SAN FRANCISCO — Yesterday, Airbnb (NASDAQ: ABNB) soared in valuation during its first day of trading with initial shares priced at $68 for the San Francisco-based home-rental platform. The company’s shares skyrocketed to 113 percent above the initial offering, closing at $144.47.
The company’s market capitalization reached $86.5 billion, with its offering raising $3.5 billion — making it the biggest IPO year-to-date.
“Airbnb’s strong debut come as little surprise in view of the enormous valuations accorded to anything ‘tech,’” says professor John Colley, associate dean at Warwick Business School and an expert on IPOs. “After all, the company is nearer to profit than many recent and current IPOs.”
Prior to its IPO, Airbnb filed multiple updated S-1s with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in which the company announced plans to offer 51.9 million shares at $44 to $50 per share then increased its offering to $56 to $60 per share.
The 13-year-old company has experienced growth since its founding with gross booking value (GBV) topping $38 billion in 2019, representing a 29 percent growth from $29.4 billion in 2018.