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Intro
After years of watching and wondering, the day analysts and investors have been waiting for has finally come: Facebook announced today that it plans to file for its initial public offering (IPO) in April. The world's largest social network said it plans to sell off $10 billion worth of stock which would give it a hefty valuation of $100 billion, making it the biggest tech IPO in history. It would also make Mark Zuckerberg incredibly wealthy. But what other companies have caked off with huge IPOs? Read on to find out.
Equinix
10. Equinix
What it does: Provides network-neutral data centers for businesses.
IPO Date: August 11, 2000
Money raised: $240 million
What exactly is a network-neutral data center? It's a place where an Internet company can run its server computers. In today's world, that's a big business. Equinix capitalized early with a $95 million venture round in June of 2000, then went ahead and filed for an IPO underwritten by Goldman Sachs. And where'd all that money go? To the development and construction of new data centers, of course. Oh, and to a charity: Equinix Foundation charitable fund.
Limelight Networks
9. Limelight Networks
What it does: Provides content delivery solutions
IPO Date: June 7, 2007
Money raised: $240 million
You've probably never heard of Limelight Networks, but if you're an Xbox Live member, you've used its services a lot. The company uses a global fiber-optic network to help companies deliver content directly to their customers without having to use the public Internet spectrum. It helps Microsoft get all the Xbox Live content into your living room, it helped NBC stream the Beijing Olympics online, and has done work with a large number other big companies like Disney, EA Sports, and Netflix. So when it decided to go public in 2007, it was sort of a no-brainer. It sold 16 million shares at $15 to raise $240 million.
Spark Networks
8. Spark Networks
What it does: Online dating website network
IPO Date: February 16, 2006
Money raised: $259 million
After already trading on the German stock exchange, Spark Networks, owner of some of the most popular niche dating sites like, JDate.com (for Jewish singles), and AmericanSingles.com, decided to go public. Its high valuation shined a light on the online dating market and how valuable it could be.
Via Net. Works
7. Via Net.Works
What it does: Internet service provider
IPO Date: February 18, 1999
Money raised: $315 million
A year after the Va.-based Internet access provider went public, it decided to have another go and sell an additional two million shares. Why? Massive expansion. Looking to spread its reach, the company was looking to purchase a European and Brazilian ISP, after already bagging two European IPSs in the previous month.
6. LinkedIn
What it does: Social networking site for working professionals.
IPO Date: May 19, 2011
Money raised:$360 million
People began mumbling about bubbles when the eight-year-old "Facebook for professionals" announced it was going public. Despite pulling in $243 million revenue in 2010, LinkedIn said that it would be selling 7.84 million shares priced at $35 each, giving it a market value of $3 billion. On its IPO day, shares went for more than double the expected price at $86. To save its ass, LinkedIn cautioned that its growth is expected to slow in the future. Good one.
Northpoint Communications
5. Northpoint Communications
What it does: Competitive local exchange carrier
IPO Date: May 5, 1999
Money raised: $360 million
At the time of its IPO, NorthPoint, a company that handled data transmissions for ISPs, was one of the most promising companies of the 1999-2000 dot com boom. And then the bubble popped. With almost every company incurring serious losses, NorthPoint lost many customers which, in turn, hurt its yearly earnings for 2000. It was so bad, Verizon, which was on pace to purchase the company to merge its DSL service, took back its offer. A year later, NorthPoint filed for bankruptcy.
Savvis
4. Savvis
What it does: Corporate and government IT solutions
IPO Date: February 15, 2000
Money raised: $408 million
More money, more problems. A year after Savvis's parent company, Bridge Information Systems, decided to dump the IT company and bring it public, Bridge went bankrupted. Savvis, however, continued to grow and grow and grow to the point where it was snatching up complementary companies to strengthen its brand and services. Things hit a rough patch, though, in 2005 when CEO Robert McCormick was listed as a defendant in a claim brought on by American Express. AMEX claimed McCormick ran up a $241,000 bill at New York's Scores strip club. McCormick said the charges were fraudulent, while Scores said it was him and whipped out fingerprint evidence to prove it. McCormick later resigned after an official investigation.
Navteq Corp
3. Navteq
What it does: Provider of Geographic Information Systems data and GPS data and software services.
IPO Date: August 9, 2004
Money raised: $880 million
Started in 1985 as Karlin & Collins, Inc., a company that developed a computer kiosk that could print door-to-door directions at car rental locations, the company was eventually purchased by Philips Electronics in the '90s and attempted to make a car-based GPS mapping device which never came to be. After many failed attempts, Philips was finally able to take the company public, raising nearly $1 billion and allowing it to expand its reach. It opened offices in the Netherlands, South Korea, and Japan and became one of the biggest names in personal and professional GPS systems. It was so good, Nokia decided to buy it in 2007 for $8.1 billion.
Groupon
2. Groupon
What It Does:Provide discounted gift certificates and daily deals.
IPO Date: November 4, 2011
Money raised: $700 million.
Groupon may be the most controversial company to go public. Here's why: No one believes Groupon is worth much of anything at all. Google attempted to buy the Chicago-based company back in 2010 for $6 billion, but Groupon turned down the offer. The same year the company raised $950 million in venture capital funding which gave it a valuation of $6.4 billion. However, it later came out that the company used most of the money raised to pay its three founders and a few early investors. It was also revealed that it loses around $100 million every quarter. Despite push back from analysts who said its financials were murky and inaccurate, Groupon still forged ahead with its IPO and raised an astounding $700 million, giving it a 12.7 billion valuation. Unfortunately, a month later, Groupon's stock price dropped by a half.
1. Google
What It Does: Search. And everything.
IPO Date: August 18, 2004
Money raised: $1.67 Billion
Back in 1998, before Google even added the "Inc." to its name, Andy Bechtolsheim, co-founder of Sun Microsystems, tossed Sergy and Larry $100,000 to keep the party going. Six years later, after turning down a $1 million buyout offer by Excite CEO George Bell, and a 1999 $25 million round of funding, Google decided to go public. First day of trading saw 19,605,052 shares being swapped for $85! The $1.67 billion Google raised gave the search company a market value of $23 billion, or roughly the same market value as General Motors at the time. The rest is history.