Facebook insiders selling at discount prices
Days after a Facebook plan to let employees sell some of their shares leaked out, Valley stockbroker Laurence Albukerk told BusinessWeek that "he knows of at least nine people who have sold or are trying to sell Facebook shares," and estimates dozens more. But three of them were looking to dump shares at a $5 billion valuation — one-third the $15 billion suggested by Microsoft's investment last October. Two other firms bought shares at a discount $3.75 billion valuation, below the floor supposedly set by Facebook's program. Why the discrepancy? Partly because employees have common shares, not Microsoft's preferred shares. And partly because as eager as Microsoft was to buy into the hot social network last fall, Facebookers are now eager to sell. (Photo by Tim Parkinson)