Sergey Downplays Google IPO Prospects

Google has no plans to sell its shares to the public any time soon.

[EliteWeb]

Didnt see this mentioned yet but on news.com theres an article entitled Co-founder downplays Google IPO [news.com.com] which has quotes from Sergey Brin on Tuesday saying that he's too lazy to fill out the forms to go IPO and that there are better things to do :)

A fun read. One thing noted is that if they filed IPO competition would know Googles Finacial Status which is a good point :)

[Powdork]

Excellent find and good news for now.

[rfgdxm1]

My guess is the main reason they are waiting is because Internet stocks aren't doing well in general at the moment. Remember, Google is a mature company. They hold a huge share today of the business. Thus, I wouldn't expect a high P/E because growth potential is limited. Particularly in light of the history of Altavista. Whose on top can change in the SE business.

[vitaplease]

"It requires filling out a lot of forms. The S1, in particular, seems like a really long one,"

He may be joking, but he knows the name of the form..

Lets hope they really postpone it as long as possible.

[Tor]

He added that going public could cause the company to focus too closely on short-term financial concerns and distract employees who watch the day-to-day movements of the stock.

That sums it up pretty well at this stage of the company`s life I think. They obviously don`t need any extra equity for future development at all. That means that the external investors (VC`s) have agreed to wait before they can "harvest" from their initial investment.

[Mohamed_E]

Yet many employees might gladly give up some benefits in order to cash in their stock options. The financial reward to employees is one of the compelling reasons for an eventual IPO, Brin said. "So, we can't avoid it forever."

Nor, I suspect, for very long after the market recovers.

[GoogleGuy]

Also:
[internetnews.com...]
[wired.com...]

Honestly though, I don't know why folks think it's worth having a forum for a Google IPO watch..

[EliteWeb]

GoogleGuy, theres a pretty high percentage of people caring about google + ipo more and more people are eyeing it. Although I may not do stock stuff and other investment junkie type things I'm sure theres people willing to invest their families lives in google ;)

I'll keep watching it, and I have money people around me always asking bout google so there are the people out there interested in it. But I see your pheers, as stated in the article they would have to please the holders and watch money when right now they dont have to answer to the world and stuff going up and down. I wouldnt want something bad to happen then googleguy become Ex-GoogleGuy because of finacial situations moving things around. :D

Sergey Brin is a funny guy though talken bout the forms being too long :D

[Brett_Tabke]

And the operative words are....drum roll:

The financial reward to employees is one of the compelling reasons for an eventual IPO, Brin said. "So, we can't avoid it forever."

>worth having a forum for a Google IPO watch.

We'll be here to support you in your time of need when your are face-to-face with one of lifes most difficult decisions, to get the blue Porche or the red Porche?

[SEGuru2]

Nice Brett!

Ahem, I'm down to know as well.

In early, out early...applicable only to the thought that a stock like Google has the potential to be outta the gate.

That's a horse I'd bet on!

[EquityMind]

the silver Porsche Brett :)

Well...I figure I've made a lot of money since the emergence of Google and I owe it to them...the next step in the process would be to own a piece or 'em...even if it's a little itty bitty piece.....

[atadams]

to get the blue Porche or the red Porche

How 'bout one of each.

[taskmaster]

I do alot of trading and if Google got a IPO it would be a good investment, but over time Google will not be such a great SE like we see it now, investors want money and that means ads, paid per click, paid per inclusion in some of Googles other SE (Froogle).

zeus

[GoogleGuy]

Eh. My beat up car runs just fine. :)

If there's words like "IPO" in the forum, I may not post in here all that often. I'll probably read the posts though. :)

[Mohamed_E]

Hmmm ...

With all this talk of Porches perhaps it is time for ciml to rewrite his Search Engine Theme Pyramids and Google [webmasterworld.com] posting to use Porches rather than widgets in the examples :)

[joker197cinque]

What is IPO?

[lazerzubb]

IPO = Initial Public Offering

[Seth Finkelstein]

Hmm ... who gets "friends" shares? :-)

[loanuniverse]

If there's words like "IPO" in the forum, I may not post in here all that often. I'll probably read the posts though. :)

I think that is a wise idea Googleguy. One never knows and I am sure that if the company ever decides to go public all you guys will be drilled as to what you can and can not say by the investment bankers.

[scareduck]

From the NY Post:

[nypost.com...]

[rfgdxm1]

My guess is Google will wait for better market conditions. Google's biggest problem is it really doesn't have any sizzle to sell about future growth. Google already has the majority of the search market.

[mrguy]

If Google does go public, I hope two things happen:

1. I'm able to get in on it in the beginning before the stock goes through the roof

2. They stay true to their form and don't compromise the quality of what their doing.