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Corporate raider Carl Icahn laid out a five step plan for Yahoo in a letter to Yahoo chairman Roy Bostock today. In brief, Icahn wants to replace Yahoo's poison pill severance package, usher CEO Jerry Yang back into his role as "Chief Yahoo," tell Microsoft that it can have any of Yahoo unless it owns all of it, sell Yahoo, or failing that outsource search to Google. Find the plan in Icahn's own words, below.

You [Roy Bostock] asked, 'what exactly would happen to our Company if you and your nominees were to take control of Yahoo!' I will give you my perspective on that.

  • First, I would work to have the board replace your "poison pill" severance plan with an acceptable alternative.
  • Second, I intend to ask our new board to hire a talented and experienced CEO (attempting to replicate Google's success with Eric Schmidt) to replace Jerry Yang and return Jerry to his role as "Chief Yahoo". Indeed, it was much speculated that Jerry would serve in the CEO role temporarily until a permanent CEO was hired after the board asked Terry Semel to resign.
  • Third, I intend to ask our new board to inform Microsoft that unless any alternative transaction can insure a $33 or higher stock price (of which I am skeptical) all talks of alternative transactions are over.
  • Fourth, I will ask our new board to offer publicly to sell Yahoo! To Microsoft in a friendly and cooperative transaction.
  • Fifth, to the extent Microsoft does not want to make a proposal, I will ask our new board do a deal on search with Google, but only if it contains termination provisions that would in no way impede a subsequent acquisition by Microsoft.