Parents aren't supposed to tell kids which one is the favorite child. At Microsoft ($MSFT), its kids - that is, the company's biggest M&A purchases over time - can find out via alternative data.
Our first chart tracks job postings made at Github - and it reflects job postings fell more than 50% from their April 2019 peak of 125, down to 61 postings in mid-July. A little over a year ago, Microsoft spent $7.5 billion buying the code sharing platform.
LinkedIn was acquired by Microsoft in mid-2016, and in the time since the deal was announced, job postings doubled from 247 in mid-2016 to 511 in early July. Further, postings are up 30% from 394 to 511 in mid-July. In mid-2016, it was announced that LinkedIn was selling to Microsoft in an astounding $26 billion deal.
Now, LinkedIn has one thing as an asset that Github lacks: a founder sitting on on Microsoft's board of directors. Reid Hoffman was elevated to that role just a few months after the LinkedIn deal completed.
Microsoft stock hovers around all-time highs, having gained nearly 40% year-to-date. Analysts expect earnings of $1.21 per share when the company announces earnings on Thursday July 18, according to Zacks Investment Research.
About the Data:
Thinknum tracks companies using information they post online - jobs, social and web traffic, product sales and app ratings - and creates data sets that measure factors like hiring, revenue and foot traffic. Data sets may not be fully comprehensive (they only account for what is available on the web), but they can be used to gauge performance factors like staffing and sales.
Further Reading:
- Here's what sold best during Prime Day 2018
- Facebook is coding feminine language into job postings to achieve diversity goals
- Chinese EV maker Nio looks for rebound, but alternative data says otherwise
