Skip to main content

Pandora files for IPO

pandora ipoPandora filed its S-1 form today, indicating it will go public in mid 2011. According to the form, the company could potential bring in $100 million. We mentioned back in January that Pandora was one of the companies most likely to file for IPO this year, and also reported that it was speculated to be priced around $100 million. Turns out we were right.

Here are some of the more interesting items from its S-1 form:

  • Pandora currently has more than 80 million registered US users.
  • Among the risks associated with its business are: retaining current listenership, its unproven business model, and the evolving licensing structure of the music industry.
  • The company has “incurred significant operating losses in the past and may not be able to generate sufficient revenue to be profitable.”
  • It wants to go global.
  • In 2010, its ad revenue jumped from $29 million the year before to $78 million.
  • Founder Tim Westergren owns 2.39 percent of the company, while CEO Joseph Kenney owns 2.71 percent.
  • The deal is being lead by Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan.

Basically, Pandora’s concerns are focused on retaining its listening over the long term. Which is legitimate, given the constantly evolving face of music streaming and the Internet. According to Business Insider’s analysis, it could be valued around $1.2 billion.

That’s makes two social websites that have filed for IPO in 2011. If this means that floodgates have opened, who’s next?

Editors' Recommendations

Molly McHugh
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…
MySpace is Trying to Acquire Imeem
myspace is trying to acquire imeem thumb music

Online social hub MySpace is in talks to acquire struggling free music streaming site imeem, two people familiar with the matter said Tuesday.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity because talks are confidential.

Read more
Ancestry.com Hopes to Raise $100 Million in IPO
ancestry com hopes to raise 100 million in ipo thumb

Genealogy Web site Ancestry.com hopes to raise about $100 million when it goes public this week. With more than a million paying subscribers, little competition, a small debt load and a record of increasing revenues, it may fare better than other IPOs that have recently priced below their filing ranges.

The Provo, Utah-based company, which is the world's largest online resource for birth certificates and marriage records, expects to price the shares between $12.50 and $14.50 apiece on Wednesday. Underwriters are being offered up to an additional 1.1 million shares to cover overallotments, which would boost total proceeds to about $115 million.

Read more
The best HP laptops to buy in 2023
HP Spectre x360 13.5 front angled view showing display and keyboard deck.

HP offers several excellent laptop lines that are tailored for professionals, traveling, and student use, and it generally makes great all-purpose laptop models for those who want dependability and performance. HP laptops show up on our best laptops and best 2-in-1s lists, among others. However, picking and customizing an HP laptop can be a confusing process for newcomers, and it's not always immediately clear what differences mark the various HP lines, nor which is the best pick.

Allow us to make the choice easier with our list of the best HP laptops available in 2023, and an explanation of what each model excels at.

Read more