Yahoo Acquires Interclick for $270 Million to Gain Ad Tools

Yahoo, the U.S. Web portal that is exploring strategic options, agreed to buy Interclick Inc. for $270 million in cash to help advertisers reach online users with more targeted messages.

Interclick stockholders will get $9 a share. That’s 22 percent more than the closing price Nov 2 of New York-based Interclick, which assists companies in marketing to customers based on their online behavior. The tender offer is expected to close by early 2012. Yahoo may use the purchase to revive sales of display advertising, such as banner ads, which stalled last quarter. “Interclick’s behavioral targeting technology could help Yahoo to grow its display advertising revenue faster,” said Kerry Rice, an analyst at Needham & Co. “Yahoo could give Interclick more resources to expand into areas like mobile and video advertising.”