The Russian investment company, Digital Sky Technologies [DST], is offering to buy up $100 million in shares from ex-employees of Facebook for $14.77 a share.
Russian investment group [DST] has placed a tender offer to purchase up to $100 million of common stock from current and former Facebook employees, [TechCrunch has] confirmed from a source close to the deal. Employees who would like to accept the offer must accept the terms within 20 business days from today. The offer is for $14.77 per share, valuing the company at $6.5 billion.
Facebook has confirmed the transaction, and sent the following statement from CEO Mark Zuckerberg: “While individuals must make their own decisions about participating in this program, I’m pleased that the price DST is offering is much greater than the price originally considered last fall. This is recognition of Facebook’s growth and progress towards making the world more open and connected.”
This comes just a little over a month after DST invested $200 million in Facebook, purchasing preferred stock that valued the company at $10 billion.
The agreement would make DST’s total stake 3.5%, if enough employees take the offer.
Why would they sell to this company at $14 a share when they could sell on nasdaq at over 30 (for the time being at least)?
Jack, this article is from 2009