If Google continues to de-emphasize Google Checkout, it could mean a partnership with eBay's PayPal, according to a UBS Investment research note published Friday.
Google is not
marketing Google Checkout as aggressively as it has in the past, and the equity firm doesn't expect that the Mountain View, Calif. company will do any couponing this year. Google, rather, is waiting
to see if Checkout can gain traction without being pushed too hard.
UBS suggests the change may imply a potential partnership with PayPal is possible. The online auction site reported a
disappointing fourth-quarter outlook on Thursday, followed by J.P. Morgan Securities downgrading eBay's stock, while several other brokerages cut the target price.-- Laurie Sullivan