Alibaba IPO Could Commence By The End Of The Month

Alibaba could launch its IPO by the end of the month, according to sources familiar with the matter, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The Chinese eCommerce giant is widely expected to have one of the largest IPOs in history and could take in as much at $20 million.  The firm has reportedly sent out an IPO timetable to current investors via email.

The email looks to the very near future for the IPO, though warns that the actual date is subject to market conditions.

The timetable came in as part of the a message to investors encouraging them to agree to a “lockup period”, during which time they will sell no shares until 180 days after the IPO.

The next phase in the process for Alibaba will entail filing a proposed price range and number of shares in plans to sell, followed by a series of meetings with investors to hear pitches.  The company will then declare a share price for investors who get direct access to the IPO.  The next day the company will begin trading on the public market.

Chinese firms have performed solidly in the U.S. this year, reports The Journal. JD.com, a smaller Alibaba rival in China, has seen its stock increase 46 percent since launching in May.

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