DEF 14A 1 a2155064zdef14a.htm DEF 14A
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

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Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o

Check the appropriate box:

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Preliminary Proxy Statement

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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

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Definitive Proxy Statement

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Definitive Additional Materials

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Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12

YAHOO! INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

 

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
         
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GRAPHICS

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To Be Held May 19, 2005


        We will hold the annual meeting of stockholders of Yahoo! Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), at the Santa Clara Convention Center, located at 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, California, on May 19, 2005, at 10:00 a.m., local time, for the following purposes:

    1.
    To elect nine directors of the Company to serve until the 2006 annual meeting of stockholders or until their respective successors are elected and qualified;

    2.
    To amend the Company's 1995 Stock Plan as described herein, including amendments to increase the number of shares available for issuance under the plan by an additional 80,000,000 shares and to authorize the Company to grant awards under the plan that are intended to qualify as performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code;

    3.
    To amend the Company's 1996 Directors' Stock Option Plan to extend the term of the plan until April 1, 2015;

    4.
    To ratify the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2005; and

    5.
    To transact such other business as may properly come before the annual meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof.

        These items of business, including the nominees for directors, are more fully described in the proxy statement accompanying this Notice.

        The board of directors has fixed the close of business on March 23, 2005 as the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the annual meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof.

        All stockholders are cordially invited to attend the annual meeting in person. However, whether or not you plan to attend the annual meeting in person, you are urged to mark, date, sign and return the enclosed proxy card as promptly as possible in the postage-prepaid envelope provided, or vote electronically through the Internet or by telephone, to ensure your representation and the presence of a quorum at the annual meeting. If you submit your proxy and then decide to attend the annual meeting to vote your shares in person, you may still do so. Your proxy is revocable in accordance with the procedures set forth in the proxy statement. Only stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 23, 2005 are entitled to receive notice of, to attend and to vote at the meeting.

    By Order of the Board of Directors,

 

 

SIG

 

 

Michael J. Callahan
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Sunnyvale, California
April 4, 2005


GRAPHICS

701 First Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94089



PROXY STATEMENT


        This proxy statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation by the board of directors of Yahoo! Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company", "Yahoo!", or "us"), of proxies for use in voting at the 2005 annual meeting of stockholders, to be held at the Santa Clara Convention Center, located at 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, California, on May 19, 2005, at 10:00 a.m., local time, and any adjournment or postponement thereof. On or about April 8, 2005, this proxy statement, the enclosed proxy card and the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004 are being mailed to stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting.


QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE PROXY MATERIALS AND
OUR 2005 ANNUAL MEETING

Q:    Why am I receiving these materials?

A:    The board of directors of Yahoo! is providing these proxy materials to you in connection with our 2005 annual meeting of stockholders, which will take place on May 19, 2005. As a stockholder, you are invited to attend the annual meeting and are entitled to and requested to vote on the proposals described in this proxy statement.

Q:    What proposals will be voted on at the annual meeting?

A:    Stockholders will vote on four proposals at the annual meeting:

    the election of nine directors to serve on our board of directors (Proposal No. 1);

    the approval of amendments to the Company's 1995 Stock Plan, as amended (the "1995 Stock Plan"), including amendments to increase the number of shares available for issuance under the plan by an additional 80,000,000 shares and to authorize the Company to grant awards under the plan that are intended to qualify as performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (Proposal No. 2);

    the approval of an amendment to the Company's 1996 Directors' Stock Option Plan, as amended (the "Directors' Plan") to extend the term of the plan until April 1, 2015 (Proposal No. 3); and

    the ratification of the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2005 (Proposal No. 4).

        We will also consider other business that properly comes before the annual meeting.

Q:    How does the board recommend I vote on these proposals?

A:    Yahoo!'s board of directors recommends that you vote your shares:

    "FOR" each of the nominees for director (Proposal No. 1);

    "FOR" the amendments to the 1995 Stock Plan (Proposal No. 2);

    "FOR" the amendment to the Directors' Plan (Proposal No. 3); and

    "FOR" the ratification of the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm (Proposal No. 4).

Q:    Who is entitled to vote?

A:    Stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 23, 2005, the record date, are entitled to notice of and to vote at the annual meeting.

Q:    How many shares can vote?

A:    At the close of business on the record date, 1,387,954,609 shares of common stock were outstanding and entitled to vote. (All references to numbers of shares and share or exercise prices in this proxy statement are presented after giving effect to our two-for-one stock split effected in May 2004.) We have no other class of stock outstanding.

Q:    What shares can I vote?

A:    You may vote all shares of Yahoo! common stock owned by you as of the close of business on the record date of March 23, 2005. You may cast one vote per share that you held on the record date. A list of stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting will be available during ordinary business hours at Yahoo!'s offices at 701 First Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94089 for a period of at least 10 days prior to the annual meeting.

Q:    How can I vote my shares at the annual meeting?

A:    If your shares are registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, EquiServe Trust Company, N.A., you are considered the "stockholder of record" with respect to those shares and the proxy materials and proxy card are being sent directly to you by Yahoo! As the stockholder of record, you have the right to vote in person at the meeting. If you choose to do so, you can bring the enclosed proxy card or vote using the ballot provided at the meeting. Most stockholders of Yahoo! hold their shares through a broker, bank or other nominee (that is, in "street name") rather than directly in their own name. If you hold your shares in street name, the proxy materials are being forwarded to you by your broker, bank or other nominee together with a voting instruction card. Because a beneficial owner is not the stockholder of record, you may not vote these shares in person at the meeting unless you obtain a "legal proxy" from the broker, bank or other nominee that holds your shares, giving you the right to vote the shares at the meeting. Even if you plan to attend the annual meeting, we recommend that you vote your shares in advance as described below so that your vote will be counted if you later decide not to attend the annual meeting.

Q:    What do I need for admission to the annual meeting?

A:    You are entitled to attend the annual meeting only if you are a stockholder of record or a beneficial owner as of March 23, 2005 or you hold a valid proxy for the annual meeting. You should be prepared to present photo identification for admittance. If you are the stockholder of record your name will be verified against the list of stockholders of record prior to your being admitted to the annual meeting. If you hold your shares in street name, you should provide proof of beneficial ownership on the record date, such as a brokerage account statement showing that you owned Yahoo! stock as of the record date, a copy of the voting instruction card provided by your broker, bank or other nominee, or other similar evidence of ownership as of the record date. If you do not provide photo identification or comply with the other procedures outlined above upon request, you will not be admitted to the annual meeting.

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Q:    How can I vote my shares without attending the annual meeting?

A:    Whether you are the stockholder of record or hold your shares in street name, you may direct your vote without attending the annual meeting by completing and mailing your proxy card or voting instruction in the enclosed pre-paid envelope. In addition, if you are the stockholder of record, you may grant a proxy to vote your shares at the annual meeting by telephone, by calling 1-877-PRX-VOTE (1-877-779-8683) and following the simple recorded instructions, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, at any time prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time the day before the annual meeting. Alternatively, you may vote via the Internet at any time prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time the day before the annual meeting, by going to http://www.eproxyvote.com/yhoo and following the instructions to create an electronic ballot. If you vote by telephone or the Internet, you will be required to provide the control number contained on your proxy card. If your shares are held in street name, your proxy card may contain instructions from your broker, bank or nominee that allow you to vote your shares using the Internet or by telephone. Please consult with your broker, bank or nominee if you have any questions regarding the electronic voting of shares held in street name. The granting of proxies electronically is allowed by Section 212(c)(2) of the Delaware General Corporation Law. If you do not attend the annual meeting, you can listen to a webcast of the proceedings at Yahoo!'s investor relations site at www.yahoo.com/info/investor.

Q:    How will my shares be voted if I return a blank proxy card?

A:    If you are a stockholder of record, and you sign and return a proxy card without giving specific voting instructions, your shares will be voted as recommended by our board of directors on all matters and as the proxyholders may determine in their discretion with respect to any other matters properly presented for a vote before the meeting. If you hold your shares in street name and do not provide your broker with voting instructions (including by returning a blank voting instruction card), your shares may constitute "broker non-votes." Generally, broker non-votes occur on a matter when a broker is not permitted to vote on that matter without instructions from the beneficial owner and instructions are not given.

Q:    Can I change my vote or revoke my proxy?

A:    You may change your vote or revoke your proxy at any time before your proxy is voted at the annual meeting. If you are a stockholder of record, you may change your vote or revoke your proxy by: (1) delivering to Yahoo! (Attention: Corporate Secretary) at the address on the first page of this proxy statement a written notice of revocation of your proxy; (2) delivering to Yahoo! an authorized proxy bearing a later date (including a proxy by telephone or over the Internet); or (3) attending the annual meeting and voting in person. Attendance at the meeting in and of itself, without voting in person at the meeting, will not cause your previously granted proxy to be revoked. For shares you hold in street name, you may change your vote by submitting new voting instructions to your broker, bank or other nominee or, if you have obtained a legal proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee giving you the right to vote your shares at the annual meeting, by attending the meeting and voting in person.

Q:    How are abstentions and broker non-votes treated?

A:    Abstentions have the same effect as votes "AGAINST" a matter. In tabulating the voting result for any particular proposal, shares that constitute broker non-votes are not considered entitled to vote on that proposal. Therefore, broker non-votes will not affect the outcome of any matter being voted on at the meeting.

Q:    How many shares must be present or represented to conduct business at the annual meeting?

A:    The quorum requirement for holding the annual meeting and transacting business is that holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote must be present in person or represented by proxy. Both abstentions and broker non-votes are counted for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum.

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Q:    What if a quorum is not present at the meeting?

A:    If a quorum is not present at the scheduled time of the annual meeting, we may adjourn the meeting, either with or without the vote of the stockholders. If we propose to have the stockholders vote whether to adjourn the meeting, the proxyholders will vote all shares for which they have authority in favor of the adjournment.

Q:    What vote is required to approve each of the proposals?

A:    In the election of directors, the nine persons receiving the highest number of "FOR" votes at the annual meeting will be elected. All other proposals require the affirmative "FOR" vote of a majority of those shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on those proposals.

Q:    What happens if additional matters are presented at the annual meeting?

A:    Other than the four proposals described in this proxy statement, we are not aware of any other business to be acted upon at the annual meeting. If you grant a proxy, the persons named as proxyholders, Michael J. Callahan and Susan L. Decker, will have the discretion to vote your shares on any additional matters properly presented for a vote at the meeting.

Q:    Who will count the votes?

A:    A representative of Equiserve Trust Company, N.A. will tabulate the votes and act as Inspector of Elections.

Q:    Where can I find the voting results of the annual meeting?

A:    Yahoo! will announce preliminary voting results at the annual meeting and publish final results in Yahoo!'s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the second quarter of fiscal 2005.

Q:    Who will bear the cost of soliciting votes for the annual meeting?

A:    The solicitation of proxies will be conducted by mail, and Yahoo! will bear all attendant costs. These costs will include the expense of preparing and mailing proxy solicitation materials for the annual meeting and reimbursements paid to brokerage firms and others for their expenses incurred in forwarding solicitation materials regarding the annual meeting to beneficial owners of Yahoo! common stock. Yahoo! may conduct further solicitation personally, telephonically, through the Internet or by facsimile through its officers, directors and employees, none of whom will receive additional compensation for assisting with the solicitation. Yahoo! has retained Georgeson Shareholder Communications, Inc. to assist in the solicitation of proxies, for a fee estimated to be approximately $20,000 plus out of pocket expenses. Yahoo! may generate other expenses in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the annual meeting.

Q:    May I propose actions for consideration at next year's annual meeting or nominate individuals to serve as directors?

A:    Yes. The following requirements apply to stockholder proposals, including director nominations.

    Stockholder Proposals:

        Stockholders interested in submitting a proposal for inclusion in the proxy materials distributed by us for the 2006 annual meeting of stockholders may do so by following the procedures prescribed in Rule 14a-8 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). To be eligible for inclusion, stockholder proposals must be received no later than December 5, 2005 and must comply with SEC regulations under Rule 14a-8 regarding the inclusion of stockholder proposals in company-sponsored proxy materials. Proposals should be sent to Yahoo!'s Corporate Secretary at 701 First Avenue, Sunnyvale, California 94089.

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        Stockholders who otherwise wish to present a proposal at the 2006 annual meeting of stockholders must deliver written notice of the proposal to the Corporate Secretary at the above address no earlier than February 18, 2006 and no later than March 20, 2006 (provided, however, that if the 2006 annual meeting is held earlier than April 19, 2006 or later than July 18, 2006, proposals must be received no earlier than the 90th day prior to the date of the 2006 annual meeting and no later than the later of the 60th day prior to the date of the 2006 annual meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the 2006 annual meeting is first made). The submission must include certain information concerning the stockholder and the proposal, as specified in the Company's bylaws.

    Nomination of Director Candidates:

        Stockholders who wish to nominate persons for election to the board of directors at a meeting must deliver written notice of the proposal to the Corporate Secretary at the above address no earlier than 90 days and no later than 60 days prior to the meeting (provided, however, that in the event less than 60 days' notice or prior public disclosure of the date of the meeting is given or made to stockholders, notice of a nomination must be received no later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which the notice or public announcement of the date of the meeting is mailed or made). The submission must include certain information concerning the stockholder and the nominee, as specified in the Company's bylaws.

    Copy of Bylaws:

        To obtain a copy of the bylaws at no charge, you may write to Yahoo!'s Corporate Secretary at the above address.

Q:    How do I obtain a separate set of proxy materials if I share an address with other stockholders?

A:    As permitted by applicable law, only one copy of this proxy statement is being delivered to stockholders residing at the same address, unless such stockholders have notified Yahoo! of their desire to receive multiple copies of the proxy statement. Yahoo! will promptly deliver, upon oral or written request, a separate copy of the proxy statement to any stockholder residing at an address to which only one copy was mailed. Requests for additional copies should be directed to Investor Relations, Yahoo! Inc., 701 First Avenue, Sunnyvale, California 94089 or by telephone at (408) 349-3300.

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PROPOSAL NO. 1
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Nominees

        At the annual meeting, the stockholders will elect nine directors to serve until the 2006 annual meeting of stockholders or until their respective successors are elected and qualified. The authorized number of directors is currently ten. The Company believes leaving a vacancy on the board will provide the directors with flexibility during the year to appoint an additional member to the board when and if an individual whose services would be beneficial to the Company and its stockholders is identified. Unless marked otherwise, proxies received will be voted "FOR" the election of the nine nominees named below.

        Assuming a quorum is present, the nine nominees receiving the highest number of affirmative votes of shares entitled to be voted for them will be elected as directors of the Company. Stockholders are not entitled to cumulate votes in the election of directors. All nominees have consented to serve as directors, if elected. If any nominee is unable or unwilling to serve as a director at the time of the annual meeting, the persons who are designated as proxies intend to vote, in their discretion, for such other persons, if any, as may be designated by the board of directors. As of the date of this proxy statement, the board of directors has no reason to believe that any of the persons named below will be unable or unwilling to serve as a nominee or as a director if elected.

        The names of the nominees, their ages as of February 11, 2005, and certain other information about them are set forth below:

Name

  Age
  Position
Terry S. Semel   61   Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Jerry Yang   36   Chief Yahoo! and Director
Roy J. Bostock (2)(3)   64   Director
Ronald W. Burkle (3)   52   Director
Eric Hippeau   53   Director
Arthur H. Kern (1)(2)(3)   58   Director
Robert A. Kotick (1)   41   Director
Edward R. Kozel (2)   49   Director
Gary L. Wilson (1)(2)   65   Director

(1)
Member of the Compensation Committee

(2)
Member of the Audit Committee

(3)
Member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

        Each of the director nominees listed above was elected to be a director at the Company's annual meeting of stockholders held on May 21, 2004. There are no family relationships among any of the directors or executive officers of the Company. Our board of directors has affirmatively determined that each of Messrs. Bostock, Burkle, Hippeau, Kern, Kotick, Kozel and Wilson is an independent director as defined in the rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market ("Nasdaq").

        Mr. Semel was appointed as the Company's Chairman of the board of directors and Chief Executive Officer on May 1, 2001. Since September 1999, Mr. Semel has also served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Windsor Media, Inc. From March 1994 to September 1999, Mr. Semel served as Chairman of the board of directors and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Warner Bros. and Warner Music Group, entertainment and media companies. Mr. Semel also serves as a director of Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation. Mr. Semel holds a B.S. degree in accounting from Long Island University.

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        Mr. Yang, a founder of the Company and Chief Yahoo!, has served as a member of the board of directors and an officer of the Company since March 1995. Mr. Yang co-developed Yahoo! in 1994 while he was working towards his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at Stanford University. As Chief Yahoo!, Mr. Yang reports to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Terry Semel. Mr. Yang is involved in guiding the Company's vision, is involved in many key aspects of the business at a strategic and operational level, and serves as a stalwart of the Company's employee culture and morale. Mr. Yang also serves as a director of Yahoo! Japan Corporation and Cisco Systems, Inc. Mr. Yang holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from Stanford University.

        Mr. Bostock has served as a member of the board of directors since May 2003. Mr. Bostock has been Chairman Emeritus of BCom3 Group, Inc., an advertising and marketing services firm, since September 2002 and served as Chairman from January 2000 to September 2002. From July 1990 to January 2000, Mr. Bostock served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MacManus Group, Inc., an advertising and marketing services firm. Mr. Bostock is Chairman of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, a not-for-profit corporation creating advertising to reduce the use of illicit drugs in the United States. Mr. Bostock holds a Bachelor's degree from Duke University and an M.B.A. from Harvard University.

        Mr. Burkle has served as a member of the board of directors since November 2001. Mr. Burkle is managing partner of The Yucaipa Companies, a private investment firm, which he co-founded in 1986. Mr. Burkle also serves as a director of Yucaipa Equity Partners, L.P., Occidental Petroleum Corp., and KB Home Corporation.

        Mr. Hippeau has served as a member of the board of directors since January 1996. Mr. Hippeau has been a Managing Partner of SOFTBANK Capital, a technology oriented venture capital firm, since 2000. Before joining SOFTBANK Capital, from 1993-2000, Mr. Hippeau served as Chairman and CEO of Ziff-Davis, Inc., an integrated media and marketing services company serving the technology community. Mr. Hippeau joined Ziff-Davis, Inc. in 1989 as Publisher of PC Magazine and held several senior executive positions before becoming Chairman and CEO. His experience prior to Ziff-Davis includes senior executive positions at International Data Group and as an international technology business investor and media leader. Mr. Hippeau also serves as a director of Starwood Hotels and Resorts WorldWide, Inc.

        Mr. Kern has served as a member of the board of directors since January 1996. Mr. Kern is an investor in several media and marketing companies. Prior to that, Mr. Kern was co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of American Media, a group owner of commercial radio stations sold to AMFM (now part of Clear Channel Communications, Inc.) in October 1994. Mr. Kern also serves as a director of Digitas, Inc. Mr. Kern is a graduate of Yale University.

        Mr. Kotick has been a director of the Company since March 2003. Since February 1991, Mr. Kotick has been the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Activision, Inc., a publisher of interactive entertainment software products.

        Mr. Kozel has served as a member of the board of directors since October 2000. He has been the managing member of Open Range Ventures, a venture capital firm, since January 2000. Between January 2004 and December 2004, Mr. Kozel was a managing director of Integrated Finance Ltd. Between October 2000 and March 2001, Mr. Kozel was the Chief Technology Officer, Service Provider Line of Business of Cisco Systems, Inc., a network and communications company. Prior to that time, he was Senior Vice President, Corporate Development at Cisco from April 1998 to January 2000, and Senior Vice President and Chief Technical Officer from January 1996 to April 1998. Mr. Kozel also serves as a director of Reuters Group PLC, Red Hat Linux, Inc., and Symbol Technologies, Inc. Mr. Kozel holds a B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of California, Davis.

        Mr. Wilson has served as a member of the board of directors since November 2001. Mr. Wilson has served as Chairman of the board of directors of Northwest Airlines Corporation, the parent of Northwest

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Airlines, Inc. since April 1997. Mr. Wilson also serves as a director of The Walt Disney Company, where he worked for 15 years, and as a director of CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc. Mr. Wilson holds a Bachelor's degree from Duke University and an M.B.A. from the Wharton Graduate School of Business.

Meetings and Committees of the Board of Directors

        During fiscal 2004, the board of directors held nine meetings and took action by unanimous written consent on five occasions. During fiscal 2004, no incumbent director then in office attended fewer than 75% of the aggregate of the total number of meetings of the board of directors held during the period in which he was a director and the total number of meetings held by all of the committees of the board of directors on which he served. The board of directors has an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.

        Audit Committee.    The Audit Committee is comprised of four of the Company's non-employee directors: Messrs. Kozel (Chair), Bostock, Kern and Wilson. It met nine times during fiscal 2004. The Audit Committee is responsible for the appointment, retention and termination of a firm of independent registered public accountants and monitors the effectiveness of the audit effort, the Company's financial and accounting organization and its system of internal accounting and disclosure controls. Each member of the Audit Committee is independent within the meaning of the rules of the SEC and Nasdaq. The board has determined that Mr. Wilson qualifies as an audit committee financial expert within the meaning of SEC rules.

        The Audit Committee is governed by a charter, which was amended on May 19, 2004. The amended charter is attached to this proxy statement as Exhibit A, and is also available on our corporate website at www.yahoo.com. The charter may be found on our website as follows: From our main web page, first click on "Company Info" at the bottom of the page and then on "Investor Relations." Next click on "Corporate Governance", then "Board Committees" and "Audit Committee Charter."

        Compensation Committee; Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation. The Compensation Committee consists (and consisted during all of fiscal 2004) of three of the Company's non-employee directors: Messrs. Kotick (Chair), Kern and Wilson. Each of the members of the Compensation Committee is an independent director as defined in Nasdaq rules. The Compensation Committee held ten meetings and took action by unanimous written consent on thirty-one occasions during fiscal 2004. The Compensation Committee's functions are to establish and administer the Company's policies regarding compensation. The Compensation Committee also administers the 1995 Stock Plan and the Company's Amended and Restated 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

        None of the members of the Compensation Committee (i) was an officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries during the fiscal year, (ii) was formerly an officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or (iii) had any relationships requiring disclosure by the Company under the SEC's rules requiring disclosure of certain relationships and related party transactions. None of our executive officers serves as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our board of directors or Compensation Committee.

        The Compensation Committee is governed by a charter, which is available on our corporate website at www.yahoo.com. The charter may be found as follows: From our main web page, first click on "Company Info" at the bottom of the page and then on "Investor Relations." Next click on "Corporate Governance", then "Board Committees" and "Compensation Committee Charter."

        Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.    The Company has a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (the "Nominating/Governance Committee"). The functions of the Nominating/Governance Committee include (i) identifying and recommending to the board of directors individuals qualified to serve as directors of the Company and on the committees of the board; (ii) advising the board with respect to matters of board composition, procedures and committees; (iii) developing and

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recommending to the board a set of corporate governance principles applicable to the Company and overseeing corporate governance matters generally; and (iv) overseeing the annual evaluation of the board and the Company's management.

        The Nominating/Governance Committee is governed by a charter, a current copy of which is available on our corporate website at www.yahoo.com. The charter may be found as follows: From our main web page, first click on "Company Info" at the bottom of the page and then on "Investor Relations." Next click on "Corporate Governance", then "Board Committees" and "Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee Charter."

        The members of the Nominating/Governance Committee are Messrs. Kern (Chair), Bostock and Burkle, each of whom is an independent director as defined in Nasdaq rules. The Nominating/Governance Committee met four times during 2004.

        The Nominating/Governance Committee will consider director candidates recommended by stockholders. In evaluating candidates submitted by stockholders, the Nominating/Governance Committee will consider (in addition to the criteria applicable to all director candidates described below) the needs of the board and the qualifications of the candidate, and may also take into consideration the number of shares held by the recommending stockholder and the length of time that such shares have been held. To have a candidate considered by the Nominating/Governance Committee, a stockholder must submit the recommendation in writing and must include the following information:

    The name of the stockholder and evidence of the person's ownership of Company stock, including the number of shares owned and the length of time of ownership; and

    The name of the candidate, the candidate's resume or a listing of his or her qualifications to be a director of the Company and the person's consent to be named as a director if selected by the Nominating/Governance Committee and nominated by the board.

The stockholder recommendation and information described above must be sent to the Corporate Secretary at 701 First Avenue, Sunnyvale, California 94089.

        The Nominating/Governance Committee believes that the minimum qualifications for service as a director of the Company are that a nominee possess (i) an ability, as demonstrated by recognized success in his or her field, to make meaningful contributions to the board's oversight of the business and affairs of the Company, and (ii) an impeccable reputation of integrity and competence in his or her personal or professional activities. Pursuant to its charter, the Nominating/Governance Committee's evaluation of potential candidates is consistent with the board's criteria for selecting new directors. Such criteria include an understanding of the Company's business environment and the possession of such knowledge, skills, expertise and diversity of experience as may enhance the board's ability to manage and direct the affairs and business of the Company and, where applicable, improve the ability of board committees to fulfill their duties. The Committee also takes into account, as applicable, the satisfaction of any independence requirements imposed by any applicable laws, regulations or rules and the Company's Corporate Governance Guidelines.

        The Nominating/Governance Committee may receive suggestions from current board members, company executive officers or other sources, which may be either unsolicited or in response to requests from the Nominating/Governance Committee for such candidates. The Nominating/Governance Committee also, from time to time, may engage firms that specialize in identifying director candidates. As described above, the Nominating/Governance Committee will also consider candidates recommended by stockholders.

        Once a person has been identified by the Nominating/Governance Committee as a potential candidate, the Nominating/Governance Committee may collect and review publicly available information regarding the person to assess whether the person should be considered further. If the Nominating/

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Governance Committee determines that the candidate warrants further consideration, the Chairman or another member of the Nominating/Governance Committee may contact the person. Generally, if the person expresses a willingness to be considered and to serve on the board, the Nominating/Governance Committee may request information from the candidate, review the person's accomplishments and qualifications and may conduct one or more interviews with the candidate. The Nominating/Governance Committee may consider all such information in light of information regarding any other candidates that the Nominating/Governance Committee might be evaluating for membership on the board. In certain instances, Nominating/Governance Committee members may contact one or more references provided by the candidate or may contact other members of the business community or other persons that may have greater first-hand knowledge of the candidate's accomplishments. The Nominating/Governance Committee's evaluation process does not vary based on whether or not a candidate is recommended by a stockholder, although, as stated above, in the case of such a candidate the board may take into consideration the number of shares held by the recommending stockholder and the length of time that such shares have been held.

Communications with Directors

        The board has established a process to receive communications from stockholders. Stockholders and other interested parties may contact any member (or all members) of the board, or the non-management directors as a group, any board committee or any chair of any such committee by mail or electronically. To communicate with the board of directors, any individual directors or any group or committee of directors, correspondence should be addressed to the board of directors or any such individual directors or group or committee of directors by either name or title. All such correspondence should be sent "c/o Corporate Secretary" at 701 First Avenue, Sunnyvale, California 94089. To communicate with any of our directors electronically, stockholders should send an email to CorporateSecretary@yahoo-inc.com.

        All communications received as set forth in the preceding paragraph will be opened by the Corporate Secretary for the sole purpose of determining whether the contents represent a message to our directors. The Corporate Secretary will forward copies of all correspondence that, in the opinion of the Corporate Secretary, deals with the functions of the board of directors or its committees or that he or she otherwise determines requires the attention of any member, group or committee of the board of directors.

        It is the Company's policy that directors are invited and encouraged to attend the annual meeting. Eight of our directors were in attendance at the 2004 annual meeting.

Director Compensation

        The Company does not pay fees to its directors for performance of their duties as directors of the Company. The Company does reimburse its directors for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attendance at board, committee and stockholder meetings, and other business of the Company. The Directors' Plan provides that each newly appointed or elected non-employee director of the Company will be granted a nonqualified stock option to purchase 100,000 shares of common stock on the date on which he or she first becomes a director. This initial option is scheduled to vest ratably over the 48-month period following the date of grant. Thereafter, on the date of each annual meeting of the Company's stockholders at which such non-employee director is elected, he or she will be granted an additional option to purchase 50,000 shares of common stock if, on such date, he or she shall have served on the board of directors for at least six months of the preceding 12 months. This annual option is scheduled to vest as to 25% of the options on the first anniversary of the date of grant, and the remainder of the option will vest ratably over the 36-month period following the first anniversary of the date of grant. All options will become exercisable upon the occurrence of a change of control event, as described in the Directors' Plan. Each of the non-employee nominees for director named in this proxy statement will have served for more than six months of the preceding 12 months at the time of the annual meeting, and will therefore be granted an option to purchase 50,000 shares of the Company's common stock under the

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Directors' Plan if they are reelected to the board of directors at the annual meeting. The exercise price of all stock options granted under the Directors' Plan is equal to the closing sale price of a share of the Company's common stock on Nasdaq on the date of grant of the option.

Required Vote

        Directors are elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or by proxy at the annual meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors. The nine persons receiving the highest number of "FOR" votes at the annual meeting will be elected as directors.

Recommendation of the Board of Directors

        THE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR THE ELECTION OF ALL NOMINEES NAMED ABOVE.

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PROPOSAL NO. 2
APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS TO THE 1995 STOCK PLAN

        We are asking the Company's stockholders to approve an amended and restated version of the 1995 Stock Plan, which was adopted, subject to stockholder approval, by the board of directors on April 1, 2005. The amended and restated version of the 1995 Stock Plan reflects the following amendments which are subject to stockholder approval of this proposal:

    Changes in Share Limits.    The amended and restated version of the 1995 Stock Plan authorizes an increase in the number of shares of common stock available for award grants under the 1995 Stock Plan by an additional 80,000,000 shares. If stockholders approve the amended and restated version of the 1995 Stock Plan, the maximum aggregate number of shares available for award grants under the 1995 Stock Plan would be 654,000,000 shares. The amended and restated version of the 1995 Stock Plan also replaces the plan's existing sub-limit on the number of shares available for restricted stock award grants with a formula for calculating the number of shares that may be issued with respect to restricted stock and certain other awards granted under the 1995 Stock Plan on or after May 19, 2005, other than stock options and stock appreciation rights with an exercise price or base price that equals or exceeds the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date the award is granted.

    Performance-Based Awards.    Section 162(m) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code generally provides that the Company may not be permitted to take a federal income tax deduction for certain compensation in excess of $1,000,000 paid to any one of our Named Executive Officers (as defined below under the caption "Executive Officer Compensation and Other Matters") in any one year. Certain performance-based compensation, however, is exempt from the Section 162(m) limit. That is, Section 162(m) does not preclude the Company from taking a federal income tax deduction for certain qualifying performance-based compensation paid to a Named Executive Officer in a year even if that compensation exceeds $1,000,000. The amended and restated version of the 1995 Stock Plan allows the Company to grant awards intended to qualify as performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m) in addition to other awards such as stock options and stock appreciation rights which may also qualify as performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m). (See "Summary Description of the 1995 Stock Plan—Performance-Based Awards" below.)

    Elimination of Repricing Provision.    The amended and restated version of the 1995 Stock Plan eliminates a provision authorizing the plan administrator to reduce the exercise price of a limited number of stock options granted under the plan. Under the 1995 Stock Plan, as amended, in no case (except due to an adjustment to reflect a stock split or similar event or any repricing that may be approved by stockholders) could any adjustment be made to a stock option or stock appreciation right granted under the plan to the extent that the adjustment would constitute a repricing of the per-share exercise or base price of the award.

    Reduction in Maximum Term of Awards.    The amended and restated version of the 1995 Stock Plan reduces the maximum term of any award granted under the plan on or after the date of the 2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders from ten years to seven years.

    Elimination of Use of Promissory Notes to Pay Option Exercise Prices.    The amended and restated version of the 1995 Stock Plan eliminates a provision permitting the use of promissory notes to pay the exercise price of stock options.

    Accelerated Vesting of Certain Awards upon Certain Terminations of Employment.    The amended and restated version of the 1995 Stock Plan provides the administrator of the plan with discretion to accelerate in whole or in part the vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards under the plan that are subject to time-based vesting if the award holder's employment terminates due to

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      his or her death or disability, a termination by the Company without "cause," or a termination by the award holder for "good reason."

    Administrative Provisions.    Our board of directors has delegated general administrative authority for the 1995 Stock Plan to the Compensation Committee. The amended and restated version of the 1995 Stock Plan provides that the Compensation Committee may delegate some or all of its authority with respect to the plan to another committee of directors, and certain limited authority to grant awards to employees other than executive officers may be delegated to one or more officers of the Company.

        The board of directors approved the additional share authority requested under the 1995 Stock Plan based, in part, on a belief that the number of shares currently available under the 1995 Stock Plan does not give the Company sufficient authority and flexibility to adequately provide for future incentives. The Company also believes that operation of the 1995 Stock Plan is important in attracting and retaining employees in a competitive labor market, which is essential to the Company's long-term growth and success.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE 1995 STOCK PLAN (AS PROPOSED TO BE AMENDED)

        The principal features of the 1995 Stock Plan, including the proposed amendments, are summarized below. The following summary of the 1995 Stock Plan does not purport to be complete, and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the amended and restated 1995 Stock Plan, which has been filed as Annex A with the Securities and Exchange Commission with this proxy statement. Any stockholder of the Company who wishes to obtain a copy of the amended and restated 1995 Stock Plan document may do so upon written request to the Secretary at the Company's principal executive offices.

General

        The maximum number of shares of the Company's common stock that may be issued or transferred pursuant to awards granted under the existing 1995 Stock Plan is 574,000,000 shares, of which 32,085,211 shares of common stock remain available for future award grants as of March 18, 2005. If stockholders approve the 1995 Stock Plan proposal, this share limit will be increased to 654,000,000 shares, which will increase the number of shares which remain available for future grants by 80,000,000.

        A maximum of twenty percent (20%) of the foregoing share limit may be issued as restricted stock granted under the plan. If stockholders approve the 1995 Stock Plan proposal, this limit on restricted stock grants will be replaced with a formula for calculating the number of shares that may be issued with respect to "full-value awards" granted under the plan on or after May 19, 2005. For this purpose, a "full-value award" means any award under the 1995 Stock Plan except options and stock appreciation rights with an exercise or base price that is no less than the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date the award is granted. Shares issued in respect of any such full-value award granted under the 1995 Stock Plan on or after May 19, 2005 would count against the aggregate share limit under the plan as 1.75 shares for every one share actually issued in connection with the award. For example, if 100 shares are issued with respect to a restricted stock award granted under the 1995 Stock Plan on or after May 19, 2005, 175 shares will be counted against the plan's aggregate share limit in connection with that award. Accordingly, the maximum number of shares that could be issued with respect to new full-value awards granted under the 1995 Stock Plan at any time on or after May 19, 2005 would equal the number of shares then available for award grant purposes under the plan divided by 1.75.

        The maximum number of shares of common stock which may be subject to options and stock appreciation rights granted under the 1995 Stock Plan to any one individual during any fiscal year shall be 15,000,000, subject to adjustment as provided in the 1995 Stock Plan.

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        As of March 18, 2005, options to purchase 197,319,599 shares of common stock were subject to outstanding awards under the 1995 Stock Plan, 344,595,190 shares of common stock had been issued pursuant to awards granted under the plan (of which 3,001,032 shares were subject to outstanding and unvested restricted stock awards as of that date) and 32,085,211 shares of common stock remained available for future award grants. To the extent that an award is settled in cash or a form other than shares, the shares that would have been delivered had there been no such cash or other settlement will not be counted against the shares available for issuance under the 1995 Stock Plan. As of March 18, 2005, stock options outstanding under all of the Company's equity compensation plans (other than the Company's 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan) covered 210,876,179 shares of common stock in the aggregate and an additional 37,631,879 shares of common stock in the aggregate remained available for future award grants. As of that date, the weighted average exercise price of these options was $24.30 per share and the average remaining contractual life of these options was 6.9 years. No additional awards, however, may be granted under any Company equity compensation plan other than the 1995 Stock Plan, the Company's Directors' Plan, and the Company's 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

        To the extent that shares are delivered pursuant to the exercise of a stock appreciation right or stock option, the number of underlying shares as to which the exercise related shall be counted against the applicable share limits, as opposed to only counting the shares actually issued. (For purposes of clarity, if a stock appreciation right relates to 100,000 shares and is exercised at a time when the payment due to the participant is 15,000 shares, 100,000 shares shall be charged against the applicable share limits with respect to such exercise.) If an award expires, becomes forfeited or becomes unexercisable for any reason without having been exercised or becoming nonforfeitable in full, the unpurchased shares that were subject to the award will become available for future grants under the 1995 Stock Plan, unless the 1995 Stock Plan has been terminated.

        The 1995 Stock Plan is not a tax-qualified deferred compensation plan under Section 401(a) of the Code, and is not subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

        On March 18, 2005, the per share closing price of the common stock was $31.11 as reported on Nasdaq. The actual benefits, if any, to the holders of stock options issued under the 1995 Stock Plan are not determinable prior to exercise as the value, if any, of such stock options to their holders is represented by the difference between the market price of a share of the Company's common stock on the date of exercise and the exercise price of a holder's stock option, as set forth below. As of December 31, 2004, the Named Executive Officers and directors of the Company have received grants under the 1995 Stock Plan of options to purchase common stock of the Company as set forth under the heading "Plan Benefits."

Purpose

        The purposes of the 1995 Stock Plan are to attract and retain the best available personnel for positions of substantial responsibility, to provide additional incentive to employees and consultants of the Company and to promote the success of the Company's business.

Administration

        The 1995 Stock Plan may be administered by the board of directors or by a committee of the board of directors. The board has delegated general administrative authority for the 1995 Stock Plan to the Compensation Committee, which is constituted to satisfy the applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and Code Section 162(m). If the 1995 Stock Plan proposal is approved by stockholders, a committee may delegate some or all of its authority with respect to the 1995 Stock Plan to another committee of directors, and certain limited authority to grant awards to employees other than executive officers may be delegated to one or more officers of the Company. (The appropriate acting body, be it the board of directors, a committee within its delegated

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authority, or an officer within his or her delegated authority is referred to in this proposal as the "Administrator.") Members of the board of directors receive no additional compensation for their services in connection with the administration of the 1995 Stock Plan.

Eligibility

        The 1995 Stock Plan provides that awards may be granted to employees (including officers and directors) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates (including a partnership or limited liability company in which the Company owns any equity interest). The Administrator selects the participants who will receive awards under the 1995 Stock Plan and determines the types and terms of awards to be granted and the number of shares subject to these awards. In making these determinations, a number of factors are taken into account, including the duties and responsibilities of the participant, the value of the participant's services to the Company, the participant's present and potential contribution to the success of the Company, and other relevant factors. As of March 18, 2005, there were approximately 7,890 employees, officers, consultants and directors eligible to receive grants under the 1995 Stock Plan.

Terms of Options

        Options granted under the 1995 Stock Plan may be either incentive stock options, within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, or nonqualified stock options, as designated in the terms of the written option agreement. Incentive stock options are subject to more restrictive terms and are limited in amount by the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and the 1995 Stock Plan. Incentive stock options may only be granted to employees of the Company or a subsidiary. Each option is evidenced by a stock option agreement between the Company and the optionee. Under the 1995 Stock Plan, each option is subject to the following additional terms and conditions:

            (a)   EXERCISE OF THE OPTION.    An option may be exercised in accordance with the terms established by the Administrator in the option agreement. An option is exercised by giving written notice of exercise to the Company specifying the number of full shares of common stock to be purchased (or completing such other exercise procedures as the Administrator may establish from time to time) and by tendering payment of the purchase price. The purchase price of the shares purchased upon exercise of an option shall be paid in consideration of such form as is determined by the Administrator and specified in the option agreement, and such form of consideration may vary for each option.

            (b)   EXERCISE PRICE.    The per share exercise price for the shares to be issued pursuant to exercise of an option granted under the 1995 Stock Plan shall be such price as is determined by the Administrator and set forth in the applicable award agreement. The exercise price shall be no less than 100% of the fair market value of a share of the common stock on the date of grant. The fair market value per share is equal to the closing sale price on Nasdaq on the date of grant. In the case of indexed options, which have an exercise price that may change in accordance with an established percentage or a published index, the Administrator shall determine the exercise price of any such indexed option and the terms and conditions, if any, that affect any adjustments to the exercise price of such indexed option.

            (c)   TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT.    If the optionee's employment or consulting relationship (including service as a director) terminates for any reason other than disability or death, options under the 1995 Stock Plan may be exercised, to the extent the option was exercisable on the date of termination, for a period of time after the termination as established by the Administrator in the option agreement, provided that such period may not be less than 30 days nor, in the case of incentive stock options, more than three months. In no event may the option be exercised after its expiration date. The Company has entered into agreements with certain officers that provide for

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    acceleration of option vesting under certain circumstances. See "Executive Officer Compensation and Other Matters."

            (d)   DISABILITY.    If an optionee is unable to continue his or her employment or consulting relationship with the Company as a result of his or her total and permanent disability, options may be exercised within 12 months of termination or as set forth in the individual's option grant agreement, and may be exercised only to the extent the option was exercisable on the date of termination, but in no event may the option be exercised after the expiration of its term.

            (e)   DEATH.    If an optionee dies while employed or retained by the Company or during the 30 day period following termination of the optionee's employment or consulting relationship (including service as a director), options may be exercised within 12 months after the date of death or as otherwise provided in the individual's option grant agreement (but in no event later than the expiration of their term) to the extent the options would have been exercisable (i) on the date of death, in the case of an optionee who dies while employed or retained by the Company, or (ii) on the date of termination of employment or consulting relationship, in the case of an optionee who dies within 30 days after termination of employment or consulting relationship.

            (f)    EXTENSION OF EXERCISE PERIOD.    The 1995 Stock Plan provides that, regardless of the limited periods described above following termination of employment, disability or death of an optionee, the Administrator can extend the period of time for which an option will remain exercisable following termination of an optionee's employment or consulting relationship with the Company. In no event, however, may an option be exercised by any person after its expiration.

            (g)   TERMINATION OF OPTIONS.    The term of options granted under the 1995 Stock Plan is set forth in the option agreement. Options generally have a term of ten years. If stockholders approve the 1995 Stock Plan proposal, the maximum term of options and other awards granted under the plan on or after the date of the 2005 Annual Meeting of stockholders will be reduced to seven years. Incentive stock options granted to an optionee who, immediately before the grant of such option, owned more than ten percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, may not in any case have a term of more than five years. No option may be exercised by any person after its expiration.

            (h)   OPTION NOT TRANSFERABLE.    An option is nontransferable by the optionee other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and is exercisable only by the optionee during his or her lifetime or, in the event of the optionee's death, by a person who acquires the right to exercise the option by bequest or inheritance or by reason of the death, provided, however, that the 1995 Stock Plan permits the Administrator in its discretion to grant nonqualified stock options that are transferable to certain family members of the optionee through a gift or pursuant to a domestic relations order.

            (i)    ASSET SALE, MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION, ASSUMPTION OR SUBSTITUTION OF AWARDS.    In the event of an asset sale, or merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving entity, the board of directors may provide for the substitution or assumption of options by a successor entity. If an award is not assumed or substituted for, then the option will become vested and nonforfeitable, and the Administrator must give 30 days notice of the optionee's right to exercise his or her outstanding options (including options not otherwise exercisable) at any time within 30 days of such notice.

            (j)    OTHER PROVISIONS.    The option agreement between the optionee and the Company may contain such other terms, provisions and conditions not inconsistent with the 1995 Stock Plan as may be determined by the Administrator, including whether an option may be settled in cash.

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Restricted Stock

        The 1995 Stock Plan permits the granting of restricted stock either alone, in addition to, or in tandem with other awards made by the Company. Upon the granting of restricted stock under the 1995 Stock Plan, the participant is advised in writing of the terms, conditions and restrictions related to the award, including among other things, the number of shares of common stock that such person is entitled to purchase, the price to be paid, if any, and the other terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to the award as determined by the Administrator.

        The Administrator will prescribe the vesting requirements for a restricted stock award at the time of grant. In general, restricted stock that is subject to time-based vesting will remain subject to forfeiture for a period of at least three (3) years, provided that the Administrator may provide that such awards will fully or partially vest, and any restrictions on such awards will lapse, if the Company terminates the recipient's employment without "cause" (as determined by the Administrator or as set forth in the award agreement). With respect to restricted stock that is subject to performance-based vesting, the measurement date for determining whether the performance objectives have been attained must be at least one (1) year after the date the award is granted. However, certain restricted stock awards granted under the 1995 Stock Plan are not required to comply with the restrictions described above, provided that the number of shares of common stock subject to such awards is not more than 25% of the total number of shares subject to all restricted stock awards granted under the 1995 Stock Plan. If stockholders approve the 1995 Stock Plan proposal, the Administrator may provide that restricted stock that is subject to time-based vesting will automatically become fully or partially vested if the participant's employment terminates due to the participant's death or disability or if the participant terminates employment for "good reason" (as determined by the Administrator or as set forth in the award agreement). In addition, the foregoing 25% limitation will be modified so that the maximum number of shares of common stock subject to restricted stock awards that are not required to comply with the restrictions described above will be reduced to 3,250,000 shares.

Restricted Stock Units

        Restricted stock units granted under the 1995 Stock Plan will be subject to those terms and conditions including, without limitation, the duration of the period during which, and the conditions under which, the restricted stock units may be forfeited to the Company, as may be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion. In general, awards of restricted stock units that are subject to time-based vesting will remain subject to forfeiture for a period of at least three (3) years. With respect to awards of restricted stock units that are subject to performance-based vesting, the measurement date for determining whether the performance objectives have been attained must be at least one (1) year after the date the award is granted. Restricted stock units will be paid in cash, shares, other securities or other property, as determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator, upon the lapse of the restrictions applicable thereto, or otherwise in accordance with the applicable award agreement. If stockholders approve the 1995 Stock Plan proposal, the Administrator may provide that restricted stock units that are subject to time-based vesting will automatically become fully or partially vested if the participant's employment terminates due to the participant's death or disability, or if the Company terminates the participant's employment without "cause" (as determined by the Administrator or as set forth in the award agreement), or if the participant terminates employment for "good reason" (as determined by the Administrator or as set forth in the award agreement).

Stock Appreciation Rights

        Stock appreciation rights granted under the 1995 Stock Plan will be subject to such terms, including grant price and the conditions and limitations applicable to exercise thereof, as may be determined by the Administrator and specified in the applicable award agreement or thereafter, provided that stock appreciation rights may not be exercisable earlier than six months after the date of grant. Stock

17



appreciation rights may be granted in tandem with another award, in addition to another award, or freestanding and unrelated to another award. A stock appreciation right will entitle the participant to receive an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of a share on the date of exercise of the stock appreciation right over the grant price thereof. The Administrator will determine whether a stock appreciation right will be settled in cash, shares or a combination of cash and shares.

Dividend Equivalents

        Dividend equivalents entitle the award recipient to receive shares of the Company's common stock as dividends paid with respect to a specified number of shares. The Administrator may provide, at the date of grant or thereafter, that dividend equivalents will be paid or distributed when accrued; provided, that dividend equivalents (other than freestanding dividend equivalents) will be subject to all conditions and restrictions of the underlying awards to which they relate. Dividend equivalents may be awarded on a free-standing basis or in connection with another award, and may be paid currently or on a deferred basis.

Performance-Based Awards

        If stockholders approve the 1995 Stock Plan proposal, the Company would have enhanced authority to grant awards that are intended to be performance-based awards within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code ("Performance-Based Awards"). Performance-Based Awards are in addition to any of the other types of awards that may be granted under the 1995 Stock Plan (including options and stock appreciation rights which may also qualify as performance-based awards for Section 162(m) purposes). Performance-Based Awards may be in the form of restricted stock, performance stock, stock units, or other types of awards authorized under the plan.

        The vesting or payment of Performance-Based Awards (other than options or stock appreciation rights) will depend on the absolute or relative performance of the Company on a consolidated, subsidiary, segment, division, or business unit basis. The Administrator will establish the criterion or criteria and target(s) on which performance will be measured. The Administrator must establish criteria and targets in advance of applicable deadlines under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and while the attainment of the performance targets remains substantially uncertain. The criteria that the Administrator may use for this purpose will include one or more of the following: revenue, revenue excluding traffic acquisition costs, gross profit, operating cash flow (operating income before depreciation and amortization), operating income, net income, cash flow from operations, capital expenditures, free cash flow, earnings per share (basic and diluted), revenue growth (organic and acquisition related), return on equity or on assets or on net investment, cost containment or reduction, unique users/registered users/paying subscribers/paying users/paying relationships, page views/searches, implementation, completion or attainment of objective goals with respect to research and development of specific products, systems or projects, or any combination thereof. The performance measurement period with respect to an award may range from three months to seven years. Performance targets will be adjusted to mitigate the unbudgeted impact of material, unusual or nonrecurring gains and losses, accounting changes or other extraordinary events not foreseen at the time the targets were set unless the Administrator provides otherwise at the time of establishing the targets.

        Performance-Based Awards may be paid in stock or in cash. The maximum aggregate payment that may be made pursuant to Performance-Based Awards (other than options or stock appreciation rights) granted to any participant in any one calendar year is 2,000,000 shares of common stock (or cash of equivalent value at the time of payment). Before any Performance-Based Award (other than an option or stock appreciation right) is paid, the Administrator must certify that the performance target or targets have been satisfied. The Administrator has discretion to determine the performance target or targets and any other restrictions or other limitations of Performance-Based Awards and may reserve discretion to reduce payments below maximum award limits.

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Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization, Dissolution, Liquidation or Sale

        In the event any change, such as a stock split or stock dividend, is made in the Company's capitalization that results in an increase or decrease in the number of outstanding shares of common stock without receipt of consideration by the Company, appropriate adjustment will be made, if applicable, in the exercise price of each outstanding award, the number of shares subject to each award, the annual limitation on grants to employees, the number of shares available for issuance of grants under the 1995 Stock Plan, generally, and of restricted stock, including restricted stock that is not subject to prescribed vesting or performance requirements, and the number of shares subject to options with respect to which the Administrator may reduce the exercise price without stockholder approval, as described above.

        In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, each award will terminate unless otherwise provided by the Administrator. Additionally, the Administrator may provide that awards granted under the 1995 Stock Plan will vest and become non-forfeitable, as to all or any part of such award, as of the date of such dissolution or liquidation. In the event of a proposed sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the merger of the Company with or into another corporation, each award under the 1995 Stock Plan will be assumed or an equivalent award will be substituted by the successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation, unless the Administrator determines and in lieu of such assumption or substitution, that the option will vest and become non-forfeitable, as to all or any part of such option, as of the date of such transaction. If the Administrator makes an award exercisable or non-forfeitable in lieu of assumption or substitution in the event of a merger or sale of assets, it will notify the holder that such award will be exercisable for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of such notice, and thereafter will terminate.

No Repricing

        If stockholders approve the 1995 Stock Plan proposal, in no case (except due to an adjustment to reflect a stock split or similar event or any repricing that may be approved by stockholders) would any adjustment be made to a stock option or stock appreciation right award under the 1995 Stock Plan (by amendment, cancellation and regrant, exchange or other means) that would constitute a repricing of the per-share exercise or base price of the award.

No Limit on Other Authority

        The 1995 Stock Plan does not limit the authority of the board of directors or any committee to grant awards or authorize any other compensation, with or without reference to the Company's common stock, under any other plan or authority.

Amendment and Termination

        The board of directors may amend or terminate the 1995 Stock Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided, that no such amendment or termination will be made without stockholder approval if such approval is necessary to comply with any tax, securities or regulatory law or requirement or any applicable stock exchange requirement with which the board of directors intends the Plan to comply. In addition, stockholder approval will be required for any amendment that (i) materially increases the benefits accruing to participants under the 1995 Stock Plan, (ii) materially increases the number of securities that may be issued under the 1995 Stock Plan, (iii) materially modifies the requirements for participation in the 1995 Stock Plan, or (iv) is otherwise deemed a material amendment by the Administrator pursuant to applicable law or accounting or stock exchange rules. However, no action by the board of directors or stockholders may adversely affect the rights of any recipient of an award granted under the 1995 Stock Plan without the consent of the recipient. The 1995 Stock Plan will terminate in May 2013, provided that any options or awards then outstanding under the 1995 Stock Plan will remain outstanding until they expire by their terms.

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Plan Benefits

        The Company cannot currently determine the benefits or number of shares subject to awards that may be granted in the future to executive officers and employees (including employee directors) under the 1995 Stock Plan. If the proposed increase in the share limit for the 1995 Stock Plan had been in effect in 2004, the Company expects that its award grants for 2004 would not have been substantially different from those actually made in that year under the 1995 Stock Plan.

        The following table sets forth information as of March 18, 2005 with respect to the stock options granted under the 1995 Stock Plan to the Named Executive Officers, all current executive officers as a group and all employees and consultants (including all current officers who are not executive officers) as a group under the 1995 Stock Plan.

Name

  Number of Shares
Subject to Options
Granted Under the
1995 Stock Plan

  Weighted Average
Exercise Price
Per Share ($)

Terry S. Semel   24,615,650   21.43
Susan L. Decker   4,640,000   27.59
Daniel L. Rosensweig   2,666,750   16.13
Farzad Nazem   6,313,324   13.77
Michael J. Callahan   598,418   32.93
All current executive officers as a group (8 persons)   42,334,142   19.61
All current directors (other than executive officers) as a group (7 persons)   749,832   .04
All employees and consultants (including all current officers who are not executive officers) as a group (7,882 persons)   154,985,457   26.17

Federal Income Tax Aspects of the 1995 Stock Plan

        The U.S. federal income tax consequences of the 1995 Stock Plan under current federal law, which is subject to change, are summarized in the following discussion of the general tax principles applicable to the plan. This summary is not intended to be exhaustive and, among other considerations, does not describe state, local, or international tax consequences.

        With respect to nonqualified stock options, the Company is generally entitled to deduct and the participant recognizes taxable income in an amount equal to the difference between the option exercise price and the fair market value of the shares at the time of exercise. With respect to incentive stock options, the Company is generally not entitled to a deduction nor does the participant recognize income at the time of exercise, although the participant may be subject to the U.S. federal alternative minimum tax.

        The current federal income tax consequences of other awards authorized under the 1995 Stock Plan generally follow certain basic patterns: nontransferable restricted stock subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture results in income recognition equal to the excess of the fair market value over the price paid (if any) only at the time the restrictions lapse (unless the recipient elects to accelerate recognition as of the date of grant); bonuses, stock appreciation rights, cash and stock-based performance awards, dividend equivalents, stock units, and other types of awards are generally subject to tax at the time of payment; and compensation otherwise effectively deferred is taxed when paid. In each of the foregoing cases, the Company will generally have a corresponding deduction at the time the participant recognizes income.

        If an award is accelerated under the 1995 Stock Plan in connection with a "change in control" (as this term is used under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code), the Company may not be permitted to deduct the portion of the compensation attributable to the acceleration ("parachute payments") if it exceeds certain threshold limits under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (and certain related excise taxes may be triggered). Furthermore, the aggregate compensation in excess of $1,000,000 attributable to awards that are not

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"performance-based" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code may not be permitted to be deducted by the Company in certain circumstances.

Required Vote

        The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Company's common stock present at the annual meeting in person or by proxy and entitled to vote on this proposal is required to approve the proposed amendments to the 1995 Stock Plan.

Recommendation of the Board of Directors

        THE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENTS TO THE 1995 STOCK PLAN AS DESCRIBED ABOVE.

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PROPOSAL NO. 3
APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO THE 1996 DIRECTORS' STOCK OPTION PLAN

        We are asking the Company's stockholders to approve an amended and restated version of the Directors' Plan, which was adopted, subject to stockholder approval, by the board of directors on April 1, 2005. The amended and restated version of the Directors' Plan extends the term of the plan until April 1, 2015, subject to stockholder approval.

        The Company is seeking approval of the extension of the Directors' Plan, which expires by its terms on April 11, 2006, because the Company believes that continued operation of the Directors' Plan is important in attracting and retaining the best available personnel for service as directors of the Company and encouraging their continued service on the board, which is essential to the Company's long-term growth and success.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE DIRECTORS' PLAN

        The principal features of the Directors' Plan, including the proposed amendments, are summarized below. The following summary of the Directors' Plan does not purport to be complete, and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the amended and restated Directors' Plan, which has been filed as Annex B with the Securities and Exchange Commission with this Proxy Statement. Any stockholder of the Company who wishes to obtain a copy of the amended and restated Directors' Plan document may do so upon written request to the Secretary at the Company's principal executive offices.

General

        The Directors' Plan was adopted by the board of directors in March 1996 and approved by the stockholders in April 1999. The maximum number of shares of the Company's common stock that may be issued or transferred pursuant to awards granted under the Directors' Plan is 8,800,000 shares, of which 5,546,668 shares remain available for issuance as of March 18, 2005. The Directors' Plan provides for the grant of nonstatutory stock options to non-employee directors of the Company. It is designed to work automatically and not to require administration; however, to the extent administration is necessary, it will be provided by the board of directors.

Purpose

        The purpose of the Directors' Plan is to provide an incentive for directors to continue to serve the Company as directors and to assist the Company in recruiting highly qualified individuals when vacancies occur on the board of directors. The Company does not compensate its Directors for their service other than pursuant to the Directors' Plan.

Grant and Exercise of Options

        The Directors' Plan provides that each person who first becomes a non-employee director after the effective date of the Directors' Plan, whether through election by the stockholders of the Company or appointment by the board of directors to fill a vacancy, shall be automatically granted an initial option to purchase 100,000 shares of the Company's common stock on the date on which such person first becomes a non-employee director (an "initial option"). The Directors' Plan also provides that a subsequent option to purchase 50,000 shares of the Company's common stock will be automatically granted to each non-employee director on the date of each annual meeting of the stockholders after which the director continues to serve as a director, provided that on that date the non-employee director has served on the board of directors for at least six months (a "subsequent option").

        No option granted under the Directors' Plan is transferable by the optionee other than by will or the laws of descent or distribution or pursuant to the terms of a qualified domestic relations order (as defined by the Code), and each option is exercisable, during the lifetime of the optionee, only by such optionee.

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        The Directors' Plan provides that each initial option granted thereunder becomes exercisable in installments cumulatively as to 1/48 of the shares subject to the initial option at the end of each month following the date of grant of the initial option. With respect to subsequent option grants, 25% of such options vest on the first anniversary of the date of grant, with the remaining options vesting in equal monthly installments over the 36-month period thereafter. The options remain exercisable for up to 90 days following the optionee's termination of service as a director of the Company, unless such termination is a result of disability, in which case the options remain exercisable for a six-month period (or such other period of time not exceeding 12 months as is determined by the board of directors) following the date of such termination, or death, in which case the options remain exercisable by the beneficiary of such options and continue to vest for a six-month period (or such lesser period as determined by the board of directors) following the date of death. If an optionee dies within three months after termination of service as a director, the options may be exercised by the inheritor of such options at any time within six months of the date of the optionee's death. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event may an option be exercised after the expiration of its term.

Exercise Price and Term of Options

        The exercise price of all stock options granted under the Directors' Plan shall be equal to the fair market value of a share of the Company's common stock on the date of grant of the option, which is defined to be the closing sale price of the Company's common stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market on the date of grant. The purchase price payable upon exercise of the options will consist of cash, check or other shares of the Company's common stock (which, if acquired from the Company, have been held for at least six months), a combination of the foregoing, or an other consideration or method permitted under applicable law. Options granted under the Directors' Plan have a term of ten years.

Merger or Sale of Assets

        In the event of the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation in which the Company is not the surviving corporation or any other capital reorganization in which more than 50% of the shares of the Company entitled to vote are exchanged, options granted under the Directors' Plan will become fully vested, and the Company shall provide each optionee either a reasonable time within which to exercise the option or a substitute option with comparable terms as to an equivalent number of shares of stock of the corporation succeeding the Company or acquiring its business by reason of such corporate transaction.

Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization

        In the event any change, such as a stock split or stock dividend, is made in the Company's capitalization that results in an increase or decrease in the number of outstanding shares of common stock without receipt of consideration by the Company, appropriate adjustment will be made in the exercise price of each outstanding option, the number of shares subject to each option and the number of shares available for issuance under the Directors' Plan.

No Limit on Other Authority

        The Directors' Plan does not limit the authority of the board of directors or any committee to grant awards or authorize any other compensation, with or without reference to the Company's common stock, under any other plan or authority.

Amendment and Termination

        The board of directors may at any time amend or terminate the Directors' Plan, except that such termination may not affect options previously granted without the agreement of any optionee so affected and provided that stockholder approval for amendment to the Directors' Plan must be obtained to the

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extent required by applicable law. If stockholders approve the Directors' Plan proposal and the plan is not earlier terminated by the Board, the plan will terminate on April 1, 2015.

Plan Benefits

        The following table sets forth information with respect to the stock options granted to the seven non-employee directors of the Company as of March 18, 2005. As discussed above, the executive officers of the Company and the employees of the Company are not eligible for grants under the Directors' Plan.

Director

  Number of Shares
Subject to Options
Granted Under the
1996 Directors' Plan

  Weighted Average
Exercise Price
Per Share ($)

Roy J. Bostock   236,000   16.98
Ronald W. Burkle   350,000   12.03
Eric Hippeau   690,000   17.75
Arthur H. Kern   690,000   17.75
Robert A. Kotick   216,650   13.88
Edward Kozel   256,418   27.13
Gary L. Wilson   263,200   13.70

Specific Benefits

        None of the Company's executive officers (including any of the Named Executive Officers) will be