As the start of an original public offering, Skype has filed financial documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The filings included some numbers that were surprising to industry watchers. The ownership structure behind Skype will be rather difficult, though the service itself will hopefully remain rather unchanged.
Financial health revealed in Skype IPO paperwork
The Skype IPO is proposed at a value of about $ 100 million. The Skype SEC filings revealed revenue and income that worries some analysts. Skype reports $ 406 million in revenue in just the last six months. The net income of Skype was reported at only $ 13 million. With a 3 percent net margin, the business isn’t exactly growing easily. The nine percent of users that pay for the service pay an average of $ 96 per year.
The structure of ownership for Skype
After the Skype IPO, the ownership structure will be complicated in comparison. American shares are being offered within the company, even though it is located in Luxemborg. Stock holders, employees, and private investors will all be considered company owners. These three groups will own stock in Skype S.A.,. This business will own reasonably equal parts Skype Global Holdco and Skype Global. These holding businesses will be split into Skype, Inc. and Springboard Finance, L.L.C. 13 operating corporations, including Skype Sweden and Skype Europe, will be operated by Springboard Finance, L.L.C..
Possible changes following the Skype IPO
Operating funds are the goal of the Skype IPO. Offering stocks can, at times, fundamentally change a company. The iPhone application is proving popular, and Skype is already making deals with numerous wireless carriers. Nothing is for certain yet, so Skype’s 500 million users could have to wait to see what the effect of the Skype IPO can be.
