Apps & Software

IAC Takes Another 10% Stake in Dating App Tinder

Social Media
Source: Thinkstock
IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ: IACI), which already owns dating website match.com, recently added another 10% to its majority stake in the mobile dating app Tinder. The purchase price was reportedly $500 million, valuing the start-up at $5 billion, not that far below IAC’s own market cap of $5.8 billion.

If you didn’t hear all about Tinder from the athletes who raved about it during the Sochi Winter Olympic Games, here’s how Bloomberg Businessweek described it:

It’s a pathologically addictive flirting-dating-hookup app. The first step in using it is to sign in with your Facebook ID, which gives Tinder your name, age, photos, and sexual orientation. There is no second step. You’re immediately shown the face of a person of your preferred sex, and, again, there’s only one thing to do: Swipe right if you like what you see, swipe left if you don’t. Another face instantly appears for appraisal, and then another.

The company and it’s app first appeared in early 2013 and CEO Sean Rad announced in early March that the company had just made its 1 billionth match — or maybe the more descriptive term would be ‘hookup.’ The company now claims 10 million daily users.

Tinder gains no income from its popularity, but it’s a pretty safe bet that monetization is not all that far away.

Shares of IAC rose nearly 6% at one point today but have pulled back to a gain of 3% to $70.40 with just over an hour left in Friday trading. The stock’s 52-week range is $43.30 to $80.64.

Sponsored: Want to Retire Early? Start Here

Want retirement to come a few years earlier than you’d planned? Orare you ready to retire now, but want an extra set of eyes on your finances?

Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help you build your plan to retire early. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.

Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.