LinkedIn to Buy Online Career-Skills Educator lynda.com for $1.5B

LinkedIn Corp. (NYSE:LNKD) agreed to acquire online career-skills educator lynda.com in a cash-and-stock deal valued at about $1.5 billion.

Carpinteria, Calif.-based lynda.com offers courses in business, teaching and creative skills for individual professionals as well as corporate, government and educational organizations in several languages.

Mountainview, Calif-based LinkedIn makes most of its money from job recruiting, premium subscriptions and advertising. The social network for professionals has been continuing its shift to mobile as well as expansion abroad.

Following the closing of the deal, expected in the current quarter, most members of the lynda.com team are expected to join LinkedIn. The deal will be funded 52% in cash and 48% in stock.

Lynda.com is funded in part by Accel Partners, Spectrum Equity, TPG Capital and Meritech Capital Partners.

(By Tess Stynes)