March 29, 2024

DealBook: In-Flight Internet Service Gogo Readies to Go Public

Gogo, a provider of in-flight Internet service, filed for its offering on Friday, joining a long line of technology companies hoping to go public in the new year.

The company is seeking to raise up to $100 million in its initial public offering, according to figures used to calculate the registration fee.

Gogo, formerly known as Aircell Holdings, is testing the public markets amid dampened investor enthusiasm for new tech offerings. Earlier this year, investors flocked to Internet start-ups, bidding up prices for companies like LinkedIn and Pandora.

But the I.P.O. market has chilled in recent months, owing to ongoing credit fears in Europe and renewed skepticism about tech’s newfangled business models. For instance, game-maker Zynga — a profitable company with a massive online following — went public last week, but has struggled to break above its offering price of $10. Shares of Zynga opened at $9.43 on Friday morning.

Like many of its technology peers, Gogo has been growing at a rapid clip. The company, which charges consumers fees for in-flight Internet access on major carriers like Delta and Virgin America, is now available in 1,177 commercial planes, compared with 30 planes in 2008. In addition, Gogo has signed contracts with carriers to offer its service on roughly 525 additional planes.

The company doubled revenue for the first nine months of this year to $72.9 million, swinging to a profit of $2.4 million. The company has recorded an annual loss for the last three years.

Still, the company has a long way to go to make its investors whole. Gogo, which is largely owned by the private equity firm Ripplewood Holdings and an early investor Oakleigh Thorne, has raised more than $500 million since 2006. Ripplewood is the largest investor, with a 38.1 percent stake.

The company, which plans to trade under the ticker “GOGO,” has hired Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase and UBS to lead its offering, with Allen Company, Evercore Partners and William Blair Company also participating.

Article source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=3424273f4a7218aaaca07ccf22f5c0ed

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