Google has made some amendments to its initial filing that was done for the SEC with the intention, it seems, of quelling fears that have risen about Google since it first filed in April 29, 2004.
They have already stated their intention to turn over AdSense/AdWord billing to third party companies due to the volume of their transactions. However, in their newest amendment, Google states they are still discussing this change over, but they aren’t sure when it will be finalized.
From the amendment filing: “We intend to transfer our worldwide billing, collection and credit evaluation functions to a third-party service provider. We are currently engaged in discussions with a third-party service provider but we have not yet signed an agreement with this service provider and cannot be sure that the arrangement will be completed and implemented.”
Other amendments, according to MercuryNews.com, are, instead of the original two hours, potential investors now only have one hour to withdraw a stock bid. This means that once you’ve made a bid, you will only have one hour to remove it from consideration, otherwise you are “stuck” with your bid.
Also, Google has dropped Merrill Lynch from its list of underwriters. Merrill had no comment on the situation, however, some banks believe that Merrill Lynch did not want deal with the logistics of accommodating Google’s intended Dutch auction.
However, news for investors concerning this style of auction wasn’t all negative. Potential investors can now issue a minimum bid of 5 shares, much lower than the normal minimum of 100 shares.
Google also used this amendment to address the backlash they received from the launch and beta testing of their email service, Gmail. They believe that any privacy issues may damage the value of the company.
Google also made mention of international expansion, and how its competitive nature, and the fact they may not have the international success they have had in the US market could hurt their value.
For a more detailed list of Google’s concerns and what they are prepared to do about them, please read the actual amendment, located here.
Chris Richardson is a search engine writer and editor for Murdok. Visit Murdok for the latest search news.
