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

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

3

Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

3

Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO

The other tech IPO that just faltered

By
Omar Akhtar
Omar Akhtar
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Omar Akhtar
Omar Akhtar
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 31, 2012, 6:45 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.



The specter of Facebook is still knocking around Nasdaq’s headquarters it seems. Last week, another tech IPO tanked on its opening day, recalling the social network’s flubbed May 18 offering.

Cloud-based software maker E2open’s (EOPN) share price dropped 9% after it opened on Thursday. The company had priced its offering of nearly 4.7 million shares at $15 a piece, but share prices opened at $14.11 before falling to $13.60 at the close of day. Speaking to CNBC, Mark Woodward, the company’s CEO said, “I think our investors are looking at where we are going to be in the future, not necessarily where we are trading today.”

E2open’s products allow companies to analyze and manage their supply chains. Its clients include Boeing (BA), Cisco Systems (CSCO) and General Electric (GE).

MORE: Secrets behind Amazon’s recommendations

Earlier in the week, Woodward had said there was roughly five times more demand than there were shares being offered. The initial valuation was based on the strong IPO showings of other enterprise technology firms, which have done very well — unlike social media companies Facebook (FB) and Zynga (ZNGA). Cloud-based software companies such as Splunk (SPLK), Demandware (DWRE) and Guideware Software (GWRE) have all seen their share prices increase more than 50% since going public.

In other words, the dip was a surprise. “It was my opinion that based upon the so-called over-subscription and previous performance of the other cloud-based companies, it would work,” says Scott Sweet, senior managing partner at IPO boutique, a firm that rates and provides advisory services on IPOs. “But it had nowhere near the same exponential revenue growth as those companies.”

While E2open has had consistent revenue growth — up 25.1% and 7.5% in the previous two years respectively — it was well below that of the cloud-based companies it was being compared to. What’s more, on its SEC filing, the company stated, “Throughout most of our history, we have experienced net losses and negative cash flows from operations.” Honest, but not exactly thrilling news to potential investors.

MORE: Death of Bob Diamond’s dream for Barclays

Sweet had rated E2open’s IPO a “buy” with a grade of “3” on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 5 being a strong “buy” and one being a strong “sell”). He says the over-subscription for the shares was at the speculative price of $14. “It was rated highly at the start but once investors found out it was going to be priced at $15, there was a lot of price sensitivity by the middle of the week.” Sweet says that is why he revised his rating from a “4” to a “3.”

Much like Facebook, Sweet says E2open suffered from skittish investors who flipped the shares the moment the price broke, putting further pressure on the stock. “It was a very poorly done IPO,” says Sweet. “It was mispriced from the start and the underwriters, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch (BAC), didn’t support it once the prices fell.”

Sweet says there were also concerns about the one of E2open’s biggest clients, Research In Motion (RIMM) and its much-reported financial woes. Woodward says RIM’s performance wouldn’t have as much of an effect since they were growing their customer base. “Last two years we’ve added 30 new customers, it’s been significant acceleration,” says Woodward. “Two years ago they were 20% of our total revenue, they’ll be 10% this year and next year they’ll be 3% of our revenue.”

MORE: The unspoken truth about Apple

A quarter of E2open’s business comes from Europe, a fact that Woodward says is more of an opportunity than a risk. He claims the technology provided by E2open could actually help some of its struggling customers by streamlining their operations and saving money. “Europe is our strongest performing geography,” says Woodward. “When business is tough, they’re looking for places to do better and save money and we can do that with our value proposition.”

All eyes are now on Eloqua and Legalzoom, tech companies that are set to go public this week. Like E2open, Eloqua is a software company for businesses while Legalzoom is an online provider of legal documents. Sweet says Eloqua “overall looks to be a better deal financially and is better priced,” but there may still be a “hangover effect” from E2open’s performance. “The question investors will always ask of the IPO market is ‘what have you done for me lately?’” says Sweet. “It was a stumble that investors were just not used to seeing in an area that was largely immune from the market.”

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

Latest in

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
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

paralegal
AIdisruption
The most reassuring argument about AI and jobs quietly explains why Gen Z can’t get one
By Nick LichtenbergJune 29, 2026
1 hour ago
A data center construction site in Abilene, Texas.
AIData centers
This summer’s heat is a live stress test for data centers — here’s what it’s revealing in real time
By Tristan BoveJune 29, 2026
2 hours ago
Lisa Cook and E. Jean Carroll win against Trump at the Supreme Court
NewslettersMPW Daily
Lisa Cook and E. Jean Carroll win against Trump at the Supreme Court
By Emma HinchliffeJune 29, 2026
2 hours ago
Photo of Jim Farley
AIAutos
Ford realized AI wasn’t capable of taking human jobs years ago—and hired 350 ‘gray beard’ engineers to steer its program
By Sasha RogelbergJune 29, 2026
2 hours ago
The Supreme Court upholds Fed independence by saving Lisa Cook’s job—and also saves U.S. debt from a crisis
EconomyFederal Reserve
The Supreme Court upholds Fed independence by saving Lisa Cook’s job—and also saves U.S. debt from a crisis
By Jason MaJune 29, 2026
2 hours ago
Seated woman speaking
HealthBrainstorm Tech
‘Cop on your wrist’— Wearables offer tons of data but people are still going to sleep to Netflix and TikTok
By Amanda GerutJune 29, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
5 days ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
2 days ago
Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO
Success
Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 28, 2026
1 day ago
Cristiano Ronaldo is soccer's first-ever billionaire: He went from begging for burgers outside McDonald's to landing a $400 million contract
Success
Cristiano Ronaldo is soccer's first-ever billionaire: He went from begging for burgers outside McDonald's to landing a $400 million contract
By Preston ForeJune 28, 2026
1 day ago
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
Environment
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
By Catherina GioinoJune 28, 2026
2 days ago
Iran is forcing the U.S. into an escalation trap as a 'shadow war' over the Strait of Hormuz heats up that could kill the tenuous ceasefire
Politics
Iran is forcing the U.S. into an escalation trap as a 'shadow war' over the Strait of Hormuz heats up that could kill the tenuous ceasefire
By Jason MaJune 28, 2026
1 day 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.