Facebook Director Stock Sales Top $1 Billion

Facebook director Peter Thiel sold most of his stake in the operator of the world’s largest social-networking website, bringing his proceeds to more than $1 billion, after restrictions on insider sales ended, according to Bloomberg.

Thiel, one of Facebook’s earliest investors, sold about 20.1 million shares in the company on Aug. 16 and Aug. 17, raising $395.8 million, according to a filing yesterday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Thiel, a venture capitalist and hedge-fund manager, had already generated $640.1 million in sales during the initial public offering.

With an investment of $500,000 in 2004, Thiel is one of the biggest beneficiaries of Facebook’s gain before going public. Later backers haven’t fared as well, with the stock losing almost half its value since the IPO amid signs that the company’s growth is slowing and concerns that more insiders will exit their stakes. The sales disclosed yesterday were tied to a plan adopted on May 18, Facebook’s first day of trading....

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-20/facebook-director-thiel-sold-20-1-million-shares-after-lock-up.html