Sears, Roebuck & Co. confirmed today long-term speculation that it is selling off its 50 percent stake in the Prodigy online service.
"Sears's decision to seek a buyer resolves a long-standing issue," said Barry Kluger, Prodigy's senior vice president of corporate communications. "For Prodigy, it presents a wide array of new exciting options, all designed to continue to grow and enhance the asset."
The move comes only one day after H&R Block said it would turn CompuServe into a publicly traded company.
Sears is seeking a buyer for its stake in Prodigy, which no longer fits into Sears's strategy. Sears officials declined to identify potential buyers.
Prodigy was launched by Sears and IBM in 1984 and ranks as the third-largest online service with 1.5 million members. America Online is number one with 4.5 million members, and CompuServe is number two with 4 million.