Hmm I'd like to agree with you, but I "think" the opposite is true for 1). Trying to pitch a bunch of potential investors on a newer but more risky business mod

Hmm I'd like to agree with you, but I "think" the opposite is true for 1). Trying to pitch a bunch of potential investors on a newer but more risky business model without strong enough financial track record can be an uphill battle. Then again, who thought Amazon might be a good biz model when they went public? :) Might as well just go with direct listing, plus the added benefit of saving on banker fees. Oh, and no need for the executives to do tiring traditional IPO roadshows that require travel to major financial hubs all over the world. Update: By also doing a direct listing, shareholders, pre-IPO employees included, won't have to wait 6 months to sell their shares.