Web.com (1995 - 2007)

Infobox_Company
company_name = Web.com
company_
company_type = Subsidiary
parent = Website Pros (nasdaq2|WSPI)
foundation = 1995, as MicronPC
location_city = Jacksonville, FL
location_country = USA
key_people = Jeff Stibel, President & CEO
Gonzalo Troncoso, President, Web Services
industry = Web hosting
Design
e-commerce
Marketing

products = Site Builder, Hosting Suite
revenue = profit ~$53 Million US$ (annualized)
company_slogan = Websites made simple
homepage = [http://www.web.com/ www.web.com]

Web.com, Inc (formerly NASDAQ:WWWW), formerly Interland (NASDAQ:INLD), was a provider of websites and web services to small businesses and consumers, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Web.com's services included do-it-yourself and professional website design, web hosting, e-commerce, web marketing, and e-mail. As of March 2007, there were approximately 166,000 paid hosting subscribers in 2007 [cite web| title = 10Q filing for Q2, 2007 | publisher = Securities & Exchanges Commission | date = 2007-06-30 | url = http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/854460/000095014407007514/g08791e10vq.htm
accessdate = 2007-10-08 ] .

Along with various web products and services, Web.com provided small businesses, entrepreneurs and consumers with advice and tips for developing a strong online presence. [cite news | last = Dickler | first = Jessica | title = 10 Web tips for entrepreneurs | publisher = CNN Money | date = 2007-01-30 | url = http://money.cnn.com/2007/01/24/smbusiness/websites/index.htm?postversion=2007012506 | accessdate = 2007-02-02 ] It owned the brands Web.com, Interland, Trellix, and Hostpro.

On September 30, 2007, Web.com merged with Website Pros.cite web | url = http://ir.websitepros.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=266631 | title = Website Pros Completes Transaction With Web.com | publisher = Website Pros | accessdate = October 1 | accessyear = 2007]

History

The Company was founded as MicronPC, a multi-billion PC manufacturer but later merged with Interland, which was another public company based in Atlanta, GA. The combined company changed its name to Interland and sold the PC business to focus on Internet hosting. Interland's primary business was providing web services, such as shared and dedicated hosting. Interland acquired numerous hosting companies between the years 2001 and 2006, including HostPro, Innerhost, Dialtone, Interland, Burlee, Trellix, Communitech and WazooWeb. The company acquired Web.com in December 2005 for $4.8 million and changed its name from Interland to Web.com. [cite news | last = Comisky | first = Devin | title = Interland to Become Web.com | publisher = eCommerce Guide | date = 2005-12-30 | url = http://www.ecommerce-guide.com/news/news/article.php/3574326
accessdate = 2007-02-05 ] In August 2005, Interland’s Board of Directors decided to bring in new management with the goal of turning around the company. It removed its former CEO, Joel Kocher, and replaced him with Jeff Stibel. [cite news | title = Interland Names CEO, Kocher Steps Down | publisher = The WHIR | date = 2005-08-02 | url = http://www.thewhir.com/marketwatch/int080205.cfm | accessdate = 2007-02-05 ] Over the next several months the company also brought in a new Chief Technology Officer, Vikas Rijsinghani (former founder and CTO of VerticalOne) and a new Chief Marketing Officer, Judy Hackett (former CMO of CareerBuilder). [cite news | title = Ecommerce Service Provider Interland Appoints Two Chief Officers | publisher = AuctionBytes.com | date = 2005-12-07 | url = http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y05/m12/i07/s05 | accessdate = 2007-02-05 ]

Web.com held 21 registered patents and claimed to have the primary underlying technology for various aspects of web hosting, software as a service, customer-facing control panels, and website builders. [cite news | last = Taulli | first = Tom | title = Web.com’s Extreme Makeover | publisher = Motley Fool | date = 2006-05-09 | url = http://www.fool.com/investing/high-growth/2006/05/09/webcoms-extreme-makeover.aspx | accessdate = 2007-02-05 ] Some of these patents were licensed to Hostopia, a wholesale web hosting provider. [cite news | title = Web Hosting Provider Hostopia Licenses Web.com's Patents | publisher = HostSearch.com | date = 2006-07-19 | url = http://www.hostsearch.com/news/webcom_news_4694.asp | accessdate = 2007-02-05 ] On February 1, 2007, Netcraft named Web.com one of the most reliable hosting companies. [cite news | title = New York Internet, Web.com and iWeb8 Most Reliable Hosting Companies In January 2007 | publisher = Netcraft | date = 2006-02-01 | url = http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2007/02/01/new_york_internet_webcom_and_iweb8_most_reliable_hosting_companies_in_january_2007.html | accessdate = 2007-02-07 ]

When the company was known as Interland, the stock had risen to meteoric levels and then suffered with the "Dot-com bubble" and was ranked among the 10 worst performances for a United States listed company. [cite news | last = Hanson | first = Tim | coauthors = and Richards, Brian | title = The Market's 10 Worst Stocks | publisher = Motley Fool | date = 2006-06-05 | url = http://www.fool.com/investing/small-cap/2007/01/11/the-markets-10-worst-stocks.aspx?logvisit=y&source=eednaslnk0000001 | accessdate = 2007-02-05 ] But since the company brought on new management and changed its name to Web.com, the stock price recovered. At the time of the merger with Website Pros, the company's stock closed at $7.15, which represented more than a threefold increase since new management joined in August of 2005. [cite news | title = Historical Stock Chart | publisher = Nasdaq.com | date = 2007-02-02 | url = http://quotes.nasdaq.com/quote.dll?page=charting&mode=basics&selected=wwww | accessdate = 2007-08-01 ] According to the company’s financials, the last four quarters showed revenue and subscriber growth at Web.com, despite having consistently lost revenues and subscribers prior to the turnaround. [cite news | title = Interland Announces Sale of Dedicated Server Assets to Peer 1 Network | publisher = Web Hosting News | date = 2005-09-07 | url = http://forums.webhostdir.com/showpost.php?p=33963&postcount=1 | accessdate = 2007-02-05 ] cite web | url = http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=WWWW&annual | title = WWWW: Income Statement for WEB.COM INC | publisher = Yahoo! Finance | accessdate = July 24 | accessyear = 2007] cite web | url = http://biz.yahoo.com/pz/070313/115326.html | title = Web.com Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2006 Results | publisher = Yahoo! Finance | accessdate = July 24 | accessyear = 2007] During the first quarter of 2007, the company announced a profit and earnings growth but the second quarter of 2007 the company reported a loss, mainly due to merger related costscite web | url = http://biz.yahoo.com/pz/070807/124381.html | title = Web.com Reports Second Quarter 2007 Results | publisher = Yahoo! Finance | accessdate = August 8 | accessyear = 2007] .

Legal

The company had been involved with various lawsuits, some of these predate the web.com acquisition:
*Novell brought an action against Interland in 1999 claiming underpayment of royalties. It made an out-of-court settlement in 2005. [cite news | last = Martens | first = China | title = Novell not to release Q4 results until Dec. 1 | publisher = LinuxWorld | date = 2005-07-11 | url = http://www.linuxworld.com.au/index.php/id;1242616067;fp;32768;fpid;804522887 | accessdate = 2007-02-05 ]
*The company made a claim against an insurer in 2000. The amount was settled, and Web.com received $6 million dollars. [cite news | title = Web.com (WWWW) Settles Lawsuit, Expects to Receive $6 Million | publisher = StreetInsider.com | date = 2006-01-18 | url = http://www.streetinsider.com/Corporate+News/Web.com+(WWWW)+Settles+Lawsuit,+Expects+to+Receive+$6+Million/1506114.html | accessdate = 2007-02-05 ]
*In June 2006, Web.com filed a law suit against GoDaddy, which alleges that GoDaddy's hosting and domain plans infringed on Web.com's patents. [cite news | last = Mills | first = Elinor | title = Domain registrars in court | publisher = LinuxWorld | date = 2006-06-19 | url = http://news.com.com/2110-1030_3-6085599.html | accessdate = 2007-02-05 ] [cite news | last = Barr | first = Jonathan | title = Go Daddy Gets Sued | publisher = TheStreet.com | date = 2006-06-21 | url = http://www.thestreet.com/_mktw/tech/internet/10293025.html | accessdate = 2007-02-02 ]
* WebSource Media was acquired by the company on May 24, 2006 [cite news | last = Fruchter | first = Yehuda | title = Web.com Acquires WebSource Media | publisher = SeekingAlpha | date = 2006-05-24 | url = http://internet.seekingalpha.com/article/11151 | accessdate = 2006-05-24 ] but by June 23, Web.com filed to rescind the acquisition when it learned that WebSource had engaged in "unfair and deceptive acts and business practices". Web.com was appointed to manage the business operations as an agent of the receiver when the court ordered that it be managed by a receiver. [cite news | title = Web.com Rescinds Acquisition| publisher = Web Host Industry News | date = 2006-06-23 | url = http://www.thewhir.com/marketwatch/062306_Web.com_Rescinds_Acquistion.cfm
accessdate = 2007-05-22 ]

Website Pros

On June 26, 2007, Website Pros and Web.com announced that "the two companies have signed a definitive merger agreement". Website Pros, as the bigger of the two companies, acquired Web.com for a total of approximately ~$130 million, consisting of $25 million in cash and the rest in stock. Web.com representatives, including Jeff Stibel as the new President, will hold two of seven seats on Website Pro's Board.cite web | url = http://ir.websitepros.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=251134 | title = Website Pros and Web.com Sign Definitive Merger Agreement | publisher = Website Pros | accessdate = July 2 | accessyear = 2007] cite web | url = http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070627/website_pros_web_com.html?.v=1 | title = Website Pros to Buy Web.com | publisher = AP | accessdate = July 2 | accessyear = 2007] cite web | url = http://www.fool.com/investing/high-growth/2007/06/28/the-pros-take-over-the-webcom.aspx | title = The Pros Take Over the Web.com | first = Rick Aristotle | last = Munarriz | publisher = The Motley Fool | accessdate = July 2 | accessyear = 2007] The merger was completed on October1st, 2007.cite web | url = http://ir.websitepros.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=266631 | title = Website Pros Completes Transaction With Web.com | publisher = Website Pros | accessdate = October 1 | accessyear = 2007] Prior to the Web.com merger, Website Pros had acquired: 1ShoppingCart.com, [http://www.leads.com/ LEADS.com] , NetObjects, [http://www.renovationExperts.com/ Renovation Experts.com] , and Submitawebsite.

References

External links

* [http://www.web.com/ Web.com website]
* [http://www.websitepros.com Website Pros website]
* [http://www.Interland.com/ Interland website]
* [http://www.Trellix.com/ Trellix website]