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I got a 1000 shares of Alibaba at the IPO price.

bidaskbidask Posts: 13,834 ✭✭✭✭✭
Not for me.

I gave them to our top 3 clients. image
I manage money. I earn money. I save money .
I give away money. I collect money.
I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.




Comments

  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 43,796 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I got an offer for a Capital One credit card.
  • MGLICKERMGLICKER Posts: 7,995 ✭✭✭
    I got hosed on a restaurants.com gift card which has more fine print than a Munchkin newspaper.
  • bidaskbidask Posts: 13,834 ✭✭✭✭✭


    Alibaba & 40 Facts

    When Alibaba makes its debut on the New York stock market on Friday, it will be the world's biggest initial public offering (IPO).

    Here are 40 facts you didn't know:
    1. Jack Ma was an English teacher when he started the site from his one-bedroom apartment in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, in 1998.
    2. In its early days, staff would pretend they were not Chinese when sending emails to American customers.
    3. It dominates internet retailing in China, where it powers 80% of online commerce.
    4. Alibaba is not Ma's first e-commerce venture – he founded China Yellowpages, said to be the first internet company in China.
    5. He set up Alibaba with $60,000 borrowed from 18 people.
    6. Ma first came across the internet in 1995 during a trip to Seattle. His first search? "Beer".
    7. Alibaba's sales for 2014 are estimated at $420bn (£257bn), dwarfing Amazon and eBay which had a combined turnover of $90bn in 2013.
    8. It has 300m customers - just short of the entire US population.
    9. On a single promotional day in November 2013, Alibaba recorded sales of $5.6bn.
    10. Ma is currently estimated to be China's third richest person, with a $10.3bn fortune. The float should catapult him into first place.
    11. His shareholding in Alibaba is 8.9%.
    12. Ma came up with the name Alibaba in a coffee shop in San Francisco. He pulled his waitress over to ask what she knew about Ali Baba and she replied: "Open Sesame." He says the name reflects how his business opens up opportunities for small businesses to sell their goods.
    13. Critics say fake goods appear rife on many Alibaba sites, although the company claims to spend millions rooting them out.
    14. It is expected that at least $22bn of shares will be sold on Thursday, in what is expected to be the world's largest IPO.
    15. If underwriters exercise an option to sell more shares, Alibaba's market debut will top Agricultural Bank of China Ltd's record $22.1bn listing in 2010.
    16. The company will start trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Friday.
    17. Its shares will trade under the ticker "BABA".
    18. New York was chosen for Alibaba's debut after the Hong Kong stock exchange's officials rejected its request to allow a small group of company insiders to nominate the majority of the board.
    19. Ma is well known for his flamboyance and has entertained staff singing The Lion King (view the video here, from 1.04).
    20. When he needs inspiration, Ma returns to the flat where he started the company.
    21. In a letter sent to staff the day that Alibaba filed its IPO prospectus, he said: "We will continue to adhere to the principle of 'customers first, employees second, shareholders third'."
    22. The company employs more than 25,000 people.
    23. The biggest shopping site under the Alibaba umbrella is Taobao, where 7m merchants sell their wares.
    24. After the IPO, power at the e-commerce giant will be concentrated in the hands of a 28-person partnership.
    25. The power structure has led to criticism that if an investor were unhappy about the direction of the company, they would have little ability to change it.
    26. New York was chosen for the listing in part due to its more relaxed attitude to voting, which will let Ma retain his grip on the company.
    27. The corporate structure will allow Ma and other senior staff to nominate more than half of the board members.
    28. It is thought Alibaba will target US and European markets after it lists despite low recognition of the brand.
    29. A recent US poll found that 88% of respondents had not heard of Alibaba.
    30. Ma has always been confident of dominating China and fending off eBay: "eBay may be a shark in the ocean, but I am a crocodile in the Yangtze river. If we fight in the ocean, we lose – but if we fight in the river, we win."
    31. Ma is said to be influenced by martial arts and kung fu movies and their principles of upholding righteousness.
    32. More than 50% of parcels sent in China are Alibaba parcels.
    33. Ma's talent for public-speaking and showmanship hailed from his parents, both past performers in the traditional storytelling art of ping tan.
    34. Much of the interest in Alibaba hails from investors eager to exploit China's booming economy.
    35. A team from Alibaba visited New York, Boston, Hong Kong and Singapore to drum up investor support.
    36. Alibaba's success is built on the huge number of internet users in China, estimated at 600 million.
    37. A new frontier for Alibaba is financial services – with its Alipay app which can be used to make payments – from paying taxis or investing in funds.
    38. Strong demand for shares raised the price range earlier this week to between $66 and $68 a share, up from the initial $60 to $66.
    39. At $68 a share, Alibaba would be valued at around $162.7bn which would make it the biggest float in history. This would make it larger than Amazon, which is valued at around $150bn.
    40. Despite his success, Ma once claimed that he has little knowledge about technology, limiting his computer use to surfing the web and emailing.

    This article was written by Shane Hickey, for theguardian.com on Thursday 18th September 2014 12.31 Europe/Londonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2010

    http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014/09/18/alibaba-and-the-40-facts/
    I manage money. I earn money. I save money .
    I give away money. I collect money.
    I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.




  • cohodkcohodk Posts: 18,553 ✭✭✭✭✭
    41. Ma's hero is Forrest Gump.
    Excuses are tools of the ignorant

    Knowledge is the enemy of fear

  • derrybderryb Posts: 36,116 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>41. Ma's hero is Forrest Gump. >>


    encouraging.



    << <i>32. More than 50% of parcels sent in China are Alibaba parcels. >>


    very encouraging.

    The decline from democracy to tyranny is both a natural and inevitable one.

  • GrumpyEdGrumpyEd Posts: 4,749 ✭✭✭
    I think the P/E is high but compared to Amazon it might be a bargain image
    Ed
  • bronco2078bronco2078 Posts: 9,964 ✭✭✭✭✭


    Not that we would be running around voting our shares but does it concern anyone that its really a derivative of the company you own and not the company itself?

  • ebaytraderebaytrader Posts: 3,312 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Not that we would be running around voting our shares but does it concern anyone that its really a derivative of the company you own and not the company itself? >>




    Just like all ADR's?


    Yes, and no.
  • ebaytraderebaytrader Posts: 3,312 ✭✭✭
    We need an Ali Baba in this country. Does anyone realize how difficult it can be to competitively source industrial supply at any level in the US?
  • BAJJERFANBAJJERFAN Posts: 30,977 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Not that we would be running around voting our shares but does it concern anyone that its really a derivative of the company you own and not the company itself? >>



    If you are a short term holder why would you even give a chit?
  • I wish I could get some shares but I know nothing about the stock market or buying or selling. Anytips on how to buy this stock online directly from my house? Sorry if I sound like an idiot but I never did it before.
  • bidaskbidask Posts: 13,834 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I wish I could get some shares but I know nothing about the stock market or buying or selling. Anytips on how to buy this stock online directly from my house? Sorry if I sound like an idiot but I never did it before. >>

    Open up a Amertrade account or many other discount brokerages you can choose from, and you can buy and sell online
    I manage money. I earn money. I save money .
    I give away money. I collect money.
    I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.




  • mariner67mariner67 Posts: 2,746 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I wish I could get some shares but I know nothing about the stock market or buying or selling. Anytips on how to buy this stock online directly from my house? Sorry if I sound like an idiot but I never did it before. >>



    Nothing personal meant here...but...this in itself is an ominous omen for the market in general and this stock in particular.
    JMHO
    Successful trades/buys/sells with gdavis70, adriana, wondercoin, Weiss, nibanny, IrishMike, commoncents05, pf70collector, kyleknap, barefootjuan, coindeuce, WhiteTornado, Nefprollc, ajw, JamesM, PCcoins, slinc, coindudeonebay,beernuts, and many more
  • derrybderryb Posts: 36,116 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>I wish I could get some shares but I know nothing about the stock market or buying or selling. Anytips on how to buy this stock online directly from my house? Sorry if I sound like an idiot but I never did it before. >>

    Open up a Amertrade account or many other discount brokerages you can choose from, and you can buy and sell online >>


    I like Scottrade online, they may even have an office near you. Fund it with an online transfer from your bank and start shopping. Like anything else, know what you are buying and the limits on when you can sell it (i.e. trading hours, or in the case of an IRA account the settlement date). If it is a non-IRA account (a cash or margin account) make sure you are buying only with your cash in the account. It is easy to make the mistake of buying on margin (borrowing from the broker) if your purchase total exceeds your cash balance. Do not buy on margin unless you know what you are doing.

    When looking at what stocks to buy do not overlook trading ETFs. They offer lots of investment possibilities (especially for PMs). Sorta like mutual funds but they trade just like your run of the mill stock.

    The decline from democracy to tyranny is both a natural and inevitable one.

  • Thank you, derryb!
    I opened my first account (with Scottrade) a couple of weeks ago and I am trying to learn the basics of investing in stocks.
    It may take me some time...image

    One question since you use the same website: How do you cash out with Scottrade, I didn't quite understand from their website info.

    Thanks!
    The member formerly known as Ciccio / Posts: 1453 / Joined: Apr 2009
  • derrybderryb Posts: 36,116 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Thank you, derryb!
    I opened my first account (with Scottrade) a couple of weeks ago and I am trying to learn the basics of investing in stocks.
    It may take me some time...image

    One question since you use the same website: How do you cash out with Scottrade, I didn't quite understand from their website info.

    Thanks! >>


    Never made a withdrawal but I believe it's just a matter of transferring the cash, on-line, to your bank. They may even offer a Scottrade checking account, check it out. Also, you may consider transferring any eligible IRAs or 401K balances to a Scottrade IRA account where you can make the investment decisions. I would look into converting to a Roth instead of rolling over to another regular IRA. In such a case the converted amount becomes taxable (I broke it over two years), but everything in the new roth account grows tax free, never to be taxed again (under current IRA law).

    Scottrade has a very good educational library for its account holders.

    The decline from democracy to tyranny is both a natural and inevitable one.

  • Thanks again!
    I may have more questions down the road...if you don't mind.
    The member formerly known as Ciccio / Posts: 1453 / Joined: Apr 2009
  • BAJJERFANBAJJERFAN Posts: 30,977 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Thank you, derryb!
    I opened my first account (with Scottrade) a couple of weeks ago and I am trying to learn the basics of investing in stocks.
    It may take me some time...image

    One question since you use the same website: How do you cash out with Scottrade, I didn't quite understand from their website info.

    Thanks! >>




    From your home page go to the my account tab. On the left select transfer funds. You'll probably have to link a bank account and wait for approval. If that doesn't work try the withdrawals option. I have a Fidelity account and it's pretty easy to do there.
  • I will start a scotttrade account to try things out. I will be honest here and say I have never done any of this before. I am half to 1/3 the age of most posters on the forum. I buy what I can hold in my hand. I will have to start rear small until i learn what I am doing

    As for playing with other people money NO WAY. I have a very large amount of US savings bonds I am getting ready to cash out since they no longer issue physical bonds I want nothing to do with them any longer. I hear people say I need to spread my holdings so I thought to give stocks a try. Would I bet my house? Hell no but I would rish 10/15 percent of my hard assets over time. If I start small and like it I will dig deeper but not to deep. I have an ammount set in my head if I loose it so be it if I make money on it so be it but I will never be in debt to anyone!
  • derrybderryb Posts: 36,116 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I will start a scotttrade account to try things out. I will be honest here and say I have never done any of this before. I am half to 1/3 the age of most posters on the forum. I buy what I can hold in my hand. I will have to start rear small until i learn what I am doing >>


    Sounds like a Roth IRA might be right up your alley. Since your taxable income will limit your IRA contributions, also consider a regular non-IRA account so that you can have sooner access to all of you future gains. If your employer is giving you a matching contributions on a secure retirement plan, and depending on you investment options with it, stay with it as a primary retirement account.

    Golden Rule: buy low, sell high. do not panic and get it backwards. image

    The decline from democracy to tyranny is both a natural and inevitable one.

  • In all honesty I am my own employer. I have made my money locally and on the web. I have been doing it since I started selling preztles in the city as a kid. Just picture a kid 10 years old walking down the city street lugging a box yelling "fresh pretzels". Made dam good money doing it anyways. The wife works as a manager at an upscale food chain. She gets 401k with matching and takes the full 12 percent so her company gives her but she already warned me "your not touching it" lol. What would you do in this situation? What do you think would be best? Mind you we are not rich but we are far from poor.
  • rawteam1rawteam1 Posts: 2,472 ✭✭✭
    if u r goin the govt route, then look into a sep ira...
    keceph `anah
  • jmski52jmski52 Posts: 22,305 ✭✭✭✭✭
    10% to 15% sounds okay, especially at your age. a Roth IRA is a reasonably good idea for now. It's true that the stock market climbs a "wall of worry" but it's also true that stock prices are elevated now. It's not an easy investing climate, and it's important that you have some financial reserve available to fall back upon if the employment picture ever suffers.

    The best plan is to save & invest on a regular basis without fail and to have a budget while you build capital. Don't make too many fast moves.
    Q: Are You Printing Money? Bernanke: Not Literally

    I knew it would happen.
  • derrybderryb Posts: 36,116 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It is important to note that an online brokerage account does not limit a trader to just your basic "stocks." There are all kinds of good investment opportunities on the stock exchanges even when SP500 and DJIA stocks take a beating. ETFs are one good avenue as they offer many inverse funds that simulate shorting the markets with just a simple trade.
    Another important point is that even when equities turn south, the account holder can sell and sit patiently in cash if he chooses not to "bet" against the market.

    The decline from democracy to tyranny is both a natural and inevitable one.

  • bluelobsterbluelobster Posts: 1,220 ✭✭✭
    Trading inverse and leveraged funds is MUCH more risky than owning regular unleveraged ETFs, and are not meant for longer term investments unless you are looking for a tax loss.

    One look at the charts will tell you that, which reminds me, how much longer before USVL splits again. I'm thinking 3 months tops.
  • guitarwesguitarwes Posts: 9,237 ✭✭✭
    USLV is looking good again.
    @ Elite CNC Routing & Woodworks on Facebook. Check out my work.
    Too many positive BST transactions with too many members to list.
  • derrybderryb Posts: 36,116 ✭✭✭✭✭
    BABA IPO could very will be the beginning of a big Wall Street decline. I suspect it was timed for entry at a market top.

    The decline from democracy to tyranny is both a natural and inevitable one.

  • VanHalenVanHalen Posts: 3,788 ✭✭✭✭✭
    What Alibaba really means.

    image
  • MGLICKERMGLICKER Posts: 7,995 ✭✭✭


    << <i>BABA IPO could very will be the beginning of a big Wall Street decline. I suspect it was timed for entry at a market top. >>



    30 times revenue is a bit out of my range for BABA, even with the huge 44% margin.

    Margins tend to quickly shrink from those lofty levels, especially when Western accounting is used on the Chinese books.

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