First Data prices IPO at $16 per share: Highest for 2015, Lower than expected

Payments giant First Data priced its initial public offering at $16 per share, which is the biggest for 2015 and is lower than the company's previously indicated $18 to $20 per share.

According to Reuters, First Data made $2.56 billion after selling 160 million shares. This brings the company's value to $14 billion. Including the company's debt, their total value could reach up to $35 billion.

Bloomberg Business reported that First Data decreased its share value by 17 percent due to market volatility, which is the same reason why other companies such as Digicel Group LTD. and Albertson postponed their Initial Public Offering.

First Data aimed to raise $3.2 billion. Had the company hit its goal, it could have been the biggest offering in the US this year. Meanwhile, Albertson was trying to hit as much as $1.7 billion and Digicel tried to make $2 billion.

First Data pricing comes after its competition, Square recently revealed its IPO filing. This suggests that the prominent processing sector expects investors to be more interested in putting their money in payment technology companies, according to Tech Crunch. First Data went public before with KKR buying it through leverage buyout at $29 billion. Now it trades under the FDC on the New York Stock Exchange and it commands a market value of $14 billion.

One of the struggles that pull down First Data's profitability is its big debt load. It has an interest expense of about $813 million in the first half of 2015. During the same period, the company reported a net loss of $138 million. It means the company could have been earning a big profit if it wasn't for its huge debt. The company had $5.56 billion revenue in the first half of this year, which means it is headed to 11-figure net revenue in 2015. Some investors are skeptical while there are those that see the IPO as a growth opportunity.