Choosing and Defending Meta's Most Valuable Acquisition

Which company that Facebook (now Meta) acquired was its best purchase? Make the case for your choice. ```hint Decide what "best" means first Choose the test you will judge every deal by, such as value created against the price paid, protection of the core business, or capabilities the company could not have built itself. Apply it to the deals you reject as well as the one you pick. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Should "best" mean financial return on the price paid, strategic value to the core business, or value delivered to users? - Do small talent and technology purchases count, or only the large, well-known deals? - Should I judge with today's hindsight, or by what was knowable when each deal was made? - Should the antitrust scrutiny that some of these deals later attracted count against them? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A stated definition of "best", applied consistently to every candidate - The situation of both companies at the time of the deal: the threat or opportunity, the price, and what building instead of buying would have taken - What happened afterward: user growth, integration, monetization and the effect on the core business - A reasoned comparison with at least two other notable acquisitions - Costs and risks: regulatory challenges, founder departures, and the counterfactual of not buying ### Follow-up Questions - By the same criteria, which was the worst acquisition, and what does the contrast teach? - If regulators had blocked your pick, what would Facebook have done instead, and what would it have lost? - If regulation allowed it, which company would you advise Meta to buy today, and why?