Groupon: Not Quite The Next Google, Yet

Groupon Inc.’s decision to fire Andrew Mason puts pressure on Chairman Eric Lefkofsky to find a replacement who can create a money-making business after the daily-deal provider lost US$723.8-million in the past three years. As chief executive officer, Mason presided over a plummeting stock price, restated earnings and at least three quarters of results that missed analysts’ expectations. Mason, 32, addressed his ouster yesterday in a letter to employees, joking about needing a “fat camp” to lose weight even while accepting responsibility for Groupon’s shortcomings.

By Renaissance Capital IPO Research: Zynga (proposed ZNGA), the leading social game developer for Facebook, announced terms for its highly anticipated IPO on Friday.

By TradersHuddle:It's almost here. Finally. After what feels like an eternity of anticipation, social media darling Facebook is just days away from an initial public offering that is easily the most anticipated since Google's (GOOG) in 2004. Facebook, which will trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker "FB," plans to raise about $10.6 billion in its IPO, a number that is far larger than what Google raised eight years ago.

By Market Blog: By David Berman Groupon Inc.’s (GRPN) debut on the Nasdaq shows that there's still an appetite for intriguing yet unprofitable Internet-related companies: Within the first hour of trading, the shares jumped nearly 56 per cent – though the enthusiasm has since subsided a little.

Lou Basenese submits:On Monday, I cut through the hype to reveal why I’m convinced that discount coupon juggernaut, Groupon, is going to face an uphill battle once it goes public. But I wasn’t as critical as one analyst, who pegged the company as Wall Street’s latest ponzi-scheme. However, I did call into question Groupon’s ability to stave off an ever-expanding field of competitors.

The Burrill Report submits: by MARIE DAGHLIAN

Lou Basenese submits:Finally, after weeks of non-stop speculation and anticipation, discount coupon juggernaut, Groupon has submitted its plan for an initial public offering. Last Thursday, the company filed to raise at least $750 million and trade under the ticker symbol GRPN.