IAC/InterActiveCorp. (IACI)

Can you say ASK.COM? Plus with all the other internet brands it owns, this stock is poised to take off again.

IAC/InterActiveCorp operates a diversified portfolio of specialized and global brands, online and offline, through internet, telephone and television. It operates in businesses involving retailing, services, membership and subscription, media and advertising and emerging business. Its prominent brands include HSN, Ticketmaster, lendingtree, Match.com, Ask.com, Citysearch and few others. For nine months of 2006, retailing and services accounted for 48% and 32% of revenues respectively, the remaining being contributed by other businesses.

On the retailing front, the company has laid down strategic plans for HSN.com that includes new brand identity, launching of new brands, re-vamp of HSN website and reduce its dependence on core vendors. In the ticketing segment, in 2007, China would be a promising market for the upcoming Beijing Olympics. The company is also looking to broaden ticketmaster.com's content by providing information on artists and events.

For its personal services Match.com, the company has recently launched a new technology, which will enable it to localize its service offerings in various countries. In its search and media services, the company plans to increase its market share of its brand Ask.com in 2007 through product innovation, attracting more users and leveraging other search and media properties. The recently launched Ask City integrates event information from Ticketmaster and the home service expertise of service magic.

The management has outlined its growth and revenue and profit drivers for 2007. With a strong brand portfolio, the future of IAC/InterActiveCorp looks equally promising and is a good pick for long-term investors.

This company has so many powerful brands that it would be very hard for them to not do well. Some of the brands do not seem so connected, but they provide a lot of diversification and make this much safer than a traditional internet play. Ticketmaster is an amazing asset and Barry Diller is a managerial genius, some might ague a greedy one after his recent pay package, but one who really knows how to build great business. If anyone can get great synergies from these businesses, it is him. I think that the housing and lending market will continue to be weak, but this should be offset by their other businesses. Ticketmaster is a great business and Ask.com has a ton of potential. It will be interesting to see how match.com can compete. It could also be a huge business if they can beat the other players. The large constant stock buybacks are always a good sign. This stock is going up from here.

Although online purchasing and internet stocks has been waning, the financials look good and the company is well-managed and well-diversified

love there various businesses

Among other problems, Ask.com's PPC management system is not worthy of a top tier player.

Watch Jimmy Wales and Wikia. Home Pages to "Google" could easily be abandoned.

supercycle

the whole is <<< the sum of the parts

I think that this company has the potentioal to create big profits by developing major internet brands

Redesigned ask.com and new advertising campaign is really effective and will provide a better source of revenue over the coming quarters... I do miss Jeeves though.

Just buy it. Upside potential much greater than the downside risk. They could buy up to 20% of the shares outstanding with all the cash on the balance sheet. Great businesses in Match.com, ticketmaster, lendingtree, HSN, Citysearch and the wild card Ask.com (it could be big). As far as I am concerned ask is much better than Google and anytime I show ask to someone who uses google they agree. It is only time.

Not worth the price together, probably not worth the price split up either.

Judge found in favor

Always thought Ask.com was easy to use and remember.

Great balance sheet, sustainable profit.

Enterprise value is definitely higher than sum of its parts. Only risk that I see is, its cash position could be wasted on an overpriced acquisition, as it has been done in the past. But cash also has its benefits in a recessionary environment. I think out of the price you see, about $9 is net cash, so the various businesses are selling for total of $1.4-$1.7B, which does not look to expensive to me.

Considering Book value, earnings, and market cap...this should beat the market in 5 years.

Tons of cash to make smart purchases during downturn