Could HSN be acquisition target?

ST. PETERBURG — Two stock analysts are suggesting that Liberty Interactive Corp. may be preparing to buy HSN Inc.

Alex Fuhrman, a senior research analyst that follows HSN for Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC, and Jason Bazinet, an analyst at Citigroup Inc., say that Liberty Interactive stands to have billions in cash on hand at the end of the year if it completes its spin off of the QVC shopping network. That capital would allow Liberty Interactive to make a large acquisition and they suggest that HSN makes more sense than many of the other companies in which the Englewood, Colo.-based holds an interest. Liberty Interactive Corp. already owns 38% of HSN.

Liberty Interactive is splitting itself into two public companies: QVC Group, which will hold QVC Inc. and its HSN interest, and Liberty Ventures Group, which will hold its other business, including interests in Expedia, Time Warner and Time Warner Cable and Lending Tree.