Groupon investigated for odd stock spike prior to earnings report

Groupon is being investigated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority after the company’s stock made a sharp, upward turn Monday, before earnings beating expectations were delivered at the close of business that same day.

Finra, which watches for oddities within …

Groupon rebounds with $559M in Q1 revenue

Still reeling from a disastrous fourth quarter, Groupon beat Wall Street’s expectations and reported $559.3 million in revenue and $39.6 million in operating income for the first quarter of 2012. Monday’s earnings report is Groupon’s second since opening on the …

Doing deals the right way

I’ve voiced quite a bit of opposition to the daily deals industry, but that doesn’t mean I’m opposed to discounting in general. Discounting can be an important part of the marketing mix, especially for encouraging trials.

What I’m opposed to …

My role in the Groupon story

Recently, people have questioned my motivations around writing about Groupon. They have tried to insinuate that I’m writing about Groupon for personal financial gain.

Anyone who believes that doesn’t know the first thing about how financial markets work. I have …

Why Groupon Now won’t work

In Andrew Mason's recent letter to shareholders and in a press release touting 1.5 million Groupon Now deals sold, Groupon has been highlighting the product as an example of innovation and a potential positive for the beleaguered company.

Why Andrew Mason is still wrong about Groupon’s prospects

After an accounting restatement, a shuffling of its board of directors and Groupon's stock falling to below 50 percent of its initial public offering price (and 66 percent off the high it reached on its first day of trading), Groupon CEO Andrew Mason wrote a letter to shareholders yesterday to try to swing the momentum back in the company's favor.

Groupon CEO Andrew Mason: We want to be “the OS for local commerce”

After a rocky showing in its first earnings report, Groupon CEO Andrew Mason revealed his grand ambitions for the company in a letter to stockholders today. It’s not just about daily deals anymore: Mason wants Groupon to become the “operating …

Local advertising startup Signpost grabs funding and a former AOL Patch employee

Local advertising startup Signpost grew its business a little bit Tuesday with a $3.75 million investment and a new employee. Christopher DePatria, former head of sales at AOL Patch, joined the team as the vice president of revenue.

Signpost tackles …

Groupon gets boycotted for “torture porn” deal

Morality in Media is calling for a nation-wide boycott of daily deal site Groupon.com for what it claims are tours of a “torture porn” facility.

“Employees lead 90-minute tours for guests aged 18 & older through five floors of historic …

5 tech deals that need to happen

Facebook’s $1 billion purchase of Instagram was the topic on everyone’s lips at Mega Startup Weekend last Saturday and Sunday. The world’s most expensive “Like” has clearly gotten tech entrepreneurs buzzing about who will be next. While there’s no way …

Chicago Tribune talks to Groupon chairman Lefkofsky; asks the wrong questions

In the midst of all the turmoil of Groupon, which is now trading at a market cap below $8 billion and broke below the $12 mark in trading today, the company's hometown newspaper had a sitdown with Groupon chairman Eric Lefkofsky. As a former journalist who once aspired to work at the Tribune, I'm embarrassed for them.

Clone king Marc Samwer out as Groupon’s international head following record high ad violations

Groupon’s business stateside has been embroiled in an accounting scandal that cut the stock price in half. But its international operations are responsible for two-thirds of the company’s revenue. Yesterday the company announced that Marc Samwer, who along with his …