Yahoo's Comeback Is All Smoke and Mirrors

The appointment of Marissa Mayer as Yahoo CEO has been a godsend for those in the media. If nothing else, the photogenic, enigmatic and workaholic chief executive has made people interested in the company again

In 2011, Yahoo was never mentioned in the same breath as Google or Facebook. But now, Mayer has propelled the company into the top tier of Internet Companies That Tech Writers Like to Cover. Like investors, the media loves a comeback story, and Yahoo seemed to fit the bill: Since Mayer joined the company on July 16, 2012, its stock price has risen 159%.