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Investors React to Snapchat's Historic IPO

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Snap Inc., the parent company of picture messaging app Snapchat, priced its highly-anticipated initial public offering at $17 per share Thursday, valuing the company at $24 billion. As investors waited for the first shares of Snap Inc. to finally begin trading, the social media world was buzzing about the pricing, valuation, and long-term future of one of the world’s most exciting young companies.

The Details

At $17 per share, Snap Inc. came in above its expected range of $14 to $16 per share, but either way, the IPO was slated to become the largest initial public offering since Alibaba (BABA - Free Report) debuted in 2014 (also read: Snapchat's $24 Billion IPO Arrives, The Biggest Tech Debut Since Alibaba)

Although its IPO prospectus defined it as a “camera company,” Snapchat is clearly a major playeron the social media landscape. In a broader sense, this is a massive day for the entire tech sector, as debuts like this are becoming increasingly rare.

For more on the ins and outs of the IPO, check out this exclusive interview from the Zacks Friday Finish Line Team and Kathleen Smith, a co-founder of IPO-focused research firm Renaissance Capital:

 

Social Media Reactions

Snapchat was hogging all of the headlines on Thursday morning:

 

And Snapchat co-founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy were on hand to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange:

As is standard with these massive market events, the sentiment on social media was mixed. Plenty of optimistic investors seem to have confidence in Snapchat’s current user experience and future potential:

medaytrading shared an idea on StockTwits

On the other hand, some investors are concerned about the company’s ability to make money and are not buying into the “hype” surrounding the IPO:

badfishsupertramp shared an idea on StockTwits

chris_barran shared an idea on StockTwits

Bottom Line

How will Snapchat fare in the future? Well, no one truly knows for sure, and its first day of trading will most likely by an unreliable gauge of its potential. In the social media sphere, Facebook had a rocky first day of trading, while shares of Twitter were up more than 70% on their debut. Now look where both companies are.

Nevertheless, today is a historic day on the market. Another major tech company has joined the fray, and whether you believe in the company or not, you must admit that these are exciting times.

Sentiment across the social media world was clearly split. How do you feel about Snapchat’s IPO? Join the conversation with ZacksResearch onStockTwits and Twitter!

Everything You Need to Know About Snapchat’s IPO Now

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