Jack Dorsey and his Twitter are expected to go public in the next one or two years.
Introduction: After Facebook filed its IPO application, it is expected that 11 other tech companies will go public in the next one or two years. Among them, the most attention-grabbing ones are undoubtedly Twitter and Dropbox.
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Facebook finally filed its IPO application last week. The company was founded 8 years ago, has attracted 850 million users, and before initiating the IPO, its annual profit has reached 1 billion dollars. Such a long wait may cause some disappointment. But don't worry, in the next one or two years, there are another 11 companies expected to go public. Although none of these can match the scale of Facebook - maybe one could - but they all have their own unique features.
Details are as follows:
1. Twitter
Twitter generates almost as much anticipation as Facebook. The company's CEO Dick Costolo once said that Twitter would not IPO in the short term and had enough funds to ensure long-term operation. However, eventually, Twitter will also go public like Facebook, possibly in 2013 or 2014.
To achieve this, Twitter's advertising revenue must grow sufficiently or find another business model.
2. Dropbox
A few years ago, Dropbox rejected an acquisition offer from Apple worth $800 million. Now, the company's valuation reaches $4 billion to $5 billion. There aren't many buyers who can afford such a high price, so an IPO is the most likely option.
3. Square
This company was established not long ago, but it has already gained real income and impressive growth. Founded by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, as of last November, its daily transaction processing volume has reached $11 million, growing more than 11 times within 8 months.
Square has ample operating funds, but an IPO will ultimately provide investors with a cash-out opportunity; they have already invested over $100 million in the company. IPO documents will also eventually answer a question: Has Square made money from these transactions? How much?
4. AirBNB
This travel house rental website saw its business volume grow fivefold last year, and its current valuation exceeds $1 billion. Although the private leasing industry has faced some negative reporting, it hasn't affected AirBNB's rapid growth. Last October, the company stated it didn't plan to IPO in 2012, but having already attracted over $100 million in investment, it will ultimately seek an exit channel for investors.
5. Vente Privee
This French website has inspired numerous flash sale websites in the U.S., with revenues of $1.3 billion in 2010, and the 2011 performance remains unknown. They once rejected Amazon's acquisition offer worth $3 billion, hoping to eventually build a company valued at $15 billion.
6. Gilt Groupe
This group-buying site saw its revenue exceed $500 million last summer and plans to IPO in 2013. Its founder Kevin Ryan once said the company would turn positive cash flow this year and plans to go public in late 2012 or early 2013.
7. Rovio
Last year, there were reports that Zynga planned to acquire this "Angry Birds" developer for $2 billion. Rovio's chief marketing officer Peter Vesterbacka said the company rejected this offer because its growth rate was faster than Zynga's.
Rovio sells over a million "Angry Birds" T-shirts every month along with a large number of toys. Their animated characters appear on various goods like band-aids and woolen caps. Although the company has only released one blockbuster product so far, its success is astonishing. Therefore, there's every reason to believe in their potential.
8. AppNexus
This is an ad-tech company funded by Microsoft, whose CEO Brian O’Kelley once said that AppNexus considers going public at the end of 2012. Recently, the company recruited a new CFO, Bruce Cooperman, which might be preparation for the IPO.
O'Kelley mentioned that the company became profitable in August 2011, and its revenue quadrupled last year.
9. Workday
This human resources software developer could create the next major IPO in the enterprise applications sector. The company's CEO Aneel Bhusri said last year that the company might go public at the end of 2012. It's estimated that Workday's revenue last year was $300 million, doubling compared to 2010.
10. Box.net
Although the company is still incurring losses, once it becomes profitable, it is expected to initiate an IPO. Latest news shows that the company loses $20 million annually while generating revenues between $25 million to $40 million. However, its user base is growing by 1 million per month.
If Box.net can continue to grow and slow down its burn rate, it is expected to be ready for an IPO in 2013. This will also help investors recoup the $160 million invested in the company.
11. Glam Media
This is a multi-billion-dollar enterprise and one of the most visited online assets in the U.S. The company's websites and ad properties attract over 200 million unique user visits globally each month, making it one of the top ten largest online assets in terms of traffic in the U.S.
There are rumors that the company will IPO at the end of 2012. (Shu Yu)
Relevant Reports:
- Reuters column analysis suggests JD.com may go to the US IPO as early as March.
- Video publisher Brightcove IPO pricing range is $10 to $12.
- Financial comparison between Facebook and Google before IPO: net profit is nine times that of Google.
- A-share IPO financing amount is expected to decrease this year.
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