Be Free Acquisition

Be Free Inc., which provides Internet-marketing services for online merchants, agreed to buy closely held TriVida Corp. for as much as $189.2 million in stock to add Web-based advertising tools. Be Free will pay 1.56 million shares, valued at $168.7 million, and assume outstanding options to buy TriVida’s capital stock for an additional 190,000 shares of Be Free stock, valued at $20.5 million, based on Tuesday’s closing price of $108.13. Culver City-based TriVida’s technology tracks consumer preferences and purchases, and suggests goods and services for consumers to buy while surfing the Internet. The Marlborough, Mass.-based company has 252 customers, including America Online Inc., CMGI Inc.’s Alta Vista Co., Infospace.com Inc. and Forrester Research Inc. Be Free shares fell $1.88 to close at $106.25 on Nasdaq.