Yahoo! is exploring strategic options, rose as much as 4.8 percent on

Yahoo! is exploring strategic options, rose as much as 4.8 percent on the prospect of a bid from a group led by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.

Alibaba and Softbank Corp. are in advanced talks with Blackstone Group LP and Bain Capital LLC about making a bid for all of Yahoo, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

Yahoo’s board is meeting to discuss offers it received for a minority stake from bidders including TPG Capital and a group led by Silver Lake, people familiar with the matter said this week. Silver Lake’s bid valued Sunnyvale, California-based Yahoo at about $16.60 a share, these people said. TPG Capital’s offer was higher, they said.

While the Alibaba group has prepared financing for a possible offer, it hasn’t decided on a final price or whether to proceed, the people said. The group would prefer to be invited to bid rather than going hostile, one person said. Alibaba hasn’t informed Yahoo of its possible bid, this person said.

Asia is buying our internet companies now too! ahhhh!

via bloomberg.com