Facebook gets exemption from SEC rule that forced Google to go public

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/nov2008/tc20081120_566312.htm

by theoneill • 18 years ago

20 9 18 years ago

That has got to be the dumbest law I've ever heard of. Anyone understand the details of why it was implemented? It sounds like a knee-jerk reaction to the stock market crash...

paddy_m2• 18 years ago

which law? the original one, or the one that facebook got an exemption from?

run4yourlives2• 18 years ago

Under the Securities & Exchange Act of 1934, a private company must start disclosing financial results publicly once it has more than 500 stockholders and $10 million in assets.

That one.

paddy_m2• 18 years ago

I would imagine that this is primarily helpful for facebook because they don't want the market to figure out what they are really worth. People still half believe the $15B figure, or even the $4B market cap that facebook has acheived. I think the market would value them very differently. As long as facebook can continue having hires believe that it is worth 15 or even 4, it is in a much better spot for hiring.

Google on the other hand, really didn't want to go public. They knew that they would be highly valued, but didn't want the quarterly treadmill. They honestly had nothing to hide, they also probably had some idea that their stock would skyrocket, and I think they still didn't care they wanted to build a company for the long haul

ksvs• 18 years ago

Different markets value companies differently. No company in its right mind would choose to be valued by this one.

ajkirwin• 18 years ago

I love this part -- gearing up for acquisitions, especially of Internet startups that have plunged in value. "Six to 12 months ago, many of these companies were priced to perfection," says James Breyer, a managing partner of venture firm Accel Partners who also is a Facebook director and investor. --

Priced to perfection? Obviously not. But then, the guy is obviously trying to keep whatever share his firm has in facebook's worth up.

fallentimes• 18 years ago

Good - turning in to a public company has become a complete disaster.

Chief Diversity Officers, suits, red tape, bureaucrats, auditors, endless paperwork, meetings and sub committees eagerly await you.

Stay private if you can.

icky• 18 years ago

I am more interested in why they got this special dispensation...

pg• 18 years ago

It's arguably an obsolete rule. Employees with vested options are not the sort of stockholders regulators had in mind when they created this rule.

Facebook gets exemption from SEC rule that forced Google to go public

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