AOL Has Irrelevant Brands Likely to Be Axed During Restructuring

AOL is reportedly planning a restructuring that will lead to layoffs and the closure of some of its Web sites. Tom White, senior analyst at Macquarie Securities, says it's easy to differentiate AOL's relevant brands, like Engadget, TechCrunch and Huffington Post, from its irrelevant ones that are most likely to be closed down. In addition to shedding those brands, White says AOL's focus on investments in the advertising technology space is forward-thinking as it seeks to stay on top of the way the industry buys and sells ads. White also believes AOL should not rule out a potential merger with Yahoo!, which activist-investor Starboard Value has pushed for, saying a deal would make a lot of sense.