--- A123 Announces IPO ---

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--- A123 Announces IPO ---

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http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10011255-54.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5

Boston-area battery upstart A123 Systems on Friday said that it plans to go public and raise $175 million.

The company, which is not profitable, on Friday filed papers in which it said it intends to raise as much as $175 million, based on the registration filing fee. The money will be used to expand it manufacturing and research facilities as well as pay back about $2.5 million in debt. A123 Systems was spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology seven years ago to commercialize lithium-ion batteries for a range of applications. The batteries, which the company says last longer and are more powerful than existing lithium-ion batteries, are already being used in power tools. In its S-1 filing, A123 Systems said it anticipates the portable power market to grow from $411 million to $1.1 billion in 2012. The company sees more potential in the nascent markets of electric transportation and energy storage, according to the filing. The company has developed batteries for plug-in hybrid cars and acquired Hymotion, which retrofits hybrids with bigger batteries. General Motors is testing A123 Systems batteries for use in its planned plug-in hybrid, the Chevy Volt. A123 Systems' battery platform is being used for power tools, transportation, and power grid energy storage. Batteries for transportation now represents a $700 million business and can grow to $5 billion by 2012, the company said.

Last month, a company executive indicated for the first time publicly that A123 Systems is also pursuing energy storage on the power grid with a dedicated group. Energy storage, where devices are used to smooth out short-term fluctuations in the power grid and store wind or solar power, is anticipated to grow from $2.4 billion last year to $3.1 billion in 2015, according to A123 Systems. It also indicated that it is working with utility AES on grid-storage projects. The company, which will be listed under the "AONE" ticker, made $35 million last year, but it's losses mounted to $31 million last year. In the first three months of this year, it lost almost $14 million. Bankers for the planned initial public offering will be Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, as well as Broadpoint Capital and Lazard Capital Markets. A123 Systems' IPO has been expected and rumored for months. It will be closely watched by the the clean-tech industry which has seen a huge influx of venture capital into start-ups and a number of public offerings despite a generally poor environment for stock market entrances. The company was originally funded by a number of corporations including General Electric and the Duracell division of Procter & Gamble, as well as venture capital firms Alliance Capital, Sequoia Capital, North Bridge Venture Partners, CMEA Ventures, and FA Technology Ventures.
 
I saw that. I think I'll talk to my Morgan Stanley broker and see if he can get me some shares.
 
shutrbug said:
I saw that. I think I'll talk to my Morgan Stanley broker and see if he can get me some shares.

I guess everyone here is an expert in using the A123 little batteries on their bikes and would y'all say that they are good products?
Next does anyone have any direct experience with their batteries for hybrids ie the hymotion conversion?
Next does A123 have a product for the all EV market?
This grid storage idea has me scratching my head as thats as far away from power tool batt as you can get isnt it?

Daniel Neumansky
Alameda CA
 
My WAG is they got the nod from an auto manufacturer... IPOs generate fast cash to build factories.

I use emoli cells, but the king is A123... at least, pricing seems to support that; people pay more for them.
 
From Autobloggreen
Is A123 Systems losing Black and Decker before its IPO?

Just last week we found out that lithium ion battery maker A123 Systems had filed the first batch of paperwork required for it to make an initial public stock sale. Having tried to read through a few of these kinds of filings in the past, we took a pass this time around. Fortunately our friends at GreenTechMedia waded into these waters and noticed some interesting items. Since companies have to disclose all sorts of information about risks and benefits they face when going public, A123 discussed sales. Until now, A123's biggest customer has been Black and Decker, although A123 also has two separate development contracts with General Motors for the Saturn VUE PHEV and something called the Volt. The S-1 filling only mentions reduced revenue from its most significant customer without explaining which of the two companies that is. This could mean a number of things. It could mean that A123 is on the losing end of one or both of the GM production contracts which would definitely be a bad thing for A123. The other and perhaps more likely possibility is Black and Decker. Black and Decker uses A123 batteries in its premium DeWalt line of power-tools. DeWalt tools are more commonly used by contractors and other professionals while general consumers typically opt for the cheaper Black and Decker brand. The same collapse of the housing market that has killed sales of full-size pickup trucks over the past year could be having an impact here. If new homes aren't being built, contractors don't need new tools to put in the new trucks they aren't buying either. A123 can't really say anything specific right now because of the legally mandated quiet period, but GM should be making an announcement in the next few months about the Volt battery supplier. Thanks to Rick for the tip!
 
Did someone say "grid storage"?

http://www.nextenergynews.com/news08/next-energy-news7.9.08c.html

Or perhaps a Naval Submarine battery backup?

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS151288+30-Jan-2008+BW20080130

In 5 years, I can't wait to toss the LiFePO4 battery I'm getting for now, and replace it with something waaaayyyy better.
 
We need someone from A123 to give us EVer a tip on that Black and Decker issues. If they loose that contract then A123 might not be all that it cut out to be. True, they might have that contract with GM. But no clue how well those GM's PHEV are yet. For all we know, people might hate it and A123 is left without anyone to off load their battery.
 
Maybe its a duplicate thread ?
I thought i had already posted that I hear they lost there Dewalt contract mainly because they have a huge law suit pending as they haven't paid any of the royalties to hydro Quebec who own the patent.I don't believe they will recover ever.
 
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