An '''IPO''', which is short for '''initial public offering''', is the sale of shares of [[stock]] in a company to the public for the first time. This subjects a private company to requirements of public disclosure and other regulations.
After expiration of a time period, usually called the "lock-out period," insiders in the company are then able to sell their own shares. For media-promoted companies like [[Facebook]], insiders usually reap an enormous profit for themselves months or years after the IPO.
[[Category:finance]]