• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line

2

He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead

3

Tim Cook signed off on his final Apple earnings call with a warning about a ‘100-year flood’ in memory chip pricing

1

The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line

2

He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead

3

Tim Cook signed off on his final Apple earnings call with a warning about a ‘100-year flood’ in memory chip pricing
FinanceSnapchat

The Snapchat IPO Just Got a Lot Cheaper

By
Jen Wieczner
Jen Wieczner
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jen Wieczner
Jen Wieczner
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 16, 2017, 1:09 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Rumors of the Snapchat IPO valuation have been, well, at least somewhat, exaggerated.

Two weeks ago, when Snapchat’s parent company Snap Inc. first filed its IPO prospectus, we wrote about how insanely expensive Snap’s stock was likely to be. On Thursday, however, Snap updated its IPO filing with a proposed stock price for when it goes public in March (under stock symbol “SNAP”), and it’s not quite as high as had been widely expected.

Snap now hopes to price its stock at $14 to $16 per share, valuing the company at about $22 billion at the high end, but at $19 billion on the low end. That’s as much as 24% less than the $25 billion valuation for which Snap was reportedly aiming, which was also the Snapchat company’s private-market valuation as of its latest funding round.

And that means that Snap’s future shareholders won’t be taking quite as much risk by buying into the maker of the disappearing message app, which lost $515 million at its bottom line last year. At a valuation of $19 billion, Snap stock would trade at 47 times sales, not quite as sky high as the price-to-sales ratio of 62 that we previously computed. (Though if Snap prices at the high end of its range at $16 per share, giving it a valuation of around $22 billion, it would trade at almost 54 times sales.)

While Snap’s IPO will by no means be cheap, that more conservative price-to-sales valuation puts it in line with Twitter (TWTR) when that social media company went public. Twitter’s shares debuted at about 45 times the company’s sales.

Of course, Snap can still raise the price of its stock offering before it goes public. Snap has already raised the ceiling on the amount it plans to raise in the IPO, from $3 billion in its first filing to $3.68 billion in its latest one.

What’s more, Snap’s proposed valuation could be the Snapchat founders’ way of drawing more prospective investors in by allaying any squeamishness over too rich a price, while also setting the stage for the company to increase it after its IPO road show, as Fortune’s Erin Griffith points out. Such a move would give the impression of bursting demand for Snap stock, which would help the company’s founders justify an even higher valuation later on.

But that maneuver also comes with a history of cautionary tales, most notably that of Facebook (FB). When Facebook went public in 2012, it originally set a share price range of $28 to $35, but then upped it to $38 the night before the stock began trading. Facebook’s stock opened on the public markets at $42 per share, but in a disastrous twist, closed its first day back down at its initial $38 price. It would be more than a year before Facebook’s stock price would see that level again: Just two weeks after its IPO, Facebook shares had fallen even below the low end of its first proposed range.

Still, Facebook, even after it increased the price, wasn’t asking quite as much of its IPO investors as Snap plans to do. Facebook priced its IPO stock at 28 times sales, as much as 40% lower than the price-to-sales ratio Snap is proposing.

Nor would Snap wish for a journey like Twitter’s, despite going public at a similar valuation. Twitter stock dropped below its $26-a-share IPO price less than two years after going public in 2013. Today, Twitter shares trade at less than $17.

About the Author
By Jen Wieczner
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Finance

cuban
Arts & EntertainmentMark Cuban
Mark Cuban’s Las Vegas A’s investment is his ‘Sports 2.0’ Dallas Mavericks playbook all over again — with one key change
By Joshua HongJuly 31, 2026
2 hours ago
After a nearly 1,000% surge, the AI debt orgy can’t last forever, while hidden borrowing has exploded to $1.65 trillion
Big TechDebt
After a nearly 1,000% surge, the AI debt orgy can’t last forever, while hidden borrowing has exploded to $1.65 trillion
By Jason MaJuly 31, 2026
3 hours ago
‘Retiring backwards’: How cold economic reality forced Gen X into something like the reverse of baby boomers’ golden years
SuccessRetirement
‘Retiring backwards’: How cold economic reality forced Gen X into something like the reverse of baby boomers’ golden years
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 31, 2026
3 hours ago
bernie
AIWhite House
16 Nobel laureates just warned AI could displace workers. Bernie thinks a sovereign wealth fund may be the answer
By Patrick J. Schena and The ConversationJuly 31, 2026
3 hours ago
kw
EconomyFederal Reserve
Kevin Warsh’s first big press conference shines a spotlight on confusion over how the Fed actually measures inflation
By Brandy Hadley, D. Brian Blank and The ConversationJuly 31, 2026
3 hours ago
Chair of the Federal Reserve Kevin Warsh speaks during a news conference at the William McChesney Martin Jr. Federal Reserve Board Building in Washington, DC, on July 29, 2026.
EconomyKevin Warsh
The Fed did exactly what Wall Street was expecting—so why are markets so vexed by Kevin Warsh?
By Eleanor PringleJuly 31, 2026
6 hours ago

Most Popular

The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
Retail
The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
By Tatiana SatauaJuly 31, 2026
12 hours ago
He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead
Success
He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead
By Preston ForeJuly 29, 2026
2 days ago
Tim Cook signed off on his final Apple earnings call with a warning about a ‘100-year flood’ in memory chip pricing
Big Tech
Tim Cook signed off on his final Apple earnings call with a warning about a ‘100-year flood’ in memory chip pricing
By Alexei OreskovicJuly 30, 2026
18 hours ago
Costco's $14 million email settlement: Who qualifies for an up-to $500 payment and how to claim before the Aug. 24 deadline
Retail
Costco's $14 million email settlement: Who qualifies for an up-to $500 payment and how to claim before the Aug. 24 deadline
By Sydney LakeJuly 29, 2026
2 days ago
Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
Personal Finance
Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 31, 2026
12 hours ago
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
Real Estate
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 25, 2026
6 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.