When Space Exploration Technologies (SPCX +2.22%), also known as SpaceX, went public on June 12, only about 4.9% of its 13.2 billion shares were put up for sale, an unusually small public float.
But that percentage is set to more than double in August as many owners of pre-IPO shares will be partially released from the standard lock-up agreements.
This week, the space exploration, satellite, and artificial intelligence firm headed by Elon Musk announced that it will deliver its first earnings report as a public company on Aug. 4. As per the rules set out in the company's prospectus, two trading days later, pre-IPO shareholders will be able to sell some 911 million of their locked-up shares, bringing the float to about 12%. Even more shares will be released if the stock trades at 30% above its IPO price on five of the 10 trading days prior to the earnings release.
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Essentially, the 180-day lock-up agreement expires in tranches, with more shares set to be released in September, November, and December. Elon Musk and some other significant investors are subject to a one-year lock-up. Musk owns around 40% of SpaceX shares, though he controls more than 80% of the company's voting power through a dual-class share structure.
NASDAQ: SPCX
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And as SpaceX employees begin to liquidate their holdings to diversify out of the company's stock -- a normal occurrence after companies go public -- that selling could put downward pressure on the share price.
So, should you pick up a few SpaceX shares?
Well, that's a tricky question. After an initial bump in the first few days after the IPO, when investors bid the stock above $225, it has since retreated and now trades at around $121 a share, well below the $135 IPO price. Such price movement in an IPO stock is not unusual, but given that SpaceX is not yet profitable, it may take investors a while to regain their initial enthusiasm.
