Google and Facebook have held "low level" takeover talks with Twitter that values the social networking firm as high as $10 billion, it was reported today.
According to the Wall Street Journal executives at Twitter have held talks with executives at Facebook and Google in recent months about a possible takeover of the micro-blogging site.
Citing people familiar with the matter, the WSJ said other companies have also held similar talks.
"But what's remarkable is the money that people familiar with the matter say frames the discussions with at least some potential suitors; an estimated valuation in the neighbourhood of $8 billion to $10 billion," it said.
The paper said the talks have so far gone nowhere and that Google, Facebook and Twitter all declined to comment.
Despite the valuation, the report said Twitter's executives and board were working on building a large, independent company.
"People familiar with the situation said the company believes it can grow into a $100 billion company," the WSJ said.
In December, Twitter raised $200 million in financing in a deal that valued it at $3.7 billion. The company, which allows users to broadcast 140-character messages to groups of followers, had 175 million users as of September.
Industry research firm eMarketer said last month that Twitter, which doesn't disclose financial information, generated an estimated $45 million from advertising in 2010 and is expected to generate some $150 million this year.
Reuters
