Yandex kinda targeting NASDAQ
Ivan Selivestrov, Webplanet.ru
After Reuters released its
FACTBOX-Russian companies planning share issues a rumor about
Yandex preparing for IPO on the NASDAQ quickly spreaded in major Russian media. But neither Yandex nor Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank hired for consultancy did confirm the news.
The head of Yandex press-service Mikhail Ushakov commented that the company 'is considering two future strategies - to go public or to continue as as private company'. Yandex's private status is quite formal though. Its 50% share was distributed between Ru-Net Holdings, Baring Vostok Capital Partners and Tiger Technologies funds. Another 20% are owned by managers and minority shareholders. Searching investment - public or not - means that company's founders (they own 30% share) are ready to drop control interest in Yandex.