Andre Yoskowitz
25 Mar 2012 12:37
AOL has hired Evercore Partners to help it sell its 800-strong patent portfolio.
The company has confirmed it has received numerous buyout offers from private equity firms, with the firms wanting to take AOL private. Such firms include Providence Equity Partners Inc, TPG Capital and Silver Lake.
So far, no deal has been struck yet.
Starboard Value, a hedge fund that owns 5 percent of AOL, says the firms believe AOL's patent portfolio could bring in over $1 billion in licensing income if used correctly.
The company, once valued at over $100 billion, now has a market cap of just $1.75 billion thanks to slowing advertising growth and the decade-long decline of dial-up revenue.