This is just my theory, but saying LinkedIn was scammed because the IPO was underpriced is like saying Sony or Nintendo were screwed by shortages on the PS2 or

This is just my theory, but saying LinkedIn was scammed because the IPO was underpriced is like saying Sony or Nintendo were screwed by shortages on the PS2 or Wii. LinkedIn sold a tiny fraction of its shares, far less than the market would bear. The IPO was oversubscribed and artificially doubled in price. Instead of selling a bunch of shares at the "fair price" up front, LinkedIn created the perception that LinkedIn is undervalued, desired, and worth more than it really is worth. All it had to do was sacrifice a tiny portion of the shares in the IPO and it's the new hot money maker. Now the company and its investors have created an environment where they can unwind more of its shares at a hefty premium, more than making up for the IPO "loss." Maybe LinkedIn didn't plan this out so perfectly. But it probably saw this as one possible result of the IPO strategy it chose.