A few weeks ago, I was out with a few friends and the topic of the forthcoming Google IPO came up. Specifically, the question: how does one go about buying a share in the much-talked about auction? This morning, Dow Jones newswires provided some insight:
As for the Google deal, every major Wall Street investment bank, with the exception of Bear Stearns Cos., was listed in the amended filing as a member of the underwriting group. The filing isn't a final registration statement for the IPO, and additional underwriters could be added. .... No matter how miffed they are, few firms can afford to pass on the syndicate. Customers are clamoring for shares of the most anticipated IPO since the dot-com bubble burst four years ago, and to bid in the initial auction investors they must have accounts at firms underwriting the deal. (They also must have access to a computer, since required prospectuses will be sent by e-mail under rules set by Google.)