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Facebook Valuing Itself at Up to $96 Billion in Internet IPO

Facebook Valuing Itself at Up to $96 Billion in Internet IPO

2012-05-03
Source: Bloomberg


Facebook Inc. (FB), the world’s most popular social-networking site, is valuing itself at as much as $96 billion in its initial public offering, the largest on record for an Internet company.

Facebook and its holders plan to sell about 337.4 million shares at $28 to $35 each, according to a regulatory filing today. At the top end of the range, the Menlo Park, California- based company would raise $11.8 billion, compared with the 2.92 billion euro ($2.8 billion) IPO for German Internet company T- Online International AG in 2000, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

That would value the company, led by 27-year-old Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg, at 24 times sales in the 12 months through March 31, compared with 5 times revenue for rival Google Inc. (GOOG), Bloomberg data show. Facebook’s popularity as a tool for staying connected online will spur demand for the stock, even as some investors steer clear of a valuation they deem too high, said Francis Gaskins, president of researcher IPOdesktop.com.

“Some people will buy Facebook stock no matter what -- they’ll just buy it......





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