What is LinkedIn stock symbol?

LinkedIn is a business and employment-oriented online service. It operates via websites and mobile apps and is used for professional networking, career development, job searching, and sales. As of 2022, LinkedIn has over 850 million registered members in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

Quick answer

The stock symbol for LinkedIn is LNKD. LinkedIn completed its initial public offering (IPO) on May 19, 2011 and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol LNKD.

LinkedIn is one of the world’s largest professional networking platforms. As of October 2022, LinkedIn reports having over 850 million members in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. The company was founded in December 2002 and officially launched its platform on May 5, 2003. LinkedIn is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

On May 19, 2011, LinkedIn had its initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange under the stock ticker symbol LNKD. LinkedIn’s IPO priced shares at $45 and closed its first trading day slightly above $94 per share. The IPO raised over $350 million for the company.

In June 2016, Microsoft acquired LinkedIn for $26.2 billion in cash. LinkedIn now operates as a subsidiary of Microsoft. However, LinkedIn continues to trade on the NYSE under the ticker symbol LNKD.

Key Facts About LinkedIn

Here are some key facts about LinkedIn:

• Founded in 2002
• Launched in 2003
• Headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA
• Went public on May 19, 2011
• IPO share price was $45
• IPO raised over $350 million
• Trades on NYSE under ticker LNKD
• Acquired by Microsoft in 2016 for $26.2 billion
• Over 850 million members as of October 2022

LinkedIn’s Business Model

LinkedIn operates a freemium business model. Basic membership is free, allowing members to create a professional profile and connect with other members. LinkedIn generates revenue from several premium offerings:

• Premium Subscriptions – For a monthly or annual fee, members can access additional features like viewing full profiles, seeing who’s viewed their profile, and getting profile recommendations.
• Talent Solutions – Recruitment and talent acquisition products for corporations, including LinkedIn Recruiter, Job Slots, and Learning solutions.
• Marketing Solutions – Tools to help companies advertise to LinkedIn’s member base. This includes sponsored content, personalized ads, and company pages.
• Premium Subscriptions accounted for 56% of revenue in 2021, Talent Solutions 29%, and Marketing Solutions 14%.

As of 2021, LinkedIn has over 740 million members. However, only 30 million members pay for premium subscriptions. This highlights the importance of LinkedIn’s focus on serving its member base while also monetizing it through premium offerings.

LinkedIn’s Financial Performance

As a publicly traded company, LinkedIn reported strong financial results prior to being acquired by Microsoft:

A few key observations:

• LinkedIn achieved substantial revenue growth in the years following its IPO, nearly quintupling revenues between 2011 and 2016.
• The company became profitable in 2013 after initially posting losses as a newly public company.
• In LinkedIn’s final full fiscal year as an independent company before its Microsoft acquisition (2016), it generated over $3.8 billion in revenue and $260 million in net income.

Microsoft Acquires LinkedIn

On June 13, 2016, Microsoft announced it would acquire LinkedIn for $26.2 billion in cash. This came out to $196 per share and represented a 50% premium to LinkedIn’s share price at the time.

The acquisition provided several strategic benefits for Microsoft:

• Gained access to LinkedIn’s over 433 million members worldwide (at the time of acquisition).
• Could leverage LinkedIn’s talent and recruitment tools within Microsoft’s enterprise software offerings.
• Opportunity to integrate LinkedIn’s social graph into Microsoft services like Outlook and Skype.
• Expanded Microsoft’s footing in the software-as-a-service (SaaS) space.

For LinkedIn, the acquisition allowed the company to accelerate growth under Microsoft’s ownership. Microsoft has considerable resources and cloud infrastructure that LinkedIn could benefit from.

The $26.2 billion acquisition was the largest in Microsoft’s history. It closed officially on December 8, 2016.

LinkedIn Today

Following Microsoft’s acquisition, LinkedIn has continued to operate as a wholly owned subsidiary. LinkedIn maintains its brand, corporate presence, CEO, and operations.

LinkedIn’s business has continued growing under Microsoft:

• Members: over 850 million as of October 2022 vs. 660 million at the time of the acquisition in 2016.
• Revenue: $10.3 billion in fiscal 2021, up from $5.3 billion in 2016.
• Products: Launch of new offerings like LinkedIn Stories, Events, and Live Video.
• Integrations: Tighter integrations with Microsoft software like Dynamics 365 and Outlook.

The LinkedIn acquisition has been viewed as a success for Microsoft. It provided entry into social media and networking at scale. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in 2021 that internally, LinkedIn was seen as the “jewel in the crown” among Microsoft’s other acquisitions.

LinkedIn continues to trade on the NYSE under the stock ticker LNKD despite Microsoft assuming ownership.

LinkedIn’s Stock Performance

Here is a summary of LinkedIn’s stock performance since its IPO:

• IPO price: $45 per share in May 2011.
• First day close: $94.25 per share, up 109%.
• 52-week high by February 2014: $276.14 per share.
• 52-week low in February 2016: $108.38 per share.
• Acquisition price paid by Microsoft: $196 per share in June 2016.
• Continues trading under LNKD ticker despite Microsoft ownership.
• Current price as of October 2022: around $175 per share.

A few key notes:

• LinkedIn’s shares experienced significant price appreciation after its public debut, demonstrating strong investor appetite.
• The stock hit its pre-acquisition peak in early 2014 as the company demonstrated strong revenue and user growth.
• Microsoft’s $196 per share buyout price represented a significant premium of 50% over LinkedIn’s valuation at the time.
• LinkedIn’s stock has continued to trade at a healthy valuation following its Microsoft acquisition.

Conclusion

LinkedIn remains one of the world’s most popular and successful professional social networks. It continues to operate under the ownership of Microsoft after its $26 billion acquisition in 2016.

Key points to remember:

• LinkedIn trades on the NYSE under the stock ticker LNKD.
• The company went public in 2011 and shares rose over 100% on its first trading day.
• Microsoft acquired LinkedIn in 2016 in its largest acquisition to date.
• LinkedIn’s membership now exceeds 850 million worldwide.
• LinkedIn operates as an independent subsidiary within Microsoft.

So in summary, the LinkedIn stock symbol is LNKD. This three letter ticker has represented LinkedIn on the public markets since its IPO and continues to represent the company’s stock performance despite its acquisition by Microsoft.