Peter Thiel sold most of his remaining Facebook holdings in August 2012. Contemporary reports put the sale at roughly $395.8 million, but the SEC filing is the best source for the transaction dates, prices, trading-plan disclosure and ownership details.
How much Facebook stock did Peter Thiel sell?
Contemporary reports gave different aggregate figures. TechCrunch reported that Thiel sold 20.6 million Class A shares at an average price of $19.73. VentureBeat reported 20,058,068 shares and proceeds of $395.8 million. These are each outlet’s summaries; the SEC Form 4 lists transaction-level details rather than one consolidated total matching either headline figure.
The roughly $395.8 million figure is therefore a contemporaneous reported estimate, not a single aggregate amount stated in the filing. TechCrunch’s account and VentureBeat’s report provide the respective totals.
When did the sale happen?
The SEC Form 4 records Facebook Class A common stock transactions dated August 16 and 17, 2012. Thiel filed the form on August 20, 2012. Its transaction rows give weighted-average prices and, in footnotes, ranges for some reported prices. The filing is the primary source for those dates and transaction details: SEC Form 4.
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The Los Angeles Times reported that the sale followed the expiration of Facebook’s first post-IPO lockup period. That is contemporaneous context; the Form 4 documents the transactions, not the lockup terms. The Los Angeles Times account describes the timing.
Was the Facebook sale planned?
Yes. The Form 4 states that the sales were made under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted on May 18, 2012: “The sales reported on this Form 4 were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person on May 18, 2012.” That establishes the plan’s existence and adoption date. It does not, by itself, establish Thiel’s personal reasons for selling or whether the plan could later have been changed.
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Were all the reported shares personally owned by Thiel?
The filing identifies Peter Thiel as a director and 10% owner of Facebook, Inc., but its ownership disclosures are more complicated than a personal brokerage sale. It reports transactions and holdings involving direct ownership and entities including Founders Fund entities, Rivendell One LLC and Lembas, LLC. The filing disclaims beneficial ownership for certain holdings except as specified, and notes that a reported distribution from Lembas was not a purchase or sale. It would therefore be misleading to treat every listed share as personally owned by Thiel or every reported disposition as an outright sale by him.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about Thiel’s reason for selling?
The cited accounts and filing establish the reported sales and the trading-plan disclosure, but do not provide a personal explanation from Thiel. TechCrunch reported that spokespeople declined to comment. The available evidence supports saying the sale was planned under the disclosed arrangement; it does not support attributing a particular investment view, financial need or forecast to Thiel.
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