Dealertrack Technologies Inc., which makes software usedby auto dealerships, said Thursday
that it is buying privately heldDealer.com in a cash and stock deal that could be worth nearly
$1billion.The company said the deal will expand the services itprovides to auto dealers, lenders and
shoppers. Dealer.com, which isbased in Burlington, Vt., makes marketing
andcustomer-relationship-management software for auto dealerships.Dealertracksaid it will pay about $620
million in cash for Dealer.com plus about8.7 million of its common stock. Shares of Dealertrack closed
at $42.80Thursday. At that share price, the total deal would be worth $992.4million.The two companies
said the deal is expected to close inthe first quarter of 2014 and is projected to increase
Dealertrack’searnings.Dealer.com expects to have revenue of $230 million in2013. The company has 830
employees and its products are used by about7,000 auto dealers in the U.S.Dealertrack said it will
continueto use the Dealer.com name. Dealer.com’s CEO Rick Gibbs will becomeDealertrack’s executive vice
president and president of its digitalmarketing solution team.In after-hours trading, shares of Lake
Success, N.Y.-based Dealertrack jumped 6.5 percent to $45.60.Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All
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