The IPO Market Is Dead... Except For Porn?

from the seems-unlikely dept

Wed, Dec 24th 2008 3:05pm — Mike Masnick

The IPO market had almost entirely dried up already, before we reached financial meltdown in the second half of the year -- and the resulting financial crisis certainly hasn't made the IPO market any brighter. So, we certainly weren't expecting to hear of any internet companies trying to go public... but it seems at least one company thinks that now's the right time for an online porn company to go public. Apparently, Adult FriendFinder has filed to go public. The company, which used to be known as Penthouse Media Group until it bought the startup Adult Friendfinder not so long ago, is hoping to raise a bunch of money. I'd be surprised if this actually went anywhere. While some might claim that porn is always a growth market, it's a highly competitive one, and often seen as a bit sketchy on the business side. Plus, the underwriters are a little known Russian investment bank. On top of all that, it's looking to use the money not for expansion, but mostly to pay off debt. In this economic climate, with the current IPO window slammed pretty tightly shut, does anyone actually expect this one to go anywhere?

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Filed Under: ipo, porn
Companies: adult friendfinder

10 Comments

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Lucretious, 24 Dec 2008 @ 3:07pm

ugh, one of the worst spam service patrons to ever exist.
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Clouser, 24 Dec 2008 @ 4:02pm

Sketchy but Significant
Too sketchy I doubt it goes anywhere. Who is going to buy the stock? Will institutions bid in on this one?

The porn part is just a bit of the concern What about the investment bank? What is known about the Penthouse Media Group?

On the other hand, this business is a cash machine. Started in Palo Alto by a Stanford Ph.D. in computer science and has been humming ever since. They are on track to do $320 million in revenues this year. Spam or no spam there is a lot of free cash generated.

I suspect some other private player will acquire it from the current shareholders.
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Randy, 24 Dec 2008 @ 5:19pm

I'm in
and out and in again
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Dec 2008 @ 6:30pm

Double entendre
Doesn't it seem a little alarming that the company is seeking IPO, but doesn't desire expanding?
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gvegas864, 25 Dec 2008 @ 6:33am

another blast
am I the only one who sees this as just another marketing ploy?
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Mark Regan, 26 Dec 2008 @ 1:02am

What's So Bad About That?
Our the assets of our COUNTRY has been sold to the highest bidders over the past eight years, to such an extent that we are having to print trillions of dollars in worthless paper money to cover the trillions of losses due to the actions of our incumbent President. Instead of an IPO, he had a government giveaway.

So a porno company may be profiting a bunch of Russian or Californian folks? That is the business of the people rich enough to buy the stock certificates they are printing up and offering to sell.

How could those stock certificates be any more worthless than the US currency which will be tendered for those same certificates? Which situation is more of a fraud? The way I see it, the certificates might eventually be worth MORE than the DOLLARS they are bought with.
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Kilgore Trout, 26 Dec 2008 @ 8:07am

Re: What's So Bad About That?
I applaud your ability to inject meaningless political tripe into a discussion about porn.
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known coward, 26 Dec 2008 @ 12:25pm

but will being a stock holder
help me get laid?
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Dec 2008 @ 12:31pm

Re: What's So Bad About That?
A bonus though is if they go under with the last of the funds they will ship out the remaining stock of amateur stars
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Nate3000, 28 Dec 2008 @ 11:17am

Porn?
I could be wrong, but does that website actually count as porn?
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