[GTKrockeTT]

Should be the largest ever...who's going to be in there from day 1? ;D

 

[Guest]

Huh? 'Splain....

 

[Fjamming]

Got some professional advice?

Should be the largest ever...who's going to be in there from day 1? ;D

 

[GTKrockeTT]

Visa is going IPO, rumored to be March 19 or 20th. It will be the largest single IPO, possibly sourcing 19 billion in funding. MasterCard went IPO about 2 years ago, and is currently trading over 400% above its IPO price, and Visa handles much much more CC transactions globally.

 

[Guest]

Aaaahhhhh - thanks for the layman's terms. I have an English degree, and hate math/finances. But since I have an English degree, it allows me to pay with the language....

 

[GTKrockeTT]

Got some professional advice?

buy buy buy...when you're afraid of the market, you buy. ;D

 

[Fjamming]

How did you come about this news? I'm curious.

 

[GTKrockeTT]

been reading up on this for awhile...ever since they filed with the SEC last year. looks like the IPO is right around the corner, tons of news blurbs on it now. google visa ipo, for all the dirt.

 

[Fjamming]

Is there a reason they're going IPO? What are they planning to do that they need the funds?

 

[GTKrockeTT]

i'm not on their board, so can't tell ya exactly.

but...they do owe some $3 billion in litigation costs for various lawsuits. remember that class action lawsuit regarding using your visa for international transactions?

financially, it just makes sense, they have over 50% of the global market share, and seeing their biggest competitor, mastercard, take it to the bank in their IPO, lights a fire i'm sure. also, visa is the official sponsor of the beijing olympics, so getting the IPO out prior to this summer is also of strategic importance.

 

[Fjamming]

Thanks for the heads up. After pulling my money out of the stock market in in 99, I've been putting it in real estate. Not sure if I can gather a significant investment in such short notice. Thank you nevertheless.

Time to start reading.

 

[DominicG]

someone put this in layman's please..

 

[mrsmainster]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I read that means Visa will now be offering shares to the public, sounds like if you in on it from day one in the long run could be a deal

 

[GTKrockeTT]

yes, Visa will be doing an initial public offering of 406 million shares of common stock. it's estimated that it will start at anywhere between $37 and $42. if history repeats itself (based on mastercard's IPO), Visa's shares should yield you a solid gain. of course, as with all equity investments, there is no guarantee, so do your due diligence.

 

[mrsmainster]

Ha! Lookie there reading does pay off! Actually I read the article on CNNMoney.com cause it's the first that popped up when I googled it and found it interesting!

 

[FJVP]

Keeping an eye on this one....

 

[GTKrockeTT]

while we're talking stocks. key an eye out for Citigroup too...they've been battered to the point where they could be a tremendous value now. PLUS, they own a sizeable chunk of Visa.

 

[Fjamming]

I heard VISA is going IPO tomorrow. Will need to find a broker.. Can't do it via internet-at least non that I'm aware of.

 

[GTKrockeTT]

too late bud, gotta trade like the rest of the serfs starting tomorrow. the millionaires and their brokers have already had their fun tonight.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/18/news/companies/visa_ipo.fortune/?postversion=2008031818

 

[Fjamming]

I hate you Doug! I've spent a combined of no less then 30 hours last week looking the web and fighting the urge to be a trader again. Dang it Doug! I've been trade free for 8 years but now this is bad...