Company Description
IAC Inc. (NASDAQ: IAC) is a communications services company in the internet content and information industry that describes its core purpose as building companies. According to the company’s own overview language, IAC is guided by curiosity, a questioning of the status quo, and a desire to invent or acquire new products and brands. Over nearly three decades, the business states that a single original IAC entity has given rise to multiple independent, publicly traded companies and a series of leadership teams.
IAC’s common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IAC. The company is headquartered in New York City and is organized as a Delaware corporation, as reflected in its SEC filings. Its filings also show that IAC maintains both common stock and Class B common stock, which together constitute IAC capital stock for voting purposes.
Business composition and segments
IAC reports that it is comprised of category-focused businesses and strategic investments. Based on the company’s public descriptions, IAC’s operating businesses include People Inc. and Care.com, among others. In addition, IAC holds strategic equity positions in MGM Resorts International and Turo Inc.. The company also refers to a Search segment, which earns revenue from a Google Services Agreement under which Google supplies paid listings to IAC’s search-related operations.
In its SEC disclosure about the Google Services Agreement, IAC identifies a Search segment that earns revenue from paid listings supplied by Google. The company also notes that it earns other advertising revenue from Google that is not attributable to that specific agreement. All revenue attributable to the Services Agreement is earned exclusively by the Search segment, underscoring that search-related advertising is a distinct line of business within IAC.
People Inc. (formerly Dotdash Meredith)
People Inc. is described in IAC news and SEC filings as a directly wholly owned subsidiary that was previously known as Dotdash Meredith Inc. and, before that, Dotdash Media Inc. People Inc. is characterized in company news as America’s largest digital and print publisher and the owner of a portfolio of media brands. These brands include titles such as PEOPLE, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, Allrecipes, Better Homes & Gardens, InStyle, Verywell, Entertainment Weekly, and Southern Living.
The renaming from Dotdash Meredith to People Inc. is presented as a rebranding that reflects a focus on content and experiences made by people for people, drawing on the heritage of PEOPLE and the historic roots of Time Inc. and Meredith Corporation. People Inc. also pursues content distribution relationships with major technology platforms. For example, People Inc. has announced a strategic content partnership with Meta to provide real-time lifestyle content to Meta AI users, and it has referenced commercial agreements with OpenAI and Microsoft as part of a broader partner strategy with AI platforms.
Care.com and family care marketplace
Care.com, which is described as part of the IAC family, operates as an online destination for families seeking care and for caregivers seeking work. Company news states that since its launch in 2007, tens of millions of people have used Care.com across categories such as child care, senior care, adult care, pet care, and housekeeping. Care.com also offers services for employers through Care for Business, enabling companies to provide family care benefits, and provides household tax and payroll support through HomePay.
Care.com has introduced offerings that build on its experience in family care. One example is the Senior Care Advisor service, which connects families with master’s-level social workers to develop individualized senior care plans. According to Care.com, this service is positioned as a first-of-its-kind offering on its digital platform, designed to help families navigate complex decisions around in-home care, senior living communities, home safety, benefits, family dynamics, and local resources.
Other IAC-related businesses and investments
In addition to People Inc. and Care.com, IAC is associated with other digital marketplace and internet-focused businesses. For example, Vivian Health is described in a partner’s news release as an IAC company and as an online marketplace for healthcare talent. Vivian Health operates a platform that connects clinicians with employers across staff roles, per-diem shifts, local contracts, and travel positions.
IAC also discloses strategic equity stakes in MGM Resorts International and Turo Inc.. These positions are described as strategic equity holdings rather than operating segments, indicating that IAC’s exposure to these businesses is through ownership interests rather than direct operational control as presented in the available information.
Corporate governance and capital structure
SEC filings show that IAC has a dual-class equity structure, with common stock and Class B common stock. The filings describe that IAC capital stock votes on matters such as the election of directors, advisory votes on executive compensation, and ratification of the independent registered public accounting firm. The company holds an annual meeting of stockholders where these proposals are submitted to a vote, and the voting results are disclosed in Form 8-K filings.
IAC’s filings also reference a credit agreement and subsequent amendments involving a subsidiary borrower and its successor, People Inc. These documents describe a capital structure that includes a credit facility and senior secured notes, with the successor borrower required to provide financial statements to lenders and the administrative agent.
Relationship with Google and search advertising
In an 8-K filing, IAC reports that it received a notice of non-renewal from Google LLC regarding a Google Services Agreement under which Google supplies paid listings to IAC. The agreement is scheduled to expire on a specified date, and the notice removed an automatic one-year extension that otherwise would have applied. IAC states that all revenue attributable to this Services Agreement is earned exclusively by its Search segment, while other advertising revenue from Google that is not tied to the Services Agreement remains unaffected by the notice.
The filing notes that Google has indicated an expectation to propose revised terms for a future agreement, although the outcome of discussions is uncertain. IAC also outlines a range of risk factors in connection with this development, including competition with generative AI technologies, changes in relationships with major platforms, and broader economic and market conditions that can affect advertising spending.
Risk factors and operating environment
IAC’s 8-K filings summarize risk considerations that the company associates with its business. These include the impact of generative AI and AI-enabled search features on marketing and publishing, the importance of display prominence in search results, and the company’s ability to market its products and services effectively. The filings also mention risks related to the migration of markets and industries online, the expansion of digital reach for publishing brands, and the company’s reliance on channels such as search engines, app stores, advertising networks, and social media platforms.
Additional risks identified by IAC include issues related to its Print business, such as declining revenue and input costs; the need to establish and maintain relationships with caregivers for Care.com; data security and privacy; technology and infrastructure integrity; liquidity and indebtedness; and the influence of certain shareholders over corporate governance matters. These risk disclosures are intended to provide context for how external factors and internal execution can affect IAC’s operations and financial performance.
Company philosophy and approach
Across its public communications, IAC emphasizes what it calls financially disciplined opportunism. The company describes its history as one of evolving through the creation, acquisition, and development of internet and media businesses, some of which have become independent public companies. This philosophy is reflected in its mix of operating subsidiaries, online marketplaces, publishing assets, and strategic equity investments.
According to IAC’s own statements, the company expects to continue evolving while maintaining core principles centered on curiosity and a willingness to question established approaches. For investors and observers, IAC’s disclosures highlight a business model focused on building and scaling digital brands, managing platform relationships, and navigating changes in technology and consumer behavior within the broader communications and internet content sectors.