Google-Motorola Mobility ($12.5B, 2012)

Google's $12.5 billion Motorola acquisition in 2012 stands as one of the worst tech deals ever, resulting in a $9.59 billion loss. Buying solely for Motorola's 17,000 patents, Google failed to revitalize its smartphone business, selling the hardware division to Lenovo for just $2.91 billion two years later. This deal underperforms #6 Meta-Oculus VR in terms of immediate value destruction, with a 77% loss on investment.