, and there can be no
assurance that the distinctive elements of YAHOO! will be protectible under
copyright law. There can be no assurance that the steps taken by the Company
to protect its proprietary rights will be adequate or that third parties will
not infringe or misappropriate the Company's copyrights, trademarks, trade
dress and similar proprietary rights. In addition, there can be no assurance
that other parties will not assert infringement claims against the Company.
Many parties are actively developing search, indexing and related Web
technologies at the present time. The Company believes that such parties
have taken and will continue to take steps to protect these technologies,
including seeking patent protection. As a result, the Company believes that
disputes regarding the ownership of such technologies are likely to arise in
the future.
From time to time the Company has been, and expects to continue to be,
subject to legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of its
business, including claims of alleged infringement of the trademarks and
other intellectual property rights of third parties by the Company and its
licensees. Such claims, even if not meritorious, could result in the
expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources. As of the
date of this Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any legal proceedings or
claims that the Company believes will have, individually or in the aggregate,
a material adverse effect on the Company's financial position or results of
operations.
DEPENDENCE ON KEY PERSONNEL
The Company's performance is substantially dependent on the performance
of its senior management and key technical personnel. In particular, the
Company's success depends substantially on the continued efforts of its
senior management team. The Company does not carry key person life insurance
on any of its senior management personnel. The loss of the services of any
of its executive officers or other key employees could have a material
adverse effect on the business, operating results and financial condition of
the Company.
The Company's future success also depends on its continuing ability to
attract and retain highly qualified technical and managerial personnel.
Competition for such personnel is intense and there can be no assurance that
the Company will be able to retain its key managerial and technical employees
or that it will be able to attract and retain additional highly qualified
technical and managerial personnel in the future. The inability to attract
and retain the necessary technical and managerial personnel could have a
material and adverse effect upon the Company's business, operating results
and financial condition.
GOVERNMENT REGULATION AND LEGAL UNCERTAINTIES
The Company is not currently subject to direct regulation by any
government agency in the United States, other than regulations applicable to
businesses generally, and there are currently few laws or regulations
directly applicable to access to or commerce on the Internet. Due to the
increasing popularity and use of the Internet, it is possible that a number
of laws and regulations may be adopted with respect to the Internet, covering
issues such as user privacy, pricing and characteristics and quality of
products and services. For example, although the Communications Decency Act
was held to be unconstitutional, there can be no assurance that similar
legislation will not be enacted in the future and it is possible that such
legislation could expose the Company to substantial liability. Such
legislation could also dampen the growth in use of the Web generally and
decrease the acceptance of the Web as a communications and commercial medium,
and could, thereby, have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
results of operations and financial condition. Other nations, including
Germany, have taken actions to restrict the free flow of material deemed to
be objectionable on the Web. In addition, several telecommunications carriers
are seeking to have telecommunications over the Web regulated by the Federal
Communications Commission (the "FCC") in the same manner as other
telecommunications services. For
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example, America's Carriers Telecommunications Association ("ACTA") has filed
a petition with the FCC for this purpose. In addition, because the growing
popularity and use of the Web has burdened the existing telecommunications
infrastructure and many areas with high Web use have begun to experience
interruptions in phone service, local telephone carriers, such as Pacific
Bell, have petitioned the FCC to regulate ISPs and OSPs in a manner similar
to long distance telephone carriers and to impose access fees on the ISPs and
OSPs. If either of these petitions is granted, or the relief sought therein
is otherwise granted, the costs of communicating on the Web could increase
substantially, potentially slowing the growth in use of the Web, which could
in turn decrease the demand for the Company's products and media properties.
Also it is possible that laws will be adopted or current laws interpreted in
a manner to impose liability on online service providers such as the Company
for listing or linking to third party Web sites that include materials that
infringe copyrights or other rights of others. Such laws and regulations if
enacted could have an adverse effect on the Company's business, operating
results and financial condition. Moreover, the applicability to the Internet
of the existing laws governing issues such as property ownership, copyright
defamation, obscenity and personal privacy is uncertain, and the Company may
be subject to claims that its services violate such laws. Any such new
legislation or regulation or the application of existing laws and regulations
to the Internet could have a material adverse effect on the Company's
business, operating results and financial condition.
Due to the global nature of the Web, it is possible that, although
transmissions by the Company over the Internet originate primarily in the
State of California, the governments of other states and foreign countries
might attempt to regulate the Company's transmissions or prosecute the
Company for violations of their laws. There can be no assurance that
violations of local laws will not be alleged or charged by state or foreign
governments, that the Company might not unintentionally violate such law or
that such laws will not be modified, or new laws enacted, in the future. Any
of the foregoing developments could have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, results of operations and financial condition.
As part of its advertising sales efforts, the Company from time to time
promotes sweepstakes and similar events on Yahoo! properties, and may
participate in the design and implementation of such events on behalf of
sponsors. Such events are subject to extensive government regulation
throughout the world, including different regulatory schemes under states and
territories in the United States. Failure to comply with such regulations
could expose the Company to substantial liabilities.
LIABILITY FOR INFORMATION SERVICES
Because materials may be downloaded by the online or Internet services
operated or facilitated by the Company and may be subsequently distributed to
others, there is a potential that claims will be made against the Company for
defamation, negligence, copyright or trademark infringement, personal injury
or other theories based on the nature and content of such materials. Such
claims have been brought, and sometimes successfully pressed, against online
service providers in the past. In addition, the Company could be exposed to
liability with respect to the selection of listings that may be accessible
through the Company's Yahoo!-branded products and media properties, or
through content and materials that may be posted by users in classifieds,
bulletin board and chat room services offered by the Company. Such claims
might include, among others, that by providing hypertext links to Web sites
operated by third parties, the Company is liable for infringement or other
wrongful actions by such third parties through such Web sites. It is also
possible that if any information provided through the Company's services,
such as stock quotes, analyst estimates or other trading information,
contains errors, third parties could make claims against the Company for
losses incurred in reliance on such information. From time to time, the
Company enters into agreements with sponsors, content providers, service
providers and merchants under which the Company is entitled to receive a
share of revenue from the purchase of goods and services by users of the
Company's online properties. Such revenue arrangements, if significant, would
expose the Company to additional risks and uncertainties, including (without
limitation) seasonal variations associated with the market for such products
and services, competitive and other business factors relating to such
markets, and potential liabilities to consumers of such products and
services. Although the Company carries general liability insurance, the
Company's insurance may not cover potential claims of this type or may not be
adequate to indemnify the Company for all liability that may be imposed. Any
imposition of liability or legal defense expenses that are not covered by
insurance or is in excess of insurance coverage could have a material adverse
effect on the Company's business, operating results and financial condition.
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RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS AND EXPANSION
A key part of the Company's strategy is to develop "Yahoo!" branded
online properties in international markets. The Company has developed and
operates, through joint ventures with SOFTBANK and SB Holdings (Europe) Ltd.,
versions of the YAHOO! Internet Guide localized for Japan, Germany, France
and the U.K, and the Company offers a version of YAHOO! localized for Canada
under an agreement with Rogers Communications. International revenues (sales
outside of North America) were approximately 1% of total revenues for the
year ended December 31, 1996, and approximately 6% for the six months ended
June 30, 1997.
To date, the Company has only limited experience in developing localized
versions of its products and marketing and operating its products and
services internationally, and the Company relies substantially on the efforts
and abilities of its foreign business partners in such activities. If the
international revenues are not adequate to offset investments in such
activities, the Company's business, operating results and financial condition
could be materially adversely affected. The Company may experience
difficulty in managing international operations as a result of distance as
well as language and cultural differences, and there can be no assurance that
the Company or its partners will be able to successfully market and operate
its products and services in foreign markets. The Company also believes that
in light of substantial anticipated competition, it will be necessary to move
quickly into international markets in order to effectively obtain market
share, and there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to do so.
In addition to the uncertainty as to the Company's ability to continue to
generate revenues from its foreign operations and expand its international
presence, there are certain risks inherent in doing business on an
international level, such as unexpected changes in regulatory requirements,
export restrictions, trade barriers, difficulties in staffing and managing
foreign operations, longer payment cycles, problems in collecting accounts
receivable, political instability, fluctuations in currency exchange rates,
software piracy, seasonal reductions in business activity in certain other
parts of the world and potentially adverse tax consequences, which could
adversely impact the success of the Company's international operations. There
can be no assurance that one or more of such factors will not have a material
adverse effect on the Company's future international operations and,
consequently, on the Company's business, operating results and financial
condition.
CONCENTRATION OF STOCK OWNERSHIP
As of June 30, 1997, the present directors, executive officers, greater
than 5% shareholders and their respective affiliates beneficially owned
approximately 78% of the outstanding Common Stock of the Company. As of June
30, 1997, SOFTBANK beneficially owned approximately 34% of the outstanding
Common Stock of the Company. As a result of their ownership, the directors,
executive officers, greater than 5% shareholders (including SOFTBANK) and
their respective affiliates collectively are able to control all matters
requiring shareholder approval, including the election of directors and
approval of significant corporate transactions. Such concentration of
ownership may also have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in
control of the Company.
VOLATILITY OF STOCK PRICE
The trading price of the Company's Common Stock has been and may
continue to be subject to wide fluctuations in response to a number of events
and factors, such as quarterly variations in operating results, announcements
of technological innovations or new products and media properties by the
Company or its competitors, changes in financial estimates and
recommendations by securities analysts, the operating and stock price
performance of other companies that investors may deem comparable to the
Company, and news reports relating to trends in the Company's markets. In
addition, the stock market in general, and the market prices for
Internet-related companies in particular, have experienced extreme volatility
that often has been unrelated to the operating performance of such companies.
These broad market and industry fluctuations may adversely affect the
trading price of the Company's Common Stock, regardless of the Company's
operating performance.
ANTITAKEOVER EFFECT OF CERTAIN CHARTER PROVISIONS
The Board of Directors has the authority to issue up to 10,000,000
shares of Preferred Stock and to determine the price, rights, preferences,
privileges and restrictions, including voting rights, of those shares without
any further vote or action by the shareholders. The rights of the holders of
Common Stock may be subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights
of the holders of any Preferred Stock that may be issued in the future. The
issuance of Preferred Stock may have the effect of delaying, deferring or
preventing a change of control of the
16
<PAGE>
Company without further action by the shareholders and may adversely affect
the voting and other rights of the holders of Common Stock. The Company has
no present plans to issue shares of Preferred Stock. Further, certain
provisions of the Company's charter documents, including provisions
eliminating the ability of shareholders to take action by written consent and
limiting the ability of shareholders to raise matters at a meeting of
shareholders without giving advance notice, may have the effect of delaying
or preventing changes in control or management of the Company, which could
have an adverse effect on the market price of the Company's Common Stock. In
addition, effective upon qualification of the Company as a "listed
corporation," as defined in Section 301.5(d) of the California Corporations
Code, the Company's charter documents eliminated cumulative voting and
provide that, at such time as the Company has at least six directors, the
Company's Board of Directors will be divided into two classes, each of which
serves for a staggered two-year term, which may make it more difficult for a
third party to gain control of the Company's Board of Directors.
17
<PAGE>
USE OF PROCEEDS
The proceeds from the sale of the Shares are solely for the account of
the Selling Shareholders. Accordingly, the Company will not receive any
proceeds from the sale of the Shares from the Selling Shareholders.
SELLING SHAREHOLDERS
The following table sets forth certain information known to the Company
with respect to beneficial ownership of the Company's Common Stock as of
August 1, 1997 by each Selling Shareholder.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED
PRIOR TO THE OFFERING(1) AFTER THE OFFERING(2)
------------------------ SHARES -------------------------
SELLING SHAREHOLDERS SHARES PERCENT (3) OFFERED SHARES PERCENT (3)
- --------------------- ------ ----------- ------- ------ -----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Visa Marketplace, Inc. 259,067 * 143,927 115,140 *
Visa International Service Association 115,142 * 115,142 -- --
Michael Burmeister-Brown 21,062 * 21,062 -- --
</TABLE>
- --------------------
* Less than one percent
(1) Information with respect to beneficial ownership is based upon information
obtained from the Company's transfer agent and certain of the Selling
Shareholders.
(2) Assumes that each Selling Shareholder will sell all of the Shares set
forth above under "Shares Offered." There can be no assurance that the
Selling Shareholders will sell all or any of the Shares offered hereunder.
(3) Based on 28,597,274 shares outstanding as of July 31, 1997.
18
<PAGE>
ISSUANCE OF COMMON STOCK TO SELLING SHAREHOLDERS
On July 29, 1997, the Company issued an aggregate of 466,321 shares of
Common Stock to Visa Marketplace, Inc. ("Visa") and Sterling Payot Capital,
L.P. ("Sterling Payot") pursuant to a Restructuring Agreement (the
"Restructuring Agreement") among the Company, Visa, Sterling Payot, Visa
International Service Association and Sterling Payot Company. In addition,
on July 31, 1997, the Company issued an aggregate of 24,778 shares of Common
Stock to Michael Burmeister-Brown pursuant to a Stock Purchase Agreement
(the "Stock Purchase Agreement") among the Company, NetControls, Inc. and
Michael Burmeister-Brown. Under the terms of the Stock Purchase Agreement,
the Company acquired all of the shares of NetControls, Inc. in exchange for
such shares of Yahoo! Common Stock. NetControls has had no significant
operations to date.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Shares of Common Stock covered hereby may be offered and sold from time
to time by the Selling Shareholders. The Selling Shareholders will act
independently of the Company in making decisions with respect to the timing,
manner and size of each sale. The Selling Shareholders may sell the Shares
being offered hereby: (i) on The Nasdaq National Market, or otherwise at
prices and at terms then prevailing or at prices related to the then current
market price; or (ii) in private sales at negotiated prices directly or
through a broker or brokers, who may act as agent or as principal or by a
combination of such methods of sale. The Selling Shareholders and any
underwriter, dealer or agent who participate in the distribution of such
shares may be deemed to be "underwriters" under the Securities Act, and any
discount, commission or concession received by such persons might be deemed
to be an underwriting discount or commission under the Securities Act. The
Company has agreed to indemnify the Selling Shareholders against certain
liabilities arising under the Securities Act.
Any broker-dealer participating in such transactions as agent may
receive commissions from the Selling Shareholders (and, if acting as agent
for the purchaser of such shares, from such purchaser). Usual and customary
brokerage fees will be paid by the Selling Shareholders. Broker-dealers may
agree with the Selling Shareholders to sell a specified number of shares at a
stipulated price per share, and, to the extent such a broker-dealer is unable
to do so acting as agent for the Selling Shareholders, to purchase as
principal any unsold shares at the price required to fulfill the
broker-dealer commitment to the Selling Shareholders. Broker-dealers who
acquire shares as principal may thereafter resell such shares from time to
time in transactions (which may involve crosses and block transactions and
which may involve sales to and through other broker-dealers, including
transactions of the nature described above) in the over-the-counter market,
in negotiated transactions or by a combination of such methods of sale or
otherwise at market prices prevailing at the time of sale or at negotiated
prices, and in connection with such resales may pay to or receive from the
purchasers of such shares commissions computed as described above.
The Company has advised the Selling Shareholders that the
anti-manipulation rules under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of Shares
in the market and to the activities of the Selling Shareholders and their
affiliates. The Selling Shareholders have advised the Company that during
such time as the Selling Shareholders may be engaged in the attempt to sell
shares registered hereunder, they will: (i) not engage in any stabilization
activity in connection with any of the Company's securities; (ii) not bid for
or purchase any of the Company's securities or any rights to acquire the
Company's securities, or attempt to induce any person to purchase any of the
Company's securities or rights to acquire the Company's securities other than
as permitted under the Exchange Act; (iii) not effect any sale or
distribution of the Shares until after the Prospectus shall have been
appropriately amended or supplemented, if required, to set forth the terms
thereof; and (iv) effect all sales of Shares in broker's transactions through
broker-dealers acting as agents, in transactions directly with market makers
or in privately negotiated transaction where no broker or other third party
(other than the purchaser) is involved.
The Selling Shareholders may indemnify any broker-dealer that
participates in transactions involving the sale of the shares against certain
liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act. Any
commissions paid or any discounts or concessions allowed to any such
broker-dealers, and any profits received on the resale of such shares, may be
deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act
if any such broker-dealers purchase shares as principal.
19
<PAGE>
In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if
applicable, the Common Stock will be sold in such jurisdictions only through
registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in certain states,
the Common Stock may not be sold unless such shares have been registered or
qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the
registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.
The Company has agreed to maintain the effectiveness of this
Registration Statement with respect to the shares of Common Stock offered
hereunder by (i) Visa Marketplace, Inc. and Visa International Service
Association, until the earlier of the sale of such shares or July 29, 1998
and (ii) Michael Burmeister-Brown, until the earlier of the sale of all such
shares or thirty (30) days following the effectiveness of this Registration
Statement. No sales may be made pursuant to this Prospectus after such date
unless the Company amends or supplements this Prospectus to indicate that it
has agreed to extend such period of effectiveness. With respect to the
Shares offered by Visa Marketplace, Inc. and Visa International Service
Association, the Company has agreed to use best efforts to ensure that such
Selling Shareholders have at least five (5) trading days available to sell
such shares prior to September 30, 1997 and has agreed to ensure that such
Selling Shareholders shall have at least twenty (20) trading days available
to sell such Shares during each calendar quarter from the effective date of
this Registration Statement until July 29, 1998 (prorated for partial
quarters). There can be no assurance that the Selling Shareholders will sell
all or any of the shares of Common Stock offered hereunder.
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby will be passed
upon by Venture Law Group, A Professional Corporation, Menlo Park,
California, counsel to the Company. As of July 31, 1997, certain attorneys
of Venture Law Group owned in the aggregate 3,750 shares of Common Stock of
Yahoo!.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements incorporated in this Prospectus by
reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
1996 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of Price Waterhouse
LLP, independent accountants, given on the authority of said firm as experts
in auditing and accountancy.
20
<PAGE>
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS
Item 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
The Registrant will bear no expenses in connection with any sale or
other distribution by the Selling Shareholders of the shares being registered
other than the expenses of preparation and distribution of this Registration
Statement and the Prospectus included in this Registration Statement and
certain selling commissions of the Selling Shareholders. Such expenses are
set forth in the following table. All of the amounts shown are estimates
except the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") registration fee.
SEC registration fee $ 4,441
Legal fees and expenses 20,000
Accounting fees and expenses 10,000
Miscellaneous expenses 5,559
-------
Total $40,000
-------
-------
Item 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
Section 317 of the California Corporations Code allows for the
indemnification of officers, directors, and other corporate agents in terms
sufficiently broad to indemnify such persons under certain circumstances for
liabilities (including reimbursement for expenses incurred) arising under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). Article VII of
the Registrant's Articles of Incorporation and Article VI of the Registrant's
Bylaws provides for indemnification of the Registrant's directors, officers,
employees and other agents to the extent and under the circumstances
permitted by the California Corporations Code. The Registrant has also
entered into agreements with its directors and officers that will require the
Registrant, among other things, to indemnify them against certain liabilities
that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors to the
fullest extent not prohibited by law.
In connection with this offering, the Selling Shareholders have agreed
to indemnify the Registrant, its directors and officers and each such person
who controls the Registrant, against any and all liability arising from
inaccurate information provided to the Registrant by the Selling Shareholders
and contained herein up to a maximum of the proceeds received by the Selling
Shareholders from the sale of their Shares hereunder.
Item 16. EXHIBITS.
EXHIBITS.
---------
4.1 Restructuring Agreement dated as of July 29, 1997 among the
Company, Visa International Service Association, Visa Marketplace,
Inc, Sterling Payot Company. and Sterling Payot Capital, L.P. (1)
4.2 Registration Rights Agreement dated as of July 31, 1997 between
the Company and Michael Burmeister-Brown
5.1 Opinion of Venture Law Group, A Professional Corporation
23.1 Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP, Independent Accountants (see
page II-4)
II-1
<PAGE>
23.2 Consent of Venture Law Group, A Professional Corporation (included
in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1 Power of Attorney (see page II-3)
- ------------------
(1) Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Current Report
on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on August 4, 1997.
Item 17. UNDERTAKINGS.
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement
to include any material information with respect to the plan of
distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration
Statement or any material change to such information in the
Registration Statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each post-effective amendment shall be deemed
to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain
unsold at the termination of this offering.
(4) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant's annual report
pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act
that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to
the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel
the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed
by the final adjudication of such issue.
II-2
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, Yahoo! Inc.
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Santa Clara, State of California, on August 1,
1997.
YAHOO! INC.
By: /s/ TIMOTHY KOOGLE
---------------------------------------
Timothy Koogle
President and Chief Executive Officer
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Timothy Koogle and Gary
Valenzuela, jointly and severally, his or her true and lawful
attorneys-in-fact, each with full power of substitution, for him or her in
any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file the
same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith,
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming
all that each of said attorneys-in-fact or any of them, or his or their
substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done or by virtue
hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature Title Date
/s/ TIMOTHY KOOGLE
- ------------------------- President, Chief Executive August 1, 1997
Timothy Koogle Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ GARY VALENZUELA
- ------------------------- Senior Vice President, Finance August 1, 1997
Gary Valenzuela and Administration, and Chief
Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)
/s/ JAMES J. NELSON
- ------------------------- Vice President, Finance August 1, 1997
James J. Nelson (Chief Accounting Officer)
/s/ ERIC HIPPEAU
- ------------------------- Director August 1, 1997
Eric Hippeau
/s/ ARTHUR H. KERN
- ------------------------- Director August 1, 1997
Arthur H. Kern
/s/ MICHAEL MORITZ
- ------------------------- Director August 1, 1997
Michael Moritz
/s/ JERRY YANG
- ------------------------- Director August 1, 1997
Jerry Yang
II-3
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus
constituting part of this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report
dated January 14, 1997, which appears on page 37 of the 1996 Annual Report to
Shareholders of Yahoo! Inc., which is incorporated by reference in its
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996. We also
consent to the incorporation by reference of our report on the Financial
Statement Schedule, which appears on page 37 of such Annual Report on Form
10-K. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in
such Prospectus.
PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
/s/ Price Waterhouse LLP
San Jose, California
August 4, 1997
II-4
<PAGE>
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT NUMBER DESCRIPTION
- -------------- -----------
4.1 Restructuring Agreement dated as of July 29, 1997 among the
Company, Visa International Service Association, Visa
Marketplace, Inc, Sterling Payot Company. and Sterling
Payot Capital, Inc.(1)
4.2 Registration Rights Agreement dated as of July 31, 1997
between the Company and Michael Burmeister-Brown
5.1 Opinion of Venture Law Group, A Professional Corporation
23.1 Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP, Independent Accountants
(see page II-4)
23.2 Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1 Power of Attorney (see page II-3)
- ---------------
(1) Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Current Report
on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on August 4, 1997.
<PAGE>
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the "AGREEMENT") is entered into as
of July 31, 1997 (the "EFFECTIVE DATE"), by and among Yahoo! Inc., a
California corporation (the "COMPANY"), and Michael Burmeister-Brown (the
"SHAREHOLDER").
RECITALS
1. The Company and the Shareholder have entered into a Stock Purchase
Agreement of even date herewith pursuant to which the Company has issued to the
Shareholder shares of the Company's Common Stock (the "YAHOO! SHARES") in
consideration of the shares of NetControls, Inc. (the "NETCONTROLS SHARES")
held by the Shareholder.
2. As a condition to the closing of the sale of the NetControls Shares
to the Company, the Company has agreed to grant certain registration rights to
the Shareholder with respect to the Yahoo! Shares.
3. The Company wishes to execute this Agreement and grant to the
Shareholder the rights contained herein in order to fulfill such condition.
The parties hereto agree as follows:
Section 1. REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
1.1 DEFINITIONS. As used in this Agreement:
(a) The terms "REGISTER," "REGISTERED," and "REGISTRATION" refer to
a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement in
compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SECURITIES ACT"),
and the subsequent declaration or ordering of the effectiveness of such
registration statement.
(b) The term "REGISTRABLE SECURITIES" means:
(i) the Yahoo! Shares issued to the Shareholder pursuant to the
Stock Purchase Agreement, less the Escrow Shares (as defined in the Stock
Purchase Agreement); and
(ii) any other shares of Common Stock of the Company issued as
(or issuable upon the conversion or exercise of any warrant, right or other
security which is issued as) a dividend or other distribution with respect to,
or in exchange for or in replacement of, the 21,062 Yahoo! Shares designated in
Section 1.1(b)(i) above,
1
<PAGE>
excluding in all cases, however, any Registrable Securities sold by a person
in a transaction in which his or her rights under this Agreement are not
assigned; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that Common Stock or other securities shall only
be treated as Registrable Securities if and so long as they have not been (A)
sold to or through a broker or dealer or underwriter in a public distribution
or a public securities transaction, or (B) sold in a transaction exempt from
the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act
under Section 4(1) thereof so that all transfer restrictions, and restrictive
legends with respect thereto, if any, are removed upon the consummation of
such sale.
(c) The term "HOLDER" means any holder of outstanding Registrable
Securities who, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 1.10 below,
acquired such Registrable Securities in a transaction or series of transactions
not involving any registered public offering.
(d) The term "FORM S-3" means such form under the Securities Act as
in effect on the date hereof or any registration form under the Securities Act
subsequently adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") which
permits inclusion or incorporation of substantial information by reference to
other documents filed by the Company with the SEC.
1.2 FORM S-3 REGISTRATION. In the event the Company shall receive from
any Holder or Holder(s) owning in the aggregate at least fifty percent (50%) of
the then-outstanding Registrable Securities a written request or requests that
the Company effect a registration on Form S-3 and any related qualification or
compliance with respect to all or a part of the Registrable Securities owned by
such Holder or Holder(s), the Company will:
(a) promptly give written notice of the proposed registration, and
any related qualification or compliance, to all other Holder(s); and
(b) as soon as practicable, effect such registration and all such
qualifications and compliances as may be reasonably so requested and as would
permit and facilitate the sale and distribution of all or such portion of such
Holder's or Holders' Registrable Securities as are specified in such request,
together with all or such portion of the Registrable Securities of any other
Holder(s) joining in such request as are specified in a written request given
within twenty (20) days after receipt of such written notice from the Company;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall not be obligated to cause any such
registration, qualification or compliance, pursuant to this Section 1.2 to
become effective:
(i) prior to the date six (6) months following the Effective
Date or later than the date eight (8) months following the Effective Date;
(ii) if Form S-3 is not available for such offering by the
Holder(s);
2
<PAGE>
(iii) if the Holder(s), together with the holders of any other
securities of the Company entitled to inclusion in such registration, propose
to sell Registrable Securities at an aggregate price to the public (net of any
underwriters' discounts or commissions) of less than $500,000, or such lower
dollar amount as equals the aggregate price to the public (net of any
underwriters' discounts or commissions) of 14,000 shares of Registrable
Securities;
(iv) if the Company shall furnish to the Holder(s) a certificate
signed by the president of the Company stating that in the good faith judgment
of the Board of Directors of the Company, it would be seriously detrimental to
the Company and its Shareholder for such Form S-3 Registration to be effected
at such time, in which event the Company shall have the right to defer the
filing of the Form S-3 registration statement for a period of not more than
ninety (90) days after receipt of the request of the Holder or Holder(s) under
this Section 1.2 and the period during which the Holder(s) may exercise their
rights hereunder shall be extended for an equivalent period;
(v) if the Company has already effected one (1) registration on
Form S-3 for the Holder(s) pursuant to this Section 1.2 or the Holder(s) have
been offered the opportunity to participate in a registration pursuant to
Sections 1.3 or 1.4 below with respect to all of the Holder's or Holders'
Registrable Securities (whether or not the Holder(s) elected to participate in
such registration) or such other registration is pending; or
(vi) in any particular jurisdiction in which the Company would
be required to qualify to do business or to execute a general consent to
service of process in effecting such registration, qualification or compliance.
(c) Subject to the foregoing, the Company shall file a registration
statement on Form S-3 covering the Registrable Securities so requested to be
registered as soon as practicable after receipt of the request or requests of
the Holder(s). All expenses incurred in connection with a registration
requested pursuant to Section 1.2, including (without limitation) all
registration, filing, qualification, printer and accounting fees shall be borne
by the Company. The Company shall not be required to pay any underwriters' or
brokers' fees, discounts or commissions relating to the Registrable Securities,
or the fees or expenses of separate counsel to the selling Holder(s).
(d) If, at any time during the twenty-five (25) day period after the
registration statement has been declared effective, a Holder intends to sell
Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 1.2, such Holder shall submit
written notice to the Company (a "NOTICE OF SALE") by facsimile transmission of
such intention which shall include the name of the Holder, the number of shares
of Registrable Securities that such Holder intends to sell and the Holder's
telephone and facsimile numbers. (If the Notice of Sale is actually received
in a day other than a business day, it will be deemed received on the next
business day; the date on which the Notice of Sale is received is referred to
as the "NOTICE DATE;" the time on which the Notice of Sale is received is
referred to as the
3
<PAGE>
"NOTICE TIME".) Upon receiving a Notice of Sale from a Holder, the Company
will notify the Holder as soon as reasonably practicable (but in no event
later than the same time as the Notice Time on the next business day
following the Notice Date) whether (i) the Company believes that the
prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, as then amended or
supplemented, is available for immediate use, whereupon the Company shall so
notify the Holder(s) and the Holder(s) will have a period of five (5) days
following such notification in which to sell its Registrable Securities or
(ii) the Company believes that it is necessary or appropriate to file a
supplement or file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement
or the prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file
any other report or document so that, as thereafter delivered to the
purchasers of the Registrable Securities, the prospectus will not contain an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (a "PROSPECTUS
UPDATE"). If the Company notifies the Holder(s) that it believes it may be
necessary or appropriate to effectuate a Prospectus Update and the Company is
not exercising any right it may have under Section 1.2(e) to postpone the
Prospectus Update, the Company will thereupon use all reasonable efforts to
effectuate such Prospectus Update as soon as reasonably possible, and not
later than three (3) business days after the Notice of Sale is received by
the Company, except that the Company will have up to an additional two (2)
business days to effectuate such Prospectus Update if, because of the
particular circumstances involved, the Company could not effectuate the
Prospectus Update earlier, despite all reasonable diligence. As soon as the
Prospectus Update has been effectuated, the Company will notify each Holder
who has submitted a Notice of Sale that the prospectus is available for use,
whereupon each such Holder will have a period of five (5) days in which to
sell its Registrable Securities.
(e) The Company will be entitled to postpone, for the minimum period
provided below, the filing of any Prospectus Update otherwise required to be
prepared and filed by it pursuant hereto if, at the time it receives a Notice
of Sale, the Company determines in its reasonable judgment, after consultation
with counsel, that (i) the Company would be required to prepare and file any
financial statements (other than those it customarily prepares or before it
customarily files such financial statements), (ii) the Company would be
required to file an amendment to the registration statement to describe facts
or events which individually or in the aggregate represent a fundamental change
in the information contained in the registration statement within the meaning
of Item 512 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act, or (iii)
the filing would require the premature announcement of any financing,
acquisition, corporate reorganization, contract or other material corporate
transaction or development involving the Company such as the Company reasonably
determines would be materially detrimental to the interests of the Company and
its shareholders. The postponement will be for the minimum period reasonably
required for the Company to prepare and file the necessary documents, in the
case of a postponement pursuant to (i) or (ii) above, or the minimum period
reasonably required to avoid such premature disclosure, in the case of (iii)
above, and which period will not be in excess of thirty (30) days unless,
because of the unusual nature of the particular circumstances, it is necessary
that the period extend
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beyond thirty (30) days. The Company will promptly give each Holder who has
submitted a Notice of Sale notice of any postponement exercised pursuant to
this Section 1.2(e). As soon as the Prospectus Update has been effectuated
following a postponement effected pursuant to this Section 1.2(e), the
Company will notify each Holder who has submitted a Notice of Sale that the
prospectus is available for use, whereupon each such Holder will have a
period of five (5) days in which to sell its Registrable Securities.
(f) The Holder(s) may not sell shares of Registrable Securities
under this Section 1.2 without first (i) complying with the Notice of Sale
requirements of Section 1.2(d) and (ii) allowing the Company to prepare
Prospectus Updates (including any permitted postponements thereof) as set forth
in Sections 1.2(d) and (e). A Holder will submit a Notice of Sale only if in
good faith it actually intends to sell the Registrable Securities within such
five (5) day period and with the understanding that a Notice of Sale is to be
made only on the occasion that the sale of Registrable Securities is actually
contemplated and not on a continual basis. A Holder will notify the Company by
facsimile transmission promptly after it has completed or otherwise ceased
sales following submission of a Notice of Sale. The Holder(s) will provide to
the Company all information in the Holder(s)' possession or control, and will
take all actions, as may be required in order to permit the Company to comply
with all applicable requirements of the Securities Act and any applicable state
securities laws.
(g) Under no circumstances shall the Company be required to keep a
registration statement effective and available pursuant to this Section 1.2 for
greater than thirty (30) days (after taking into account any periods of delay
permitted under Sections 1.2(d) and (e) above).
1.3 PIGGYBACK REGISTRATIONS.
(a) During the period beginning six (6) months following the
Effective Date and ending twelve (12) months following the Effective Date (the
"PIGGYBACK PERIOD"), and provided that the Holder(s) have not exercised an S-3
registration under Section 1.2 above or been offered and had the opportunity to
participate in a registration with respect to all of its Registrable Securities
pursuant to Section 1.4 below, the Company will notify the Holder(s) in writing
at least thirty (30) days prior to filing its first registration statement
under the Securities Act during the Piggyback Period for purposes of effecting
a public offering of Yahoo! Common Stock (excluding any registration statement
on Form S-8 or any successor form) and will afford the Holder(s) an opportunity
to include in such registration statement all or any part of the Registrable
Securities not previously sold by the Holder(s). If a Holder desires to
include in any such registration statement all or any part of such Registrable
Securities, such Holder will, within twenty (20) days after receipt of the
foregoing notice from the Company, so notify the Company in writing. The
Holder's notice will inform the Company of the number of shares the Holder
wishes to include in such registration statement.
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(b) If a registration statement for which the Company gives notice
under this Section 1.3 is for an underwritten offering, the Company will so
advise the Holder(s). In such event, a Holder's right to include Registrable
Securities in a registration pursuant to this Section 1.3 will be conditioned
upon such Holder's participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of the
Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided herein. In
order to participate in the underwriting, a Holder must enter into an
underwriting agreement in customary form with the managing underwriter or
underwriter(s) selected for such underwriting. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, if the managing underwriter(s) determine in good
faith that marketing factors require a limitation of the number of shares to be
underwritten, then the managing underwriter(s) may exclude shares (including
any or all of the Registrable Securities) from the registration and the
underwriting, and the number of shares that may be included in the registration
and the underwriting will be allocated first, to the shares to be sold by the
Company and any shares proposed to be sold thereunder by Shareholder on a pro
rata basis based upon the number of shares proposed to be sold by the Company
and Shareholder, respectively, and, second, to any shares proposed to be sold
thereunder by any holders of registration rights granted by the Company (other
than the Shareholder) on a pro rata basis based upon the number of shares of
each such holder entitled to such registration. If a Holder disapproves of the
terms of any such underwriting, it may elect to withdraw therefrom by written
notice to the Company and the managing underwriter(s), delivered at least ten
(10) business days prior to the effective date of the registration statement.
Any shares excluded or withdrawn from such underwriting will be excluded and
withdrawn from the registration.
(c) All expenses incurred in connection with a registration effected
pursuant to Section 1.3, including (without limitation) all registration,
filing, qualification, printer and accounting fees shall be borne by the
Company. The Company shall not be required to pay any underwriters' or
brokers' fees, discounts or commissions relating to the Registrable Securities,
or the fees or expenses of separate counsel to the selling Holder(s), unless
the Company's counsel is unable or unwilling to represent the selling
Holder(s).
1.4 THIRD PARTY S-3 REGISTRATION.
(a) At any time following the Effective Date, the Company may, in
lieu of its obligation to effect a registration for the Holder(s) pursuant to
Section 1.2 or 1.3 above, permit the Holder(s) to include all of its
Registrable Securities in an S-3 registration filed by the Company pursuant to
the request of a third party holder of Company securities by submitting written
notice thereof to the Holder(s), whereupon the Holder(s) shall be obligated to
include all of its Registrable Securities in such S-3 registration or forfeit
its rights under Sections 1.2 and 1.3 of this Agreement.
(b) Subject to the foregoing, the Company shall include in such S-3
registration the Registrable Securities requested to be registered therein by
the Holder(s). All expenses incurred in connection with a registration
requested pursuant to Section 1.4,
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including (without limitation) all registration, filing, qualification,
printer and accounting fees shall be borne by the Company. The Company shall
not be required to pay any underwriters' or brokers' fees, discounts or
commissions relating to the Registrable Securities, or the fees or expenses
of separate counsel to the selling Holder(s), unless the Company's counsel is
unable or unwilling to represent the selling Holder(s).
(c) If, at any time during the twenty-five (25) day period after the
registration statement has been declared effective (or such longer period of
time as is contemplated under Section 1.4(f) below), a Holder intends to sell
Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 1.4, such Holder shall submit a
Notice of Sale by facsimile transmission which shall include the name of the
Holder, the number of shares of Registrable Securities that such Holder intends
to sell and the Holder's telephone and facsimile numbers. Upon receiving a
Notice of Sale from a Holder, the Company will notify the Holder as soon as
reasonably practicable (but in no event later than the same time as the Notice
Time on the next business day following the Notice Date) whether (i) the
Company believes that the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement,
as then amended or supplemented, is available for immediate use, whereupon the
Company shall so notify the Holder(s) and the Holder(s) will have a period of
five (5) days in which to sell its Registrable Securities or (ii) the Company
believes that it is necessary or appropriate to file a Prospectus Update. If
the Company notifies the Holder(s) that it believes it may be necessary or
appropriate to effectuate a Prospectus Update and the Company is not exercising
any right it may have under Section 1.4(d) to postpone the Prospectus Update,
the Company will thereupon use all reasonable efforts to effectuate such
Prospectus Update as soon as reasonably possible, and not later than three (3)
business days after the Notice of Sale is received by the Company, except that
the Company will have up to an additional two (2) business days to effectuate
such Prospectus Update if, because of the particular circumstances involved,
the Company could not effectuate the Prospectus Update earlier, despite all
reasonable diligence. As soon as the Prospectus Update has been effectuated,
the Company will notify each Holder who has submitted a Notice of Sale that the
prospectus is available for use, whereupon each such Holder will have a period
of five (5) days in which to sell its Registrable Securities.
(d) The Company will be entitled to postpone, for the minimum period
provided below, the filing of any Prospectus Update otherwise required to be
prepared and filed by it pursuant hereto if, at the time it receives a Notice
of Sale, the Company determines in its reasonable judgment, after consultation
with counsel, that (i) the Company would be required to prepare and file any
financial statements (other than those it customarily prepares or before it
customarily files such financial statements), (ii) the Company would be
required to file an amendment to the registration statement to describe facts
or events which individually or in the aggregate represent a fundamental change
in the information contained in the registration statement within the meaning
of Item 512 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act, or (iii)
the filing would require the premature announcement of any financing,
acquisition, corporate reorganization, contract or other material corporate
transaction or development involving
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the Company such as the Company reasonably determines would be materially
detrimental to the interests of the Company and its shareholders. The
postponement will be for the minimum period reasonably required for the
Company to prepare and file the necessary documents, in the case of a
postponement pursuant to (i) or (ii) above, or the minimum period reasonably
required to avoid such premature disclosure, in the case of (iii) above, and
which period will not be in excess of thirty (30) days unless, because of the
unusual nature of the particular circumstances, it is necessary that the
period extend beyond thirty (30) days. The Company will promptly give each
Holder who has submitted a Notice of Sale notice of any postponement
exercised pursuant to this Section 1.4(d). As soon as the Prospectus Update
has been effectuated following a postponement effected pursuant to this
Section 1.4(d), the Company will notify each Holder who has submitted a
Notice of Sale that the prospectus is available for use, whereupon each such
Holder will have a period of five (5) days in which to sell its Registrable
Securities.
(e) The Holder(s) may not sell shares of Registrable Securities
under this Section 1.4 without first (i) complying with the Notice of Sale
requirements of Section 1.4(c) and (ii) allowing the Company to prepare
Prospectus Updates (including any permitted postponements thereof) as set forth
in Sections 1.4(c) and (d). A Holder will submit a Notice of Sale only if in
good faith it actually intends to sell the Registrable Securities covered
thereby within such five (5) day period and with the understanding that a
Notice of Sale is to be made only on the occasion that the sale of Registrable
Securities is actually contemplated and not on a continual basis. A Holder
will notify the Company by facsimile transmission promptly after it has
completed or otherwise ceased sales following submission of a Notice of Sale.
The Holder(s) will provide to the Company all information in the Holder(s)'
possession or control, and will take all actions, as may be required in order
to permit the Company to comply with all applicable requirements of the
Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws.
(f) Under no circumstances shall the Company be required to keep a
registration statement effective and available pursuant to this Section 1.4 for
greater than thirty (30) days (after taking into account any periods of delay
permitted under Sections 1.4(c) and (d) above); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, in the
event that the Company keeps the registration statement effective in excess of
thirty (30) days (after taking into account any periods of delay permitted
under Sections 1.4(c) and (d) above) for the benefit of the third party that
requested the S-3 registration, the Holder(s) shall be entitled to submit a
Notice of Sale pursuant to Section 1.4(c) until the Company provides
notification to the Holder(s) that the Company intends to withdraw the
registration statement in five (5) days following the date of such
notification, whereupon the Holder(s) shall have a period of five (5) days
following the date of such notice in which to sell its Registrable Securities
(subject to postponement in accordance with Sections 1.4(c) and (d) above).
1.5 OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY. When required under Section 1.2, 1.3 or
1.4 to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities, the Company
shall, as soon as reasonably practicable:
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(a) Prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-
3 with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its reasonable efforts to
cause such registration statement to become effective, and keep such
registration statement effective (i) in the case of a registration under
Section 1.2 or 1.4, for a period of thirty (30) days or such shorter period
during which the Holder(s) complete the distribution described in the
registration statement relating thereto, whichever first occurs, or (ii) in the
case of a registration under Section 1.3, for the period in which shares are
sold by the Company thereunder.
(b) Prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and supplements to
such registration statement and the prospectus used in connection with such
registration statement as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of the
Securities Act with respect to the disposition of Registrable Securities
pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement.
(c) Furnish to the Holder(s) such numbers of copies of a prospectus,
in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, and such other
documents as they may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition
of Registrable Securities owned by them.
(d) Notify each Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a
registration statement, at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is
required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any
event as a result of which the prospectus included in such registration
statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact
or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances
then existing, whereupon each Holder shall cease utilizing such prospectus and
the Company agrees, as soon thereafter as reasonably practicable (subject to
Sections 1.2(e) and 1.4(d) above), to effectuate a Prospectus Update so as to
meet the requirements of the Securities Act, and to notify the Holder(s) of
such action.
(e) Use its best efforts to register and qualify the securities
covered by such registration statement under such other securities or Blue Sky
laws of such jurisdictions as shall be reasonably requested by the Holders,
provided that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a
condition thereto to qualify to do business or to file a general consent to
service of process in any such states or jurisdictions.
(f) Use its best efforts to furnish, at the request of any Holder
requesting registration of Registrable Securities pursuant to this Agreement,
on the date that such Registrable Securities are delivered to the underwriters
for sale in connection with a registration pursuant to this Agreement, if such
securities are being sold through underwriters, or, if such securities are not
being sold through underwriters, on the date that the registration statement
with respect to such securities becomes effective, (i) an opinion, dated such
date, of the counsel representing the Company for the purposes of
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such registration, in form and substance as is customarily given to
underwriters in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the
underwriters, if any, and to the Holders requesting registration of
Registrable Securities and (ii) a letter dated such date, from the
independent certified public accounts of the Company, in form and substance
as is customarily given by independent certified public accounts in an
underwritten public offering, addressed to the underwriters, if any, and to
the Holders requesting registration of Registrable Securities.
1.6 FURNISH INFORMATION. It shall be a condition precedent to the
obligations of the Company to take any action pursuant to this Section 1 with
respect to the Registrable Securities of any selling Holder that such Holder
shall furnish to the Company such information regarding itself, the Registrable
Securities held by it, and the intended method of disposition of such
securities as shall be required to effect the registration of such Holder's
Registrable Securities.
1.7 INDEMNIFICATION. In the event any Registrable Securities are
included in a registration statement under this Section 1:
(a) To the extent permitted by law, the Company will indemnify and
hold harmless each Holder against any losses, claims, damages, or liabilities
(joint or several) to which any of the foregoing persons may become subject,
under the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"1934 Act"), or other federal or state law, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages, or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are
based upon any of the following statements, omissions or violations
(collectively a "VIOLATION"): (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in such registration statement,
including any final prospectus contained therein or any amendments or
supplements thereto, (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, or (iii) any violation or alleged violation
by the Company of the Securities Act, the 1934 Act, any state securities law or
any rule or regulation promulgated under the Securities Act, the 1934 Act or
any state securities law; and the Company will pay, as incurred, any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by any person intended to be indemnified
pursuant to this subsection 1.7(a), in connection with investigating or
defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability, or action; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the indemnity agreement contained in this subsection 1.6(a) shall
not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such loss, claim, damage,
liability, or action if such settlement is effected without the consent of the
Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld nor shall the Company
be liable in any such case for any such loss, claim, damage, liability, or
action to the extent that it arises out of or is based upon a Violation which
occurs (i) in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished expressly for use in connection with such registration by a Holder or
(ii) as a result of any use or delivery by a Holder of a prospectus other than
the most current prospectus made available to such Holder by the Company.
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(b) To the extent permitted by law, each selling Holder will
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its
officers who has signed the registration statement, each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the 1934 Act,
any other Holder selling securities in such registration statement, against any
losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (joint or several) to which any of the
foregoing persons may become subject, under the Securities Act, the 1934 Act or
other federal or state law, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any
Violation, in each case to the extent (and only to the extent) that such
Violation occurs (i) in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished by such Holder expressly for use in connection with such
registration or (ii) as a result of any use or delivery by such Holder of a
prospectus other than the most current prospectus made available to such Holder
by the Company; and each such Holder will pay, as incurred, any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by any person intended to be indemnified pursuant
to this subsection 1.7(b), in connection with investigating or defending any
such loss, claim, damage, liability, or action; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the
indemnity agreement contained in this subsection 1.7(b) shall not apply to
amounts paid in settlement of any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action
if such settlement is effected without the consent of the Holder, which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld. The liability of a selling Holder under
this paragraph (b) and under paragraph (d) below shall be limited to an amount
equal to the net proceeds to such selling Holder from the sale of such Holder's
Registrable Shares hereunder.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section 1.7 of notice of the commencement of any action (including any
governmental action), such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section 1.7,
deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement thereof
and the indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in, and, to the
extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other indemnifying
party similarly noticed, to assume the defense thereof with counsel of the
indemnifying party's choosing. The failure to deliver written notice to the
indemnifying party within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such
action, if prejudicial to its ability to defend such action, shall relieve such
indemnifying party of any liability to the indemnified party under this Section
1.7, but the omission so to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party
will not relieve it of any liability that it may have to any indemnified party
otherwise than under this Section 1.7.
(d) If the indemnification provided in this Section 1.7 is held by a
court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to an indemnified party with
respect to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense referred to therein,
then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party
hereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified
party as a result of such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying
party on the one hand and of the indemnified party on the other in connection
with the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, liability, claim,
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damage or expense as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The
relative fault of the indemnifying party and of the indemnified party shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state a material fact
relates to information supplied by the indemnifying party or by the indemnified
party and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information, and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e) The obligations of the Company and Holder(s) under this Section
1.7 shall survive the completion of any offering of Registrable Securities in a
registration statement under this Section 1, and otherwise.
1.8 REPORTS UNDER SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934. With a view to making
available to the Holder(s) the benefits of Rule 144 promulgated under the
Securities Act and any other rule or regulation of the SEC that may at any time
permit a Holder to sell securities of the Company to the public without
registration, the Company agrees to use its best efforts to:
(a) make and keep public information available, as those terms are
understood and defined in SEC Rule 144, at all times;
(b) file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other
documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the 1934 Act;
and
(c) furnish to any Holder, so long as the Holder owns any
Registrable Securities, forthwith upon request (i) a written statement by the
Company that it has complied with the reporting requirements of SEC Rule 144,
the Securities Act and the 1934 Act, (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or
quarterly report of the Company and such other reports and documents so filed
by the Company, and (iii) such other information as may be reasonably requested
in availing any Holder of any rule or regulation of the SEC which permits the
selling of any such securities without registration.
1.9 CERTAIN ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS OF THE HOLDER(S).
(a) Prior to and so long as the Registration Statement shall remain
effective, each Holder shall:
(i) Not engage in any stabilization activity in connection with
Yahoo! Common Stock;
(ii) Not bid for or purchase any Yahoo! Common Stock or any
rights to acquire Yahoo! Common Stock, or attempt to induce any person to
purchase any Yahoo! Common Stock other than as permitted under the 1934 Act; or
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(iii) Effect all sales of Registrable Securities in broker's
transactions through broker-dealers acting as agents, in transactions directly
with market makers or in privately negotiated transaction where no broker or
other third party (other than the purchaser) is involved.
(b) Without limiting any other provision of this Agreement, no
Holder shall engage in any short-sales of Yahoo! Common Stock prior to the
effectiveness of the registration statement pursuant to which the Holder(s) is
offered the opportunity to sell its Registrable Securities hereunder, except to
the extent that any such short-sale is fully covered by freely tradable shares
of Yahoo! Common Stock.
1.10 ASSIGNMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS. The rights to cause the Company
to register Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 1 are not
assignable other than in connection with a transfer of such Registrable
Securities to any spouse, son or daughter of the Shareholder, or to trustees of
a trust the beneficiaries of which include the Shareholder and any spouse, son
or daughter of the Shareholder, provided that all such transferees agree in
writing to appoint a single representative as their attorney in fact for the
purpose of receiving any notices and exercising their rights under this
Section 1 and provided, further, that such assignment shall be effective only
if immediately following such transfer the further disposition of such
Registrable Securities by the transferee is restricted under the Securities
Act. Any attempted assignment of registration rights in contravention of this
Section 1.10 shall be null and void. The Shareholder shall, within a
reasonable time after such transfer, furnish the Company with written notice of
the name and address of such transferee and the securities with respect to
which such registration rights are being assigned.
1.11 TERMINATION OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS. The rights granted under this
Section 1 shall terminate upon the earlier of (a) two (2) years following the
Effective Date, or (b) with respect to any Holder, at such time as such Holder
may sell all of such Holder's Registrable Securities in any single three (3)
month period pursuant to Rule 144 (or such successor rule as may be adopted).
Section 2. MISCELLANEOUS.
2.1 ASSIGNMENT. Subject to the provisions of Section 1.10 hereof, the
terms and conditions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the respective successors and assigns of the parties hereto.
2.2 THIRD PARTIES. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is
intended to confer upon any party, other than the parties hereto, and their
respective successors and assigns, any rights, remedies, obligations or
liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided
herein.
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2.3 GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed
under the laws of the State of California, without regard to the conflict of
laws provisions thereof.
2.4 COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
2.5 NOTICES.
(a) All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in
writing and shall be deemed given if delivered personally or upon obtaining
written confirmation of receipt following facsimile transmission, or one (1)
business day after being sent by reputable overnight courier service or five
(5) business days after being mailed by registered or certified mail (return
receipt requested) to the parties at the following address (or at such other
address for a party as shall be specified by like notice):
To the Company: Yahoo! Inc.
3400 Central Expressway, Suite 201
Santa Clara, CA 95051
Attention: President
Facsimile No.: (408) 731-3301
Telephone No.: (408) 731-3300
To a Holder: At such Holder's address as set forth on
EXHIBIT A attached hereto.
(b) Any party may, by written notice to the other, alter its address
or respondent, and such notice shall be considered to have been given ten (10)
days after the airmailing, telexing, telecopying or delivery thereof.
2.6 SEVERABILITY. If one or more provisions of this Agreement are held
to be unenforceable under applicable law, portions of such provisions, or such
provisions in their entirety, to the extent necessary, shall be severed from
this Agreement, and the balance of this Agreement shall be enforceable in
accordance with its terms.
2.7 AMENDMENT AND WAIVER. Any provision of this Agreement may be amended
with the written consent of the Company and the Holder(s) of at least a
majority of the outstanding Registrable Securities. Any amendment or waiver
effected in accordance with this paragraph shall be binding upon each Holder of
Registrable Securities and the Company. In addition, the Company may waive
performance of any obligation owing to it, as to some or all of the Holder(s)
of Registrable Securities, or agree to accept alternatives to such performance,
without obtaining the consent of any Holder of Registrable Securities. Each
Holder acknowledges that by the operation of
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Section 2.7 hereof, the Holder(s) of a majority of the outstanding
Registrable Securities, acting in conjunction with the Company, will have the
right and power to diminish or eliminate all rights pursuant to this
Agreement.
2.8 RIGHTS OF HOLDER(S). Each Holder of Registrable Securities shall
have the absolute right to exercise or refrain from exercising any right or
rights that such Holder may have by reason of this Agreement, including,
without limitation, the right to consent to the waiver or modification of any
obligation under this Agreement, and such Holder shall not incur any liability
to any other holder of any securities of the Company as a result of exercising
or refraining from exercising any such right or rights.
2.9 DELAYS OR OMISSIONS. No delay or omission to exercise any right,
power or remedy accruing to any party to this Agreement, upon any breach or
default of the other party, shall impair any such right, power or remedy of
such non-breaching party nor shall it be construed to be a waiver of any such
breach or default, or an acquiescence therein, or of or in any similar breach
or default thereafter occurring; nor shall any waiver of any single breach or
default be deemed a waiver of any other breach or default theretofore or
thereafter occurring. Any waiver, permit, consent or approval of any kind or
character on the part of any party of any breach or default under this
Agreement, or any waiver on the part of any party of any provisions or
conditions of this Agreement, must be made in writing and shall be effective
only to the extent specifically set forth in such writing.
2.10. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement constitutes the entire
agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and
supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral,
between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration
Rights Agreement as of the date first above written.
COMPANY:
YAHOO! INC.
By: /s/ Timothy Koogle
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Title: President and CEO
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SHAREHOLDER:
/s/ Michael Burmeister-Brown
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Michael Burmeister-Brown
16
<PAGE>
August 4, 1997
Yahoo! Inc.
3400 Central Expressway, Suite 201
Santa Clara, CA 95051
REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-3
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-3 to be filed by
you with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about August 4, 1997
(the "Registration Statement") in connection with the registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of a total of 280,131 shares of your
Common Stock (the "Shares"), to be sold by certain shareholders listed in the
Registration Statement (the "Selling Shareholders"). As your legal counsel,
we have examined the proceedings taken and are familiar with the proceedings
proposed to be taken by you in connection with the sale of the Shares by the
Selling Shareholders in the manner set forth in the Registration Statement in
the section entitled "Plan of Distribution."
It is our opinion that the Shares, when sold by the Selling Shareholders
in the manner referred to in the Registration Statement, will be legally and
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement and further consent to the use of our name wherever it appears in the
Registration Statement and any amendments to it.
Sincerely,
VENTURE LAW GROUP
A Professional Corporation
/s/ VENTURE LAW GROUP
