Yahoo! Inc.'snew owners are likely to pursue layoffs in an attempt to cut costs, perhapstrimming 3,000 positions from the company, Bloomberg News reported July 17, theday before a final roundof bids for Yahoo's core internet assets were due.

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey analyst Robert Peck said a buyerlike Verizon Communications Inc.or AT&T Inc.could easily make those cuts largely due to redundant operations in areas suchas human resources or marketing, according to Bloomberg. Both Verizon andAT&T are among the companies rumoredto be interested in Yahoo.

Yahoo's board reportedly received offers that valued thecompany's assets at up to about $6 billion.