I just read an interesting USA Today article (FacebookCEOSellPledge) about the jump in Facebook stock due to the CEO’s pledge not to sell.  A few comments on the article:

1. This pledge was not done in the shareholder’s best interests.  In was done in the CEO’s best interests.
2. The stock price is still less than half of the IPO price.
3. Intentions and tax filings change.  Two board members have no “present intention” to sell except to sell enough to cover their tax bills.  I imagine the amount sold to “cover” the tax bill is just as subject to manipulation as the tax filing itself!
4. Investment banks are still trying to transfer wealth from the poor masses to themselves.  Large underwriters, who likely own shares themselves, sure have some lofty price targets of $30 to $45 from the present $18.60.  “Buy.”  “Overweight.”  I say do not trust them.  Don’t buy.  Don’t overweight.  The same recommendations I gave pre-IPO.
5. The investment banks handling the IPO are facing dozens of shareholder lawsuits.
6. More trickery word play “get past the impact” really means “cash out as soon as possible.”  To “get past the impact of sales by those who bought or were given shares at the time of the IPO” Facebook is allowing those people to sell two weeks earlier!  Does that sound fishy to you?  What does another two weeks matter?  These folks want to cash out as soon as possible.

In summary, I did not purchase Facebook.  I would not have even if I were a privileged investor allowed to participate in the IPO.  Several state pension plans were tricked into it.  Now, if I did make the mistake of purchasing the hype, I surely would not wait until employee, investment bank, board member, and CEO stock sales start to happen!