Yahoo Finance: Qihoo 360 Technology Co. Ltd. (QIHU/360 Security Technology Inc.)

While Qihoo 360 Technology Co. Ltd. (QIHU) is no longer publicly traded under that ticker symbol, its legacy and current iteration, 360 Security Technology Inc., are important to understand in the context of Chinese internet security and, at one point, its influence on platforms like Yahoo Finance.

Qihoo 360, once listed on the NYSE as QIHU, was a leading Chinese internet security company. It offered a range of products, most notably its free antivirus software, web browsers, and mobile security applications. Its popularity stemmed from its “freemium” model, offering essential security features for free while monetizing through other services and advertising. This strategy allowed Qihoo to rapidly gain a massive user base in China’s burgeoning internet market.

Yahoo Finance was a crucial platform for investors to track Qihoo’s performance, analyze financial statements, and stay informed about company news and press releases. The ticker QIHU provided a snapshot of the company’s market capitalization, trading volume, and other vital metrics. Analysts would utilize Yahoo Finance to publish their ratings and price targets, influencing investor sentiment and trading activity. The forum sections also allowed for discussions among shareholders, sometimes volatile and often opinionated, offering a communal space to debate the company’s prospects and strategies.

In 2016, Qihoo 360 delisted from the NYSE in a management-led buyout. This “going private” transaction valued the company at approximately $9.3 billion. The rationale behind the delisting was complex, with speculation pointing towards a desire to relist on the Shanghai Stock Exchange at a higher valuation, taking advantage of potentially more favorable market conditions and regulatory environments in China.

Following the delisting, Qihoo 360 restructured and eventually relisted on the Shanghai Stock Exchange via a backdoor listing, adopting the name 360 Security Technology Inc. While the ticker symbol changed, the core business remained focused on internet security, albeit with expansions into areas like smart hardware and enterprise security solutions.

Even though QIHU no longer exists on Yahoo Finance, its historical data remains accessible, providing valuable insights into the company’s past performance and the market’s reaction to its growth trajectory. Studying the past performance of QIHU can still be relevant for understanding the dynamics of the Chinese internet security market and the challenges and opportunities faced by companies operating within that sector. Furthermore, the delisting and relisting serve as a case study in the complexities of cross-border capital markets and the strategic decisions companies make regarding their listing venues.

Today, while searching “Qihoo” on Yahoo Finance might redirect you to information about 360 Security Technology Inc. through other channels, the legacy of QIHU as a publicly traded entity remains a part of internet history, demonstrating the rapid evolution of the Chinese tech landscape and the constant shifts in the global financial markets.

“`