Reddit Eyes $748M IPO Raise at $6.5B Valuation Amid Market Slump

At a time when the Initial Public Offering (IPO) arena witnessed a dip, Reddit Inc., the celebrated social media platform comes forward to buck the trend. 

Reddit and its investors are laying the groundwork to raise as massive as $748 million, setting its IPO as one of the grandest of 2023.

Reddit, with a strategic alignment with its current stakeholders, plans to sell 22 million shares each for a price band of $31 to $34. 

The ambitious move looks at fortifying its position by raising its valuation close to $6.5 billion, consequently marking a significant achievement in the company’s growth trajectory.

Separately, Reddit has carved out approximately 1.76 million shares to be acquired by its user and moderator community, who had onboarded before the onset of 2023. 

Uniquely distinguishing its approach, these shares won’t adhere to a lockup period, empowering the owners to trade them on the IPO’s first day.

Evolving Valuation Adventure: A Roundabout Journey

Reddit’s journey to listing is a strategic marathon sprayed with market volatility. It began with an initial confidential filing in 2021, set at the backdrop of the largest ever IPO record of $339 billion on US exchanges. 

Throughout 2021, Reddit went through fundraising activities, placing its value at $10 billion. Bloomberg News hinted at the possibility of Reddit being pegged at a whopping $15 billion ahead of its IPO during 2022, but a slump in the IPOs dashed initial projections.

By 2022, IPOs’ overall performance was a letdown, merely reaching a value of $26 billion. By the time January rolled around, Reddit set its sight on a valuation of at least $5 billion, based on early discussions with potential IPO investors.

The High-Stakes Waiting Game: What Lies Ahead for Reddit’s IPO?

Reddit’s IPO announcement certainly adds flamboyance to the list of future public companies. However, the IPO game in the US market has been rather tepid recently. 

While this may serve as a potential roadblock for Reddit, other notable players like healthcare payments company Waystar Technologies Inc. and Microsoft Corp.-backed startup Rubrik Inc. are as keen as ever in the IPO lineup.

Astera Labs Inc, a software maker in the AI field aiming to fetch $534 million through its IPO, precedes Reddit’s journey towards public listing. 

Amid this evolving market landscape, Reddit’s listing will be under the microscope by potential IPO contenders, with many curious to see the ripple effects in the market.

In conclusion, Reddit’s IPO is not just an anticipated large-scale public listing. It’s a move set to disrupt market norms and hold its ground in a waning IPO environment. 

As Reddit strides ahead on this pivotal journey, the world watches in anticipation, poised to bear witness to an exciting era in the US stock market.

Susan Paige

Susan Paige is a prolific female writer known for her insightful analyses on business news, particularly focusing on the stock market, cryptocurrency, and related topics. With a keen eye for trends and a knack for distilling complex concepts into accessible pieces, she captivates readers with her expertise and clarity.