Facebook is preparing for an IPO that is expected to surpass $100 billion, according to a new report.
If the forthcoming initial public offering surpasses $100 billion, it would be one of the largest in history, quadrupling Google’s $23 billion IPO in 2004. Only a couple dozen U.S. companies, including lions of corporate America such as Exxon Mobil, General Electric and J.P. Morgan Chase, have stock-market values above $100 billion.
CNBC reported the social networking website is expected to go public during the first quarter of 2012, which falls in line with a May 2012 deadline when Facebook will be required to publicly report its financial information, regardless of whether it is still a private or public company.
Facebook’s valuation will very much likely reflect LinkedIn’s stellar IPO performance.
Goldman Sachs invested $450 million in Facebook earlier this year. Goldman is seen by market analysts as capable of moving the market.
Facebook’s COO Sheryl Sandberg, recently said a Facebook IPO is “inevitable.”
