Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/08/09/skype_share_offering/
Skype gets ready to float
IPO for VOIP
Posted in VoIP, 9th August 2010 14:01 GMT
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Best-known VoIP provider Skype has filed documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission to allow it to make an initial public offering of its shares.
The IPO remains a bit of a mystery - the number of shares on offer and the price range have not been revealed.
In 2009 eBay said Skpe was worth $2bn [1] - which sounds like a lot until you remember that eBay paid $2.6bn [2] for the company.
The flotation will be jointly co-ordinated by Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley.
BofA Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital, Citigroup Global Markets, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and Deutsche Bank Securities are all "book-running managers".
A prelimary prospectus will be available from Goldman Sachs but is not available yet.
The full release is available here. [3]
Skype was founded by Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, bought then sold by eBay. The two founders subsequently sued eBay [4] for licence infringements. ®