Reddit set to make its stock market debut [Video]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Reddit and its eclectic bazaar of online communities is ready to plumb high-stakes territory — the stock market.

The company priced its IPO at $34 a share Wednesday and shares will begin trading Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “RDDT.” The market debut is likely to spur a flurry of commentary on Reddit’s own platform, as well as competing social media outlets.

The IPO will test the quirky company’s ability to overcome a nearly 20-year history colored by uninterrupted losses, management turmoil and occasional user backlashes to build a sustainable business.

The interest surrounding Reddit stems largely from a large audience that religiously visits the service to discuss a potpourri of subjects that range from silly memes to existential worries, as well as get recommendations from like-minded people.

About 76 million users checked into one of Reddit’s roughly 100,000 communities in December, according to the regulatory disclosures required before the San Francisco …