Stock Trading

01/27/2012 7:17 PM
By SHAYNDI RAICE And RANDALL SMITH

Facebook Inc. could file papers for its initial public offering as early as next week, people familiar with the matter said, as anticipation mounts for what is likely to be one of the biggest debuts for a U.S. company.

The deal, seen as defining moment for the latest Web investing boom, could raise as much as $10 billion and value the social network between $75 billion to $100 billion, said people familiar with the matter. A valuation of $75 billion would be below earlier expectations.

The website, which in less than eight years has attracted more than 800 million members, has changed the way people across the globe communicate, from organizing political protests to sharing baby pictures.


Facebook could file IPO paperwork as early as Wednesday of next week, and Morgan Stanley is close to winning the "lead left" position in the IPO. Facebook has been valued between $75 and $100 Billion dollars.
The Internet giant is close to picking Morgan Stanley to lead the deal, these people said. Wall Street banks, many of them struggling amid a crimp in trading profits, have been jostling for a leading role in the deal, which could yield them tens of millions of dollars in banker fees, potential new business and bragging rights.

A nod for Morgan Stanley would mark a disappointment for rival Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which a year ago was viewed as having an edge to lead the deal. One person familiar with the matter said that while Morgan Stanley would likely land the coveted "lead-left" spot on an IPO financial filing, Goldman would also likely play a significant role.

Spokespeople for Facebook, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs declined to comment.

Facebook could file documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission as early as this coming Wednesday, said one person familiar with the matter. But that timing is just one scenario Facebook executives are considering, the person said. Executives are also considering filing a few weeks later, the person said.
Facebook's Investors Poised for Jackpot MarketBeat: NYSE, Nasdaq Battle For Big Kahuna Of Stock Listings Deal Journal: Bragging Rights at Stake for Underwriters Morgan Stanley Shares People familiar with the matter have said the company is targeting an IPO sometime between April and June.

A $10 billion Facebook offering would rank fourth among IPOs for U.S. companies, behind Visa Inc., General Motors Co. and AT&T Wireless, according to Dealogic. It would rank Facebook as the biggest U.S. Internet offering ever, replacing Google Inc., which raised $1.9 billion in 2004 at a $23 billion valuation.

At a $100 billion valuation, Facebook would be worth about the same as McDonald's Corp. and nearly half of Google.

Facebook's revenue is driven by its advertising business, as big brands rush to the site to interact with consumers through display ads and fan pages. Facebook has been able to increase its world-wide advertising revenue from $738 million in 2009 to $3.8 billion in 2011, according to estimates from research firm eMarketer. It isn't known if Facebook is profitable.

Facebook's final valuation will be determined by a variety of factors, people familiar with the matter said, such as investor demand for social media, the IPO market and the health of the European economy.

The IPO will mint a new generation of Silicon Valley millionaires on the level not seen since Google's offering. Some 3,000 people work at Facebook.

An IPO will also test the ability of Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, age 27, to manage a global company whose financial performance will be scrutinized every three months by investors. Mr. Zuckerberg started the company in 2004 out of his Harvard University dorm room. Overall, about 500 million users now log into the site daily, according to Facebook.

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FYI when I post I do not link charts as you and I have diff settings and we both know charts can turn on a moments notice.
Please do your own DD as I can only be held responsible if/when you make $$$$$$!

thestreet.com Tech Social Media Stocks Rally on Facebook News
By Olivia Oran 01/27/12 - 03:50 PM EST
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Add CommentStock quotes in this article:ZNGA, P, ANGI, LNKD, GRPN inShare.22NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Social media stocks rallied late Friday afternoon follows news that Facebook could file for an IPO as early as next week.
More on ZNGA

Facebook May Be Flinching on ValuationGroupon's Edge: It's a 'Cyborg'Zynga To Discuss Fourth Quarter And Full Year 2011 Results On February 14, 2012 Via WebcastMarket Activity
LinkedIn Corp| LNKD UPPandora| P UPAngie’s List| ANGI DOWNSocial gaming firm Zynga(ZNGA_) jumped 6.8% to $10.16 as business social network LinkedIn(LNKD_) rose 6.4% to $76.99.

Shares of online radio company Pandora(P_) soared 8.1% to $13.99, while online real estate site Zillow(Z_) climbed 6.6% to $28.33.
Groupon(GRPN_) shares, meanwhile, saw a slightly smaller gain of 3.3% to $20.17
Classifieds site Angie's List(ANGI_) was the only decliner of the group, with shares falling 1% to $15.43.
Facebook's IPO could value the company for as much as $100 billion, according to reports. The offering could be one of the largest IPOs in U.S. history.

__________________
FYI when I post I do not link charts as you and I have diff settings and we both know charts can turn on a moments notice.
Please do your own DD as I can only be held responsible if/when you make $$$$$$!