The Facebook / UConnect case is over, but
as the NYT notes, an interesting aside emerged:
ConnectU was apparently upset that Facebook’s valuation is not, as media reports have widely suggested, $15 billion, the valuation at which Microsoft invested in the company last year. The judge’s ruling says that subsequent to the $15 billion valuation, “Facebook’s board of directors determined a value of the company’s shares which was different than the valuation disclosed in the press release” announcing the Microsoft investment. That diluted the settlement amount, apparently enough to give ConnectU second thoughts. The decision does not reveal Facebook’s current valuation.
And lets be clear here - the sort of difference that would entice people to go to law again is seldom immaterial. Now a few days ago
TechCrunch valued Facebook at $2.4bn based on the Bebo deal (we calculated a similar price a few months ago) to $13.5bn using the Linked In deal - but Linked In is based on people with money, and I somehow doubt the uConnect people would have gone to all that trouble for a 10% valuation difference (unless the payout was sizeable of course....).
No, I'd bet there is quite a spread on the Facebook Buy / Sell prices.....I can see the arbitrargeurs running their rulers over this with renewed interest now
Be very, very interesting to see what Facebook's management actually thinks its worth. This being the internet, wonder how much time it'll take to get out - would you go long or short
Update...3 days later,
this post appears on TC implying a $3-4bn valuation.