Trump Media & Technology Group, the owner of struggling social media platform Truth Social, is began its long-delayed journey as a public company at Tuesday’s opening bell under the ticker symbol “DJT.”

The stock surged about 56% at the open, to $78, and trading was briefly halted for volatility. Trump Media shares have since stabilized at around $70, marking a 40% increase from Monday’s close.

Wall Street is assigning Trump Media an eye-popping valuation of around $13 billion — a price tag that experts warn is untethered to reality.

The skyrocketing share price comes despite the fact that Trump Media is burning through cash; piling up losses; and its main product, Truth Social, is losing users.

“This is a very unusual situation. The stock is pretty much divorced from fundamentals,” said Jay Ritter, a finance professor at the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business, who has been studying initial public offerings (IPOs) for over 40 years.

  • Veedem@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    This is a roundabout way for billionaires to donate to Trump without him having to necessarily disclose everything.

    • girlfreddy@lemmy.caOP
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      7 months ago

      That’s it in a nutshell. The rich want him because he’s malleable and will obey their every command.

    • fine_sandy_bottom@discuss.tchncs.de
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      7 months ago

      No, it’s not.

      To do that they could’ve just paid him $x to “advertise” on truth social.

      Buying shares this way nets him nothing. He can’t do anything with these shares, by the time he can they will be worthless.

      • sharkaccident@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        He can’t do anything with these shares, by the time he can they will be worthless.

        Didn’t Musk teach you anything? You never sell the shares you borrow against them.