NEW YORK—Barry Diller’s IAC (Nasdaq:IACI) plans to separate into five publicly traded companies, spinning out Charlotte-based Lending Tree as one.

Lending Tree, which IAC admits is “obviously under pressure from the macro real estate and mortage environment,” adds that “it is nevertheless a valuable asset with a great brand and will be freed to participate fully with its own currency.”

Lending Tree will include RealEstate.com, Domania, GetSmart, Home Loan Center and iNest.

IAC itself will retain its current media and advertising sector businesses, which include Ask.com, Bloglines, Citysearch, CursorMania, IAC Advertising Solutions, Evite, Excite, iWon, My Fun Cards, May Way, Popular Screensavers, Smiley Central, Webfetti, and Zwinky, Match.com, ServiceMagic, Shoebuy.com, Entertainment Publications, and ReserveAmerical.

Other spinouts will combine IAC’s emerging businesses sector, HSN and its retailing sector, and its Ticketmaster sector.

IAC will retain substantially all of the Company’s cash and the new companies will be appropriately capitalized.

Barry Diller will continue as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IAC. Mindy Grossman, Sean Moriarty, CD Davies and Craig Nash will continue as Chief Executive Officers of HSN, Ticketmaster, LendingTree and Interval respectively, and Bret Violette will continue as President of RealEstate.com.

On the Web: www.iac.com

© 2007, TechJournal South. All rights reserved.