Media conglomerate IAC/InterActiveCorp agreed Monday to buy search and portal Web site operator Ask Jeeves Inc. in a stock-swap deal the companies valued at around US$1.85 billion.
IAC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Barry Diller said he sees Ask Jeeves as a company with "the potential to become one of the great brands on the Internet." Currently, it significantly trails search leaders Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. -- Forrester Research Inc. estimates its North American search engine market share at 3 percent. IAC plans to integrate its portfolio of Web properties with Ask Jeeves, potentially increasing traffic both ways. IAC, citing comScore's Media Metrix, estimates that Ask Jeeves draws 42 million unique monthly users in the U.S., while its own Web sites collectively attract 44 million.
http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/03...eves/index.php