Salesforce.com and Google are two of the technology giants who have expressed interest in a possible buyout of the struggling social media firm Twitter, according to various reports.
Reuters describes today's news leak as "the start of what is likely to be a slow-rolling auction of the high-profile but money-losing social media company."
CNBC reported the Twitter sale talks rumors, citing anonymous sources. Twitter is in talks with companies including Google/Alphabet, and may receive a formal bid from them soon. Citing an anonymous source, Reuters says Salesforce.com is also pursuing Twitter.
Twitter and Alphabet Inc, Google's parent company did not respond to a request for comment. Salesforce declined to comment.
Verizon, another company mentioned in media reports on Friday as a possible suitor, said it did not comment on M&A rumors but that it had not submitted a bid for the company.
From Mike Isaac et al, at the New York Times:
Twitter, based in San Francisco, is talking with Salesforce.com, Google and others about a possible takeover of the company, people briefed on the discussions said on Friday. The talks are in the early stages, these people said, with no guarantee that a deal will be reached. In particular, Jack Dorsey, Twitter's chief executive, is resistant to selling to some of the potential acquirers, they said.
Twitter is also weighing a possible revamping that could involve divestitures and layoffs, the people said. Two divisions that Twitter is considering divesting itself of are Vine, the mobile six-second video service, and MoPub, a mobile advertising business, they said. The company is working with the investment banks Goldman Sachs and Allen & Company on its options.
In related news, an important Buzzfeed report came out this week about the silence many harassment victims hear when they report abuse on Twitter to Twitter.