October 03, 2013
Twitter IPO!
Posted by Christine Hurt
The Twitter Form S-1 is officially public, and the former confidential draft registration statements are available for viewing on Edgar.  (I guess Edgar is an essential government function.)  I don't feel like going back and reading the previous versions, and even the current S-1 reads a lot like the Google S-1 and the Facebook S-1.  Many of the "risk factors" are identical or substantially so two provisions in one or both of the other registration statements: 
"Our financial results will fluctuate from quarter to quarter, which makes them difficult to predict" (FB); "If we fail to effectively manage our growth, our business and operating results could be harmed" (GOOG);"If we are unable to maintain and promote our brand, our business and operating results may be harmed" (both); "Our corporate culture has contributed to our success, and if we cannot maintain this culture as we grow, we could lose the innovation, creativity and teamwork fostered by our culture, and our business may be harmed" (GOOG); "Our intellectual property rights are valuable, and any inability to protect them could reduce the value of our products, services and brand" (GOOG); "We are currently, and expect to be in the future, party to intellectual property rights claims that are expensive and time consuming to defend, and, if resolved adversely, could have a significant impact on our business, financial condition or operating results" (GOOG), etc.
But here's a good one, which actually appears in some other S-1s, including Yelp's:
We have incurred significant operating losses in the past, and we may not be able to achieve or subsequently maintain profitability.
That's definitely not puffery. There is also language about San Francisco earthquakes (also in Yelp's), and NOLs and anti-takeover devices. Perhaps those last two things may go together before the articles of incorporation are amended.

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