Before the Twitter IPO (TWTR), There Were These Disappointing IPOs

Nov. 7, 2013 — -- intro:

Though the Twitter IPO (NYSE: TWTR) is soaring on bird wings, many IPOs end with an emphatic thud on the first day or pop with a bang and slowly start to deflate.

A year ago, Facebook (FB) stock hit all-time lows and was trading under $20 a share, and investors criticized the company's high valuation. Though Facebook shares are now trading around $47, its IPO day on May 18, 2012 was touted as a giant flop.

Other companies have staged grand comebacks, says Jim Krapfel, IPO analyst with investment firm Morningstar, including Spirit Airlines (SAVE) and Carlyle Group (CG).

Discount airline Spirit went public on May 26, 2011, at $12 a share. Shares closed at a disappointing $11.55 that day. The company is now trading around $42. Carlyle Group debuted at $22 in May and it's now trading around $30.

Read More: How Much You Would Have Earned or Lost In These 7 Major IPOs

Here are some notable IPOs compiled by Krapfel and ABCNews.com.

quicklist:category: IPO date: May 18, 2012title: Facebook (FB)media: 16403905text:

While Facebook's IPO was a record-breaking Internet offering, its IPO day was a disaster, in part due to a technical glitch by Nasdaq. The fact that the stock closed flat that day was also a big disappointment to many investors.

In the months following Facebook's IPO debut on May 18, 2013, the shares dropped about 50 percent as regulatory filings showed Facebook's biggest investor Peter Thiel sold most of his holding as he remained a board member.

Priced at $38 for its IPO over a year ago, the shares are now trading around $48 now.

Read More: What You Need to Know About Investing in the Twitter IPO (TWTR)

quicklist:category: IPO Date: Feb. 11, 2000title: Pets.com (IPET)media: 20818101text: Based in San Francisco, Pets.com somehow became a textbook case study of the short-lived Internet dot-com bubble. Its sock puppet dog mascot represented the enthusiasm of all that could have been with an online pet store.

But by Nov. 2000, the company shut down operations and laid off most of its employees. The shares went to zero.

quicklist:category: IPO date: Nov. 4, 2011title: Groupon (GRPN)media: 17052753text:

Back in August 2012, shares of Groupon, based in Chicago, were closing at record lows of $4.54 after Barclays bank downgraded the company to "underweight" due to slow growth. Its IPO was priced at $20 when it went public in November 2011. Today, it's hovering at $9.50.

quicklist:category: IPO date: Dec. 16, 2011title: Zynga (ZNGA)media: 17052834text:

Shares of social-gaming company Zynga, based in San Francisco, have fallen about 70 percent since it went public in December 2011. It was then priced at $10 and the stock closed down, at $9.50, on its first day of trading. Most of the company's popular games played online, like FarmVille, are free, though a smaller number of fans pay small fees for virtual goods.

On Thursday, Zynga stock was trading around $3.58, down 3.64 percent from the previous day.

quicklist:category: IPO date: May 11, 2011 title: FriendFinder (FFN)media: 17053033text:

Given the unfortunate title of "worst U.S. debut of the year," according to the Wall Street Journal, dating and sex partner website, FriendFinder Networks Inc. was priced at $10 but closed at $7.85, down 22 percent, on its first day of trading, May 11, 2011.

This past August, FriendFinder's stock was delisted from Nasdaq because it traded under $1 for too many consecutive days.

In September, FriendFinder Networks Inc., the publisher of Penthouse, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

quicklist:category: IPO date: July 27, 2011title: Teavana (TEA)media: 17052979text:

Shares of tea retailer Teavana surged 64 percent on its first day of trading, July 27, 2011. The stock closed at $27.80, rising from its IPO price of $17. Teavana's goal was to be the "heaven of tea," selling premium tea and related products. Its stock failed to reach such heights.

When Starbucks announced it was acquiring Teavana on Nov. 14, 2012, shares jumped over $5 to close at $15.45 that day.

Starbucks has big plans for the Teavana brand, introducing its first, slick "tea bar" in New York City last month. The tea bar features tea beverages, food items and its signature loose leaf tea. CEO Howard Schultz said the company hopes to open 1,000 tea bars in North America within 10 years.

quicklist:category: IPO date: March 29, 2012 title: Millennial Media (MM)media: 17052903text:

Mobile advertising firm Millennial Media, based in Baltimore, had an IPO price of $13 a share and closed up on its first day of trading on March 29 of this year, to $25.

The firm is one of the largest remaining independent mobile ad networks, according to TechCrunch.

The stock is trading for under $7 today.

quicklist:category: IPO date: March 29, 2012title: Rexnord (RXN)text:

Industrial manufacturer Rexnord priced its IPO at $18 on March 29, 2012 and shares closed up 11 percent to $20. Based in Milwaukee, the company has rebounded from its lows in Aug. 2012 when it was trading around $15. The shares are now trading around $23.