In August 1999 , the company became a public company via an initial public offering , offering stock for sale at $ 12 per share . By December 1999 , the stock was trading at over $ 200 per share and Buckley 's stake of 10,000,000 shares , or 3.5 % of the company , was worth over $ 2 billion . By November 2000 , the stock was down to $ 11 per share and after the September 11 attacks it traded for 70 cents per share . Buckley sold very little of his stock and remained optimistic
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Walter Buckley (businessman)