SEC Questions Groupon Over Leaked Memo; Roadshow Cancelled as the Company Re-examines IPO Timing

According to the Dow Jones Newswires, Groupon has received questions from the Securities and Exchange Commission over the

that CEO Andrew Mason sent out to his employees late last month.

The memo leaked and, within a matter of days, everyone knew what Mason was thinking. “The reason everyone in the world seems to hate ACSOI is that it makes us look magically profitable by subtracting a bunch of our customer acquisition marketing costs from our expenses,” Mason wrote in defense of Groupon's strategy. Unfortunately, his defense may not have the kind of effect that he was hoping for. While Mason cannot be blamed for the leak, his memo is the apparent source of questioning. As

notes, the SEC has a pre-IPO “quiet period” that legally restricts company execs from discussing or promoting the offering. Additionally, Groupon has chosen to cancel its IPO roadshow (which was scheduled to start next week) and is reportedly re-evaluating its IPO timing due to market volatility. This news, while not yet confirmed, comes after a steady stream of Groupon success stories, from the

with Live Nation

to the

with travel website Expedia.com

.