Strong IPO pricing comes as more professional money managers are willing to dip their toes into the new-issue pool.

WSJ: IPO Pricing Signals Surge In Demand

Under current securities laws, members of an IPO underwriting syndicate are prohibited from publishing equity research before and up to the IPO pricing date and for a period of 40 days after the pricing of an IPO.

FORBES: How A Shortage Of Analysts Is Hampering The IPO Market

Facebook stole the headlines, pricing its IPO as markets closed.

FORBES: Facebook To Debut As Apple Drags Markets Lower

It is also true that Alibaba has intimate knowledge of pricing a hot IPO too high and then living for years with burned investors.

FORBES: Talking Down Its IPO Won't Stop Alibaba Windfall For Yahoo

Much as I would like to believe that the pricing of Facebook in the IPO was based upon an assessment of the fundamentals, I am a realist.

FORBES: Facebook's IPO: Thoughts On Momentum, Pricing And Valuation (It's Still No Buy)

Carlyle is putting less emphasis on pricing shares high at the IPO, instead hoping they rise in value once they are traded, according to people familiar with the matter.

WSJ: Carlyle Takes Cautious Approach in IPO Price

Facebook's final pricing comes amid recent financial disclosures that threw some cold water on the ballyhooed IPO.

WSJ: Facebook Prices Its IPO at $38

Just 3.4% of all U.S.-listed IPO deals since 1995 have increased both the number of shares and the price range of their IPOs before pricing, according to Dealogic.

WSJ: Morgan Stanley Was 'Driver' on Facebook's Wild IPO Ride