On Monday, November 16, Airbnb filed it’s preliminary prospectus with the SEC, starting the clock on its long awaited initial public offering. On the same day, rising COVID cases caused more shut downs and restrictions around the world, creating a clear disconnect. Why would a company that derives its value from short term rentals by people who travel want to go public, when a out-of-control virus is causing its business to shut down? In this post, I will argue that there are good reasons for Airbnb's IPO timing, and make my first attempt at valuing this latest entrant into public markets.
The Sharing Economy come home: The IPO of Airbnb!
The Sharing Economy come home: The IPO of…
The Sharing Economy come home: The IPO of Airbnb!
On Monday, November 16, Airbnb filed it’s preliminary prospectus with the SEC, starting the clock on its long awaited initial public offering. On the same day, rising COVID cases caused more shut downs and restrictions around the world, creating a clear disconnect. Why would a company that derives its value from short term rentals by people who travel want to go public, when a out-of-control virus is causing its business to shut down? In this post, I will argue that there are good reasons for Airbnb's IPO timing, and make my first attempt at valuing this latest entrant into public markets.