GoDaddy
GoDaddy Inc. is an American publicly traded Internet domain registry, domain registrar and web hosting company[3] headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, and incorporated in Delaware.[4] As of 2023, GoDaddy is the world's fifth largest web host by market share,[5][6] with over 62 million registered domains.[7] The company has around 21 million customers[2]: 5 and over 6,900 employees worldwide.[2]: 13
Infrastructure[edit]
In 2013, GoDaddy was reported as the largest ICANN-accredited registrar in the world, at the size of four times their closest competitor.[17] They also have a 270,000-square-foot (25,000 m2) facility in Phoenix, Arizona.[18]
The website PeeringDB records that GoDaddy maintains two autonomous systems. They allow services to be accessed across the global internet. AS-26496, the main autonomous system, is reachable from six cities at nine public & private peering facilities.[19]
IPO and private equity[edit]
On April 12, 2006, Marketwatch reported that GoDaddy.com, Inc., had hired Lehman Brothers to manage an initial stock offering that could raise more than $100 million and value the company at several times that amount.[67] On May 12, 2006, GoDaddy filed an S-1 registration statement prior to an initial public offering.[68][69] On August 8, 2006, Bob Parsons, announced that he had withdrawn the company's IPO filing[70] due to "market uncertainties".[71]
In September 2010, GoDaddy put itself up for auction. GoDaddy called off the auction several weeks later, despite reports that bids exceeded the asking price of $1.5 billion to $2 billion.[72] On June 24, 2011, the Wall Street Journal reported that private-equity firms KKR and Silver Lake Partners, along with a third investor, were nearing a deal to buy the company for between $2–2.5 billion.[73] On July 1, 2011, GoDaddy confirmed that KKR, Silver Lake Partners, and Technology Crossover Ventures had closed the deal. Although the purchase price was not officially announced it was reported to be $2.25 billion, for 65% of the company.[74]
As of December 2011, Bob Parsons stepped down as CEO into the role of Executive Chairman.[75]
In March 2012, a class action lawsuit was filed against GoDaddy regarding private registration charges for services it advertises as free.[76]
In June 2014, GoDaddy once again filed a $100 million IPO with the Security and Exchange Commission.[77] The filing gave an inside look into GoDaddy's finances and showed that the company has not made a profit since 2009 and since 2012 has experienced a total loss of $531 million. Along with the IPO announcement, GoDaddy's founder Bob Parsons announced he is stepping down as Executive Chairman though he will remain on the board.[78] CEO Blake Irving, joined GoDaddy on January 6, 2013 and served as chief executive officer before retiring on December 31, 2017.[79]
On April 1, 2015, GoDaddy had a successful IPO on the New York Stock Exchange, with the stock soaring 30% on the first day of trading.[80]
Scott W. Wagner (and former GoDaddy Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer) was appointed chief executive officer on December 31, 2017.[81] The newly appointed CEO Aman Bhutani has replaced the former CEO Scott W. Wagner and had assumed the charge of his duties from September 4, 2019.[82]