RentPath

RentPath Inc. is a media company that owns Rent.com, ApartmentGuide.com, and Rentals.com. It was previously called K-III and PriMedia.[1]

For the South African media company, see Primedia. For infomercial company, see PriMedia Inc.
RentPath, LLC
TypeSubsidiary
Founded1989 (1989)
HeadquartersAtlanta, Georgia, United States
Key people
Marc Lefar (CEO)
Websitewww.rentpath.com

History

The company was founded in 1989 as K-III Communications Corporation by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.

In 1989, it acquired Intertec Publishing, Macmillan Book Clubs (renamed Newbridge Communications), and Gryphon Editions from Macmillan Inc. and Webb Publishing from Maxwell Communications Corporation.[2]

In 1990, it acquired Ward's from Thomson Corporation[3] It also acquired the business publications of Andrews Communications, Readers Garden, operator of special interest book clubs, and Weekly Reader and Funk & Wagnalls from Marshall Field 5th.[4]

In 1991, it acquired 9 magazines from News Corporation for $600 million: Daily Racing Form, Soap Opera Digest, Soap Opera Weekly,New York, The Atlantic, Saturday Evening Post, Fortune, Playboy, Seventeen, Premiere, European Travel & Life, Automobile, and New Woman.[5]

In 1992, it acquired medical publisher Krames from Grolier[6] It also acquired Films for the Humanities & Sciences.

In 1993, it acquired three magazines from Wiesner. It also acquired World Almanac from E. W. Scripps Company.

In 1994, it acquired Stagebill, Gibbs College,[7] Haas Publishing, now Consumer Source Inc., publisher of Apartment Guide, and PJS Publications.[8]

In 1995, the company became a public company via an initial public offering, selling 15 million shares at $12 per share in a deal that left Kohlberg Kravis Roberts with control of 82.2% of the company's shares.[9] It also acquired the US trade magazine operations of Maclean-Hunter,[10] Chicago from Landmark Media Enterprises, and McMullen & Yee Publishing, a publisher of automotive magazine.

In 1996, the company acquired 14 publications from Cahners Consumer Magazines, Pro Football Weekly,[11] and Westcott Communications,[12] later renamed Primedia Workplace Learning.

In 1997, the company acquired Farm Press,[13] Park Avenue Publishing, publisher of Lowrider,[14] and Intellichoice. It also sold Krames to Times Mirror,[15] sold New Woman to Rodale, Inc., and sold Katharine Gibbs to Career Education Corporation.

As of November 18, 1997, the company changed its name to Primedia to more clearly focus on its core business.[16]

In 1998, the company acquired Cowles Enthusiast Media and Cowles Business Media divisions of Cowles Media Company from McClatchy Newspapers. It sold Daily Racing Form to private investors, sold Stagebill to Fred B. Tarter, sold Newbridge Communications to Doubleday Direct,[17] and acquired Sterling/MacFadden's teen magazines and teen publisher Laufer Publishing.

In 1999, the company sold its education unit (Weekly Reader, World Almanac) to Ripplewood Holdings, acquired Multimedia Publishing,[18] and sold Better Nutrition, Southwest Art, and Vegetarian Times to Sabot Publishing.[19][20]

In 2000, the company acquired About.com for $690 million.[21]

In 2001, the company acquired EMAP's US magazines[22] and closed Country Journal.

In 2002, the company sold Modern Bride to Condé Nast Publications,[23] sold Pro Football Weekly to Arkush family, sold Chicago to Tribune Company, and sold American Baby to Meredith Corporation.

In 2003, the company sold Volleyball, Teddy Bear and Friends and Doll Reader to Ashton International Media,[24] sold Seventeen to Hearst Corporation for $182.4 million,[25] sold New York to Bruce Wasserstein for $55 million,[26] sold Tiger Beat and Bop to Laufer Media, sold Kitplanes to Belvoir Publications,[27] and sold Simba Information to R.R. Bowker.[28]

In 2004, the company sold Folio and Circulation Management to a joint venture with Red 7 Media.[29]

In 2005, the company sold About.com to The New York Times Company for $410 million,[30] sold Prism Business Media (ex-Intertec) to private investors Wasserstein & Co. (later merged with Penton Media), and sold Ward's to Prism Business Media.[31]

In 2006, the company sold history magazines to Weider History Group,[32] sold Crafts Group to Sandler Capital Management for $132 million,[33] and sold Outdoor Group to InterMedia Partners[34]

In 2007, the company sold a group of 17 outdoor-oriented magazines to InterMedia Outdoors for $170 million in cash, in a deal that included Guns and Ammo and Fly Fisherman. It also sold its Enthusiast Media division to Source Interlink, controlled by Ronald Burkle, in a deal that netted Primedia $1.15 billion in cash in exchange for a group of more than 70 magazines, including Motor Trend and Soap Opera Digest and 90 consumer web sites. The deal left Primedia to focus on a series of free print and online consumer guides published by its Consumer Source unit.[35][36] It also sold Gems group to Interweave,[37] sold Climbing to Skram Media,[38] sold Films for the Humanities & Sciences to Infobase Publishing,[39] and sold Channel One News to Alloy Media and Marketing.

In 2008, the company sold South Florida Auto Guide and Wisconsin Auto Guide to Target Media Partners and closed Atlanta Auto Guide.

In 2009, the company closed Today's Custom Home.

In 2011, TPG Capital bought Primedia for $525 million.[40]

In 2012, the company acquired rent.com from eBay.[41][42]

In 2013, the company changed its name to RentPath. In 2014 it acquired Lovely for $13 million.[43]

In 2014, Providence Equity Partners LLC acquired 50% of the company.[44]

In July 2015, former CEO of Autotrader.com, Chip Perry, was named president and CEO of RentPath. He succeeded Charles Stubbs who remained on the RentPath board of directors.[45]

In November 2015, Chip Perry stepped down as president and CEO of RentPath, to take over as CEO of TrueCar.[46]

RentPath named Marc P. Lefar as President and CEO on April 4, 2016.[47]

In February 2020, RentPath filed bankruptcy and CoStar has an offer pending to acquire RentPath for $588 million.[48]

Former notable titles

Automotive

Equestrian

Action Sports

References
  1. Quinones, Eric R. (October 30, 1997). "K-III changing 'horrible' name to Primedia to better reflect business".
  2. "THE MEDIA BUSINESS; Macmillan and Maxwell Sell Four Units to Kohlberg". The New York Times. December 2, 1988. ISSN 0362-4331.
  3. "K-III to Buy Automotive Industry Publisher Ward's Communications". Associated Press. May 7, 1990.
  4. Hicks, Jonathan P. (December 22, 1990). "COMPANY NEWS; K-III Holdings to Buy Field Assets". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  5. "K-III Bid Wins Murdoch Mags". Variety.
  6. "K-III Buys Publisher". The New York Times. Reuters. February 19, 1992. ISSN 0362-4331.
  7. Jones, Kathryn (March 9, 1994). "COMPANY NEWS; Katharine Gibbs Schools Are Sold". The New York Times.
  8. "Publishers: Editors: Managing Editors". Associated Press. December 27, 1994.
  9. "K-III's Initial Stock Offering". The New York Times. Reuters. October 7, 1995.
  10. "CURTAIN UP FOR 'PREMIERE' SALE: WENNER, REED, TIME AND HACHETTE COULD BE INTERESTED". Advertising Age. September 6, 2011.
  11. "MEDIA". Los Angeles Times. July 8, 1996.
  12. Fabrikant, Geraldine (April 23, 1996). "COMPANY REPORTS;K-III to Acquire Westcott After Twice Raising Its Bid". The New York Times.
  13. Brandon, Hembree (April 5, 2003). "Farm Press mirrors ag achievement". Farm Press.
  14. "Spotlight: McMullen Argus Buys Park Avenue Publishing". Los Angeles Times. August 7, 1997.
  15. "Times Mirror to Acquire Unit From K-III". The New York Times. Bloomberg News. 1997-07-23. ISSN 0362-4331.
  16. "K-III's New Name To Be 'Primedia'". The New York Times. Associated Press. November 1, 1997.
  17. Carvajal, Doreen (January 26, 1998). "MEDIA: PUBLISHING; For book clubs, the big increase in sales is coming in smaller niches". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  18. Elder, Laura (October 10, 1999). "Tech wildcatter sells company for $35 million". American City Business Journals.
  19. "Deals-Southwest Art".
  20. Lazarus, George (November 9, 1999). "Alberto Move From Lois A Beauty For Tatham". Chicago Tribune.
  21. "Primedia buys About.com". CNN. October 30, 2000.
  22. "Primedia Agrees to Acquire Emap's U.S. Magazine Assets". The Wall Street Journal. July 2, 2001.
  23. Rose, Matthew (January 14, 2002). "Conde Nast to Buy Modern Bride From Primedia for $52 Million". The Wall Street Journal.
  24. "Transactions - JEGI from 2002".
  25. "Primedia to Sell Seventeen To Hearst for $182.4 Million". The Wall Street Journal. April 24, 2003.
  26. Rose, Matthew; Frank, Robert (December 17, 2003). "Wasserstein Wins Primedia Auction To Buy New York". The Wall Street Journal.
  27. Pew, Glenn (October 5, 2003). "KITPLANES Joins AVweb Under Belvoir".
  28. "R.R. Bowker Acquires Simba Information". September 23, 2003.
  29. Kelly, Keith J. (August 13, 2004). "PRIMEDIA OFFLOADS 2 TRADES". New York Post.
  30. "The Times Company Acquires About.com for $410 Million". The New York Times. February 18, 2005.
  31. "PRIMEDIA's Wards Automotive Magazines Sold to Prism Media". December 22, 2005.
  32. "Weider Purchases History Magazines From Primedia". February 28, 2006.
  33. Fiore, Marrecca (June 16, 2006). "BREAKING NEWS: Primedia To Sell Crafts Group for $132 Million". Folio.
  34. "Primedia To Sell Outdoor Group". Folio. December 7, 2006.
  35. Lazaroff, Leon (May 15, 2007). "Billionaire Burkle to buy Primedia". The Sun Sentinel. Bloomberg News.
  36. "Magazine Publisher Is Selling Special-Interest Unit for $1.15 Billion". The New York Times. Reuters. May 15, 2007.
  37. Kinsman, Matt (September 5, 2006). "Interweave Press Buys Primedia's Gems Group". Folio.
  38. Mickey, Bill (January 5, 2007). "Primedia Unclips Climbing". Folio.
  39. "Infobase Buys Films Media Group". Library Journal. June 28, 2007.
  40. Lattman, Peter (May 16, 2011). "After 22 Years — 22 Years! — K.K.R. Is Exiting Primedia". The New York Times.
  41. "PRIMEDIA to Acquire Rent.com from eBay Inc" (Press release). Business Wire. March 22, 2012.
  42. Rao, Leena (March 22, 2012). "eBay Sells Off Real Estate Listings Site Rent.com To Primedia". TechCrunch.
  43. Lunden, Ingrid (April 2, 2014). "TPG's RentPath Buys Lovely For $13M To Expand From property search into full rental services". TechCrunch.
  44. Hudson, Phil W. (October 22, 2014). "Providence Equity, TPG become equal partners in RentPath". American City Business Journals.
  45. "Former AutoTrader CEO Chip Perry named RentPath CEO". American City Business Journals. July 13, 2015.
  46. UNDERCOFFLER, DAVID (November 23, 2015). "Chip Perry, TrueCar's new CEO, seeks to rebuild dealers' trust". Automotive News.
  47. "RentPath Names Marc Lefar as President and Chief Executive Officer" (Press release). PR Newswire. April 4, 2016.
  48. Saunders, Jessica (February 12, 2020). "Atlanta-based RentPath files Chapter 11, agrees to be bought by CoStar for $588M". American City Business Journals.
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