Time to sell? Twitter falls to new post-IPO lows after lockup expires

For some insiders, now may be the perfect moment to exit the Twitter-verse.

On Tuesday morning, after Twitter’s 6 month share lockup expired, the social network’s stock tumbled to new post-IPO lows. Trading volume was up by over three times average as shares sank nearly 12% to prices near $34 per share.

Billionaire Twitter co-founders Evan Williams and Jack Dorsey, along with CEO Dick Costolo, all previously agreed to keep their shares after the lockup expired. Twitter shares had previously ticked up 3% after that announcement.

But other holders of freed shares (accounting for about 83% of those outstanding) may not be so patient. Despite the falling stock price, insiders who have held share since the IPO are sitting on unrealized gains they may want to cash out.

The reaction for Twitter shares is the opposite of what happened to Facebook when its lockup expired in November 2012. At that point, Facebook shares were already significantly down from their IPO price, and the expected sell-off didn’t occur — causing the stock price to rise 13%.

Before Tuesday, Twitter shares were already down nearly 40% year to date.

Forbes

iSurge: Apple shares return to $600 for first time since October 2012

Boom times may be returning to the Apple AAPL -1.07% universe.

Less than two weeks after shares surged following an announced 7-for-1 stock, Apple stock is reaching levels not seen in a year and a half. On Monday, Apple shares closed at $600.96, up 1.41% on the day. That was the first time the shares settled over $600 since October 26, 2012.

Investors, it seems, are happy to be rewarded with some of the cash Apple has been hoarding for years. The return to $600 comes after Apple has not only agreed to split its shares (effective June 9), but also after they increased their share buyback and dividend programs to a total capital return of $130 billion.

The stock has steadily risen since then, despite bad news in their patent lawsuit against Samsung — where a jury ordered the Korean smartphone rival to pay Apple only a pittance of $120 million. Shares have also been resilient against increased analyst worries that growth in iPads may be leveling off.

Apple shares are up 7% year to date and 33.5% over the last year