Largest U.S. IPOs of all time

After 92 years as a private company, UPS raised $5.47 billion in its IPO on NYSE on Nov. 9, 1999.

On Oct. 4, 1998, the Swiss government privatized a portion of Siwsscom in a $5.58 billion IPO on NYSE.

The Australian government sold the first of three stakes in the communications company Telstra via a $5.65 billion U.S. IPO on NYSE on Nov. 17, 1997.

The French government privatized France Telecom via a $7.29 billion IPO on NYSE on Oct. 17, 1997.

AT&T Inc.'s defined contribution plans have $29.9 billion in plan assets.

The German government's sale of Deutsche Telekom was the largest telecom privitization to float on the NYSE. The phone company raised $13 billion in its U.S. IPO on Nov. 17, 1996.

After receiving a government bailout in 2009, General Motors returned to the NYSE after nearly an 18 month hiatus. The automaker raised $15.77 billion via an IPO on Nov. 17, 2010.

The largest privitization in Europe to float on the NYSE was the Italian government's sale of Enel. The utility company raised $16.45 billion in its U.S. IPO on Nov. 1, 1999.

Although privitizations of government businesses dominate the list of largest U.S. IPOs, the largest offering distinction was a private company, Visa. The credit card company raised $17.86 billion on March 18, 2008.