With Facebook stock now at an all-time low of $18.75, analysts are beginning to wonder, will Facebook fire Zuckerberg?
So far, there are no signs of open revolt among major Facebook shareholders beyond a few class-action lawsuits over its botched initial public offering. But some openly wonder if it might be time for Zuckerberg to step aside as CEO.
"He is unquestionably a genius at starting a company, but that does not necessarily translate into running a public company," says securities attorney Andrew Stoltmann. If Facebook's problems persist, its board of directors may consider a change at the top, he says.
Facebook isn't the first company to struggle in the transition from start-up to public company. Others, such as Apple and Yahoo, eventually pushed aside founders in favor of adult supervision before bringing their founders back.
"He is safe because Facebook would not be Facebook without him," says Duncan Davidson, managing director of Bullpen Capital.
Zuckerberg, is Facebook's largest shareholder with 20.7 percent, and its resident visionary. He has the ultimate say in his future at the company.
n Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg and CFO David Ebersman, Facebook already has adult supervision, contends Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter. "The only thing that Facebook has done that is wrong is they issued way too many shares and they unlocked way too many shares and flooded the market," Pachter says. "I think they're running the company fine."
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