What If Web Darlings AOL, MSN Struck A Deal?

As talk swirled late last week about a potential partnership and/or merger between America Online and Microsoft’s MSN, most observers were intrigued by possible synergies offered by a relationship between two of the Internet’s biggest players.

While reports of possible business arrangements between the two companies varied widely, ranging from talk of an all-out merger to a relationship limited to sharing the company’s search or instant-messaging tools, analysts were generally bullish on prospects of a deal, as each company seems to have what the other needs.

If true, a deal “makes an enormous amount of sense for both parties,” said Tolman Geffs, managing director of The Jordan Edmiston Group.