Brandtree

Who owns AOL?

AOL is owned by Apollo (the United States, NYSE: APO), which acquired the brand on 1 September 2021.[1][2] AOL was founded in 1985 in New York, New York and was independent until 2021.

Key facts

Current owner
Apollo Global Management, Inc. verified
Owned since
· deal details
Acquisition price
$5 billion (enterprise value)
Previous owner
Independent (1985–2021)
Owner HQ
🇺🇸 United States, New York, New York
Origin
🇺🇸 United States, New York, New York
Founded
1985
Category
Internet & digitalSearch & social › Search engines
Parent ticker
NYSE: APO
Last verified
· 2 sources

About AOL

AOL brought millions of Americans online through dial-up in the 1990s, mailing out free trial discs in enormous quantities. Its $165 billion merger with Time Warner in 2000 is widely regarded as the worst corporate deal ever made; Verizon bought what remained in 2015 for $4.4 billion.

Ownership timeline of AOL

Owners of AOL from 2021 to 2026 Apollo 2021–present Apollo 2021202220232024202520262027
  1. 2021 – present Apollo acquired 1 September 2021 [1][2] verified

Where AOL sits in Apollo

Controlling ownership as of . Brands grouped under the entity that owns them; large groups are collapsed.

Where AOL sits in Apollo Tree of 6 brands under Apollo. Apollo AOL Engadget Yahoo Yahoo Finance Yahoo Mail Yahoo Sports

Open the full Apollo ownership tree →

Other brands owned by Apollo in internet & digital

See the full Apollo brand portfolio (6) →

Deals involving AOL

Latest news about AOL

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Frequently asked questions

Who is the parent company of AOL?

The parent company of AOL is Apollo, a private-equity firm headquartered in the United States.

Is AOL American?

Yes. AOL originated in the United States in 1985 and its owner, Apollo, is also headquartered in the United States.

When did Apollo buy AOL?

Apollo completed its acquisition of AOL on 1 September 2021, after announcing the deal on 3 May 2021.

Who owned AOL before Apollo?

AOL was an independent company from its founding in 1985 in New York, New York until Apollo acquired it in 2021.

Is AOL still owned by Apollo?

Yes. As of 6 September 2026, AOL is still owned by Apollo. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.

Sources (2) & corrections

Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.

  1. [1] Apollo Global Management, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K filed 2026-02-25 — SEC EDGAR, SEC Form 10-K, published 25 February 2026; retrieved 6 September 2026.
  2. [2] Apollo Funds to Acquire Verizon Media, to be rebranded Yahoo — Apollo Global Management, Inc., Official press release, published 3 May 2021; retrieved 6 September 2026.

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