Forbes.com: EBay's Buy Of Rent.com May Lack Strategic Sense

"Standard & Poor's Equity Research said the purchase of Rent.com by eBay (nasdaq: EBAY - news - people ) could be a bit of a miscalculation. Rent.com is an apartment-listing Web site and eBay paid, S&P Equity Research estimates, about 10 times expected 2004 revenue--a 'notable premium to such other online listings companies as Monster Worldwide (nasdaq: MNST - news - people ).' The research firm said, 'EBay has been increasingly pursuing a listings strategy through acquisitions of or investments in four companies this year, including craigslist. However, we do not think the purchase of Rent.com would make significant strategic sense.' S&P Equity Research rates eBay at 'hold.' "