Facebook to File for IPO Feb. 1: WSJ Report | eWeek

Facebook to File for IPO Feb. 1: WSJ Report

Jan 27, 2012
1 minute read
eWeek content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More

The Wall Street Journal, citing an unnamed source with knowledge of the situation, reported Jan. 27 that Facebook will file for its long-awaited initial public offering of stock on Wednesday, Feb. 1.
If this event, which had been projected by several financial analysts to happen later this spring, does indeed take place, it will easily be the largest IT IPO in history. The sale is expected to bank somewhere in the vicinity of $10 billion for the social network and value the Menlo Park, Calif.-based company at a whopping $100 billion.
In contrast, Google’s Aug. 19, 2004 IPO on the NASDAQ exchange garnered $1.7 billion at $85 per each of 19 million shares for the search engine and Web services company. Google now is valued at $140 billion. Google was trading at $576.38 on Jan. 27, up $8 on the day.
The largest tech IPO on record is that of Germany-based Infineon, which raised $5.9 billion in 2000.
Facebook recently was valuated at about $50 billion, following a $1.5 billion investment from Goldman Sachs and Digital Sky Technologies announced Jan. 22.
Details on the Facebook news are few and far between. Facebook itself isn’t commenting. But the Journal has a solid record on stories of this nature.
Morgan Stanley will manage the Facebook offering, the Journal said, adding that Goldman Sachs will be “intimately involved.”
Facebook suspended trading in secondary markets for three days earlier this week, which apparently was an indication that an IPO is indeed forthcoming.

eWeek Logo

eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site's focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.