Shak - 8:32 am on Jun 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

So what would it do with the money if it launches an initial public offering? See "Buzz grows about Google IPO." A comfortable cash cushion would help as it competes with larger and better-funded rivals like Yahoo (YHOO: news, chart, profile) and Microsoft (MSFT: news, chart, profile) in the portal business and as it finds itself increasingly targeting the same advertisers as EBay (EBAY: news, chart, profile) or even USA Interactive (USAI: news, chart, profile). Many observers believe Yahoo might buy Google's top rival in the paid-search business, Overture (OVER: news, chart, profile). Or that Microsoft might merge with LookSmart (LOOK: news, chart, profile), one of its longstanding partners.

Full Article [cbs.marketwatch.com]

Shak