AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 4, 1998
                                                        REGISTRATION NO. 333-  -
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                            ------------------------
                                    FORM S-3
 
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            ------------------------
                                  YAHOO! INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
                                   
                    CALIFORNIA                       77-0398689
             (State of incorporation)             (I.R.S. Employer
                                                Identification No.)
3420 CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA 95051 (408) 731-3300 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant's principal executive offices) TIMOTHY KOOGLE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 3420 CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA 95051 (408) 731-3300 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service) Copies to: JAMES L. BROCK HEAYOON WOO VENTURE LAW GROUP A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION 2800 SAND HILL ROAD MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA 94025 (650) 854-4488 ------------------------ APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: FROM TIME TO TIME AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNTIL JULY 17, 1999 OR UNTIL SUCH EARLIER TIME THAT ALL OF THE SHARES REGISTERED HEREUNDER HAVE BEEN SOLD. ------------------------ If the only securities being registered on this Form are to be offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. / / If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. /X/ If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. / / If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. / / If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please check the following box. / / ------------------------ CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
PROPOSED MAXIMUM PROPOSED MAXIMUM TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF AMOUNT TO BE OFFERING PRICE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED REGISTERED PER SHARE(2) OFFERING PRICE(1) REGISTRATION FEE Common Stock, par value $0.00033 per share................................. 270,954 shares (1) $67.75 $18,357,134 $5,415
(1) The shares of Common Stock set forth in the Calculation of Registration Fee Table, and which may be offered pursuant to this Registration Statement, includes, pursuant to Rule 416 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such additional number of shares of the Registrant's Common Stock that may become issuable as a result of any stock splits, stock dividends or similar event. (2) Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the registration fee, based on the average of the high and low prices for the Company's Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq National Market on September 1, 1998 in accordance with Rule 457 under the Securities Act of 1933. ------------------------ THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(a) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SECTION 8(a), MAY DETERMINE. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED SEPTEMBER 4, 1998 NOTE: INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH STATE. PROSPECTUS 270,954 SHARES YAHOO! INC. COMMON STOCK, $0.00033 PAR VALUE ------------------ THE COMMON STOCK OFFERED HEREBY INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK. SEE "RISK FACTORS"INCLUDED IN THE COMPANY'S QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q FOR THE QUARTERENDED JUNE 30, 1998 AND INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE. --------------------- All references herein to "Yahoo!" or the "Company" mean Yahoo! Inc., a California corporation, unless otherwise indicated by the context. The 270,954 shares of Yahoo! Inc. Common Stock, $0.00033 par value, covered by this Prospectus (the "Shares") are offered for the account of certain shareholders of the Company (the "Selling Shareholders"). The Shares were issued or reserved for issuance to the Selling Shareholders in connection with the acquisition by the Company of WebCal Corporation on July 17, 1998 (the "Acquisition"). For additional information regarding the Acquisition, see "Issuance of Common Stock to Selling Shareholders." The Selling Shareholders may sell the Shares from time to time on the over-the-counter market in regular brokerage transactions, in transactions directly with market makers or in certain privately negotiated transactions. See "Plan of Distribution." Each Selling Shareholder has advised the Company that no sale or distribution other than as disclosed herein will be effected until after this Prospectus shall have been appropriately amended or supplemented, if required, to set forth the terms thereof. The Company will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the Shares by the Selling Shareholders. Each of the Selling Shareholders may be deemed to be an "Underwriter," as such term is defined in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). The Company's Common Stock is quoted on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "YHOO." On September 3, 1998, the last sale price of the Company's Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market was $75.1875 per share. ------------------------ THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. ------------------------
UNDERWRITING PROCEEDS TO DISCOUNTS AND SELLING PRICE TO PUBLIC COMMISSION SHAREHOLDERS Per Share........................................ Total............................................ See Text Above See Text Above See Text Above
THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS IS SEPTEMBER , 1998 No person is authorized in connection with any offering made hereby to give any information or to make any representation not contained in this Prospectus, and, if given or made, such information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Company or the Selling Shareholders. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security other than the shares of Common Stock offered hereby, nor does it constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the shares offered hereby to any person in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any sale made hereunder shall under any circumstances create any implication that the information contained herein is correct as of any time subsequent to the date hereof. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION This Prospectus constitutes a part of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (herein, together with all amendments and exhibits, referred to as the "Registration Statement") filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act. This Prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement, certain parts of which are omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission. For further information with respect to the Company and the shares of Common Stock offered hereby, reference is hereby made to the Registration Statement. Statements contained herein concerning the provisions of any document are not necessarily complete, and each such statement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the copy of such document filed with the Commission. AVAILABLE INFORMATION The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and in accordance therewith files reports, proxy and information statements and other information with the Commission. Such reports, proxy and information statements and other information may be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20549, and at the following Regional Offices of the Commission: New York Regional Office, Seven World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048, and Chicago Regional Office, Northwest Atrium Center, 500 West Madison Street, Chicago, Illinois 60661. Copies of such material can be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20549 upon payment of the prescribed fees. The Company is also required to file electronic versions of these documents with the Commission through the Commission's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System ("EDGAR"). The Common Stock of the Company is quoted on The Nasdaq National Market. Reports, proxy and information statements and other information concerning the Company may be inspected at The Nasdaq Stock Market at 1735 K Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20006. In addition, the Commission maintains a World Wide Web site (http:// www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the Commission. 2 INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE The following documents filed by the Company with the Commission are incorporated by reference in this Prospectus: 1. The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997 (File No. 0-26822). 2. The Company's definitive Proxy Statement dated March 12, 1998, filed in connection with the Company's April 17, 1998 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. 3. The Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 1998 and June 30, 1998 (File No. 0-26822). 4. The Company's Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on January 5, 1998, January 15, 1998, June 8, 1998, June 12, 1998 (as amended on June 18, 1998) and July 9, 1998 (File No. 0-26822). 5. The description of the Company's Common Stock set forth in the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the Commission on March 12, 1996 (File No. 0-026822). All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering of the Common Stock offered hereby shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Prospectus. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes hereof to the extent that a statement contained herein (or in any other subsequently filed document which also is incorporated by reference herein) modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed to constitute a part hereof, except as so modified or superseded. The Company will furnish without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this Prospectus is delivered, on the written or oral request of such person, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference, other than exhibits to such documents. Requests should be directed to Andrea Klipfel, Investor Relations, 3420 Central Expressway, Santa Clara, California 95051, telephone: (408) 731-3300. 3 THE COMPANY Yahoo! is an Internet media company that offers a network of globally-branded properties, specialty programming, and aggregated content distributed primarily on the World Wide Web (the "Web") serving business professionals and consumers, and is among the most widely used guides for information and discovery on the Web. Under the Yahoo! brand, the Company provides intuitive, context-based guides to online content, Web search capabilities, aggregated third-party content and community and personalization features. In June 1998, Internet users viewed an average of over 115 million Web pages per day in Yahoo!-branded properties. The Company makes its properties available without charge to users and generates revenue primarily through the sale of advertising. Advertising on Yahoo! properties is sold through the Company's internal advertising sales force. During the second quarter of 1998, approximately 1,800 advertisers purchased advertising on Yahoo! properties. Yahoo! was incorporated on March 5, 1995 under the laws of California. The Company's principal executive offices are located at 3420 Central Expressway, Santa Clara, California 95051 and its telephone number is (408) 731-3300. As used in this Prospectus, the "Company" and "Yahoo!" refer to Yahoo! Inc., a California corporation, and its wholly owned subsidiaries. USE OF PROCEEDS The proceeds from the sale of the Shares are solely for the account of the Selling Shareholders. Accordingly, the Company will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the Shares from the Selling Shareholders. ISSUANCE OF COMMON STOCK TO SELLING SHAREHOLDERS On July 17, 1998, the Company issued an aggregate of 270,954 shares of Common Stock to the shareholders of WebCal Corporation ("WebCal") pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") among the Company, WC Acquisition Corporation, a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the "Sub"), and WebCal. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, Sub merged into Webcal and WebCal became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the "Merger"). SELLING SHAREHOLDERS All of the Common Shares registered for sale pursuant to this Prospectus will be owned immediately after registration by the Selling Shareholders as the former shareholders of WebCal, and all of the shares offered by the Selling Shareholders were acquired in connection with the Merger. Such shares do not exceed one percent (1%) of the Company's outstanding capitalization as of the date of this Prospectus. None of the Selling Shareholders has a material relationship with the Company, except that certain Selling Shareholders are or will be non-officer employees of WebCal or the Company. PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION Shares of Common Stock covered hereby may be offered and sold from time to time by the Selling Shareholders. The Selling Shareholders will act independently of the Company in making decisions with respect to the timing, manner and size of each sale. The Selling Shareholders may sell the Shares being offered hereby: (i) on The Nasdaq National Market, or otherwise at prices and at terms then prevailing or at prices related to the then current market price; or (ii) in private sales at negotiated prices directly or through a broker or brokers, who may act as agent or as principal or by a combination of such methods of sale. The Selling Shareholders and any underwriter, dealer or agent who participate in the distribution of 4 such shares may be deemed to be "underwriters" under the Securities Act, and any discount, commission or concession received by such persons might be deemed to be an underwriting discount or commission under the Securities Act. The Company has agreed to indemnify the Selling Shareholders against certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act. Any broker-dealer participating in such transactions as agent may receive commissions from the Selling Shareholders (and, if acting as agent for the purchaser of such shares, from such purchaser). Usual and customary brokerage fees will be paid by the Selling Shareholders. Broker-dealers may agree with the Selling Shareholders to sell a specified number of shares at a stipulated price per share, and, to the extent such a broker-dealer is unable to do so acting as agent for the Selling Shareholders, to purchase as principal any unsold shares at the price required to fulfill the broker-dealer commitment to the Selling Shareholders. Broker-dealers who acquire shares as principal may thereafter resell such shares from time to time in transactions (which may involve crosses and block transactions and which may involve sales to and through other broker-dealers, including transactions of the nature described above) in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions or by a combination of such methods of sale or otherwise at market prices prevailing at the time of sale or at negotiated prices, and in connection with such resales may pay to or receive from the purchasers of such shares commissions computed as described above. The Company has advised the Selling Shareholders that the anti-manipulation rules under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of Shares in the market and to the activities of the Selling Shareholders and their affiliates. The Selling Shareholders have advised the Company that during such time as the Selling Shareholders may be engaged in the attempt to sell shares registered hereunder, they will: (i) not engage in any stabilization activity in connection with any of the Company's securities; (ii) not bid for or purchase any of the Company's securities or any rights to acquire the Company's securities, or attempt to induce any person to purchase any of the Company's securities or rights to acquire the Company's securities other than as permitted under the Exchange Act; (iii) not effect any sale or distribution of the Shares until after the Prospectus shall have been appropriately amended or supplemented, if required, to set forth the terms thereof; and (iv) effect all sales of Shares in broker's transactions through broker-dealers acting as agents, in transactions directly with market makers or in privately negotiated transaction where no broker or other third party (other than the purchaser) is involved. The Selling Shareholders may indemnify any broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving the sale of the shares against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act. Any commissions paid or any discounts or concessions allowed to any such broker-dealers, and any profits received on the resale of such shares, may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act if any such broker-dealers purchase shares as principal. In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the Common Stock will be sold in such jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in certain states, the Common Stock may not be sold unless such shares have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with. The Company has agreed to maintain the effectiveness of this Registration Statement with respect to the shares of Common Stock offered hereunder by the Selling Shareholders until the earlier of the sale of such shares or July 17, 1999. No sales may be made pursuant to this Prospectus after such date unless the Company amends or supplements this Prospectus to indicate that it has agreed to extend such period of effectiveness. There can be no assurance that the Selling Shareholders will sell all or any of the shares of Common Stock offered hereunder. LEGAL MATTERS The validity of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby will be passed upon by Venture Law Group, A Professional Corporation, Menlo Park, California, counsel to the Company. As of September 2, 5 1998, certain attorneys of Venture Law Group owned in the aggregate 2,490 shares of Common Stock of the Company. EXPERTS The consolidated financial statements incorporated in this Prospectus by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997 and the audited historical financial statements of Viaweb incorporated in this prospectus by reference to Item 7(a) of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated June 12, 1998 have been so incorporated in reliance on the reports of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent accountants, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting. 6 PART II INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION. The Registrant will bear no expenses in connection with any sale or other distribution by the Selling Shareholders of the shares being registered other than the expenses of preparation and distribution of this Registration Statement and the Prospectus included in this Registration Statement. Such expenses are set forth in the following table. All of the amounts shown are estimates except the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") registration fee and the NASD listing fee. SEC registration fee.............................................. $ 5,415 Legal fees and expenses........................................... 15,000 Accounting fees and expenses...................................... 10,000 NASD listing fee.................................................. 5,420 Miscellaneous expenses............................................ 4,165 --------- Total......................................................... $ 40,000 --------- ---------
ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS. Section 317 of the California Corporations Code allows for the indemnification of officers, directors, and other corporate agents in terms sufficiently broad to indemnify such persons under certain circumstances for liabilities (including reimbursement for expenses incurred) arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). Article VII of the Registrant's Articles of Incorporation and Article VI of the Registrant's Bylaws provide for indemnification of the Registrant's directors, officers, employees and other agents to the extent and under the circumstances permitted by the California Corporations Code. The Registrant has also entered into agreements with its directors and officers that will require the Registrant, among other things, to indemnify them against certain liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors to the fullest extent not prohibited by law. In connection with this offering, the Selling Shareholders have agreed to indemnify the Registrant, its directors and officers and each such person who controls the Registrant, against any and all liability arising from inaccurate information provided to the Registrant by the Selling Shareholders and contained herein up to a maximum of the proceeds received by the Selling Shareholders from the sale of their Shares hereunder. ITEM 16. EXHIBITS.
EXHIBITS. - ------ 5.1 Opinion of Venture Law Group, A Professional Corporation 23.1 Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent Accountants (see page II-4) 23.2 Consent of Venture Law Group, A Professional Corporation (included in Exhibit 5.1) 24.1 Power of Attorney (see page II-3)
II-1 ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes: (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement. (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of this offering. (4) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. II-2 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, Yahoo! Inc. certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Santa Clara, State of California, on September 4, 1998. YAHOO! INC. By: /s/ TIMOTHY KOOGLE ----------------------------------------- Timothy Koogle PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Timothy Koogle and Gary Valenzuela, jointly and severally, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, each with full power of substitution, for him or her in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact or any of them, or his or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done or by virtue hereof. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
SIGNATURE TITLE DATE - ------------------------------ -------------------------- ------------------- President, Chief Executive /s/ TIMOTHY KOOGLE Officer and Director - ------------------------------ (Principal Executive September 4, 1998 Timothy Koogle Officer) Senior Vice President, Finance and /s/ GARY VALENZUELA Administration, and - ------------------------------ Chief Financial Officer September 4, 1998 Gary Valenzuela (Principal Financial Officer) /s/ JAMES J. NELSON Vice President, Finance - ------------------------------ (Chief Accounting September 4, 1998 James J. Nelson Officer) /s/ ERIC HIPPEAU - ------------------------------ Director September 4, 1998 Eric Hippeau /s/ ARTHUR H. KERN - ------------------------------ Director September 4, 1998 Arthur H. Kern /s/ MICHAEL MORITZ - ------------------------------ Director September 4, 1998 Michael Moritz /s/ JERRY YANG - ------------------------------ Director September 4, 1998 Jerry Yang
II-3 EXHIBIT 23.1 CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus constituting part of this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated January 9, 1998, which appears on page 40 of the 1997 Annual Report to Shareholders of Yahoo! Inc., which is incorporated by reference in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Yahoo! Inc. for the year ended December 31, 1997. We also consent to the incorporation by reference of our report on the Financial Statement Schedule, which appears on page 30 of such Annual Report on Form 10-K. We also consent to the incorporation by reference of our report, dated June 2, 1998, except as to Note 8, which is as of June 10, 1998, on the financial statements of Viaweb Inc. (a development stage enterprise), which appears in Item 7(a) of the Current Report on Form 8-K of Yahoo! Inc. dated June 12, 1998. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in such Prospectus. /s/ PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP San Jose, California September 4, 1998 II-4 INDEX TO EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT NUMBER DESCRIPTION - ----------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5.1 Opinion of Venture Law Group, A Professional Corporation 23.1 Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent Accountants (see page II-4) 23.2 Consent of Venture Law Group, A Professional Corporation (included in Exhibit 5.1) 24.1 Power of Attorney (see page II-3)

                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1
 
                               OPINION OF COUNSEL
 
                               September 4, 1998
 
Yahoo! Inc.
3420 Central Expressway
Santa Clara, CA 95051
 
    REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-3
 
Ladies and Gentlemen:
 
    We have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-3 to be filed by you
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about September 4, 1998 (the
"Registration Statement") in connection with the registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of a total of 270,954 shares of your Common
Stock (the "Shares"), to be sold by certain shareholders listed in the
Registration Statement (the "Selling Shareholders"). As your legal counsel, we
have examined the proceedings taken and are familiar with the proceedings
proposed to be taken by you in connection with the sale of the Shares by the
Selling Shareholders in the manner set forth in the Registration Statement in
the section entitled "Plan of Distribution."
 
    It is our opinion that the Shares, when sold by the Selling Shareholders in
the manner referred to in the Registration Statement, will be legally and
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
 
    We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement and further consent to the use of our name wherever it appears in the
Registration Statement and any amendments to it.
 
                                          Sincerely,
 
                                          VENTURE LAW GROUP
                                          A Professional Corporation
 
                                          /s/ VENTURE LAW GROUP