An Introduction To The IPO Process
An initial public offering or IPO is the way a company introduces shares of its stock to the public for the first time. The goal is to offer up shares for an existing company or to raise funds for a new one. Whichever the reason, the IPO process is a standard practice that follows a certain path.
The first thing a company must do before issuing stock is file a registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC.) Since the SEC has the power of nullifying any attempt to go public, a companys statement must be thoroughly accurate. Data concerning the financial health of the company must be entirely truthful. Due diligence should be the order of the day. Putting a company out onto the IPO Market is serious business. Every step in the IPO Process must be done carefully.
Sometime after, or possibly before, the registration process is done, a company will seek one or multiple investment bankers. The investment bankers will do two things for the company. First of all, they will get the companys prospectus into the hands of potential future share holders. A prospectus is a legal document that describes in detail the situation of the company. Inclusions in a prospectus are outlines of the companys market, financial statements, projections on future stock pricing and biographical information about its executives. The prospectus is sometimes called a red herring. This nickname is given because of the red ink on its cover. The red ink is a notice stamped by the SEC stating that shares cannot be bought prior to registration approval.
The second function of an investment banker or underwriter is to buy the companys shares and resell them to the public. Usually a road show, is launched, during which the investment banker and company executives engage potential investors to explain company strategy and promote the stock.
By selling its stock to an underwriter rather than selling it directly to the market, like the New York Stock Exchange, a company receives its money upfront and does not incur the risk of failure in the market. Additionally, they do not have to assume the costs of promotion. On the other hand, they are giving up the possibility of higher share prices that could be generated by the market.
Selling to the underwriter cannot take place until registration has been approved by the SEC. Upon approval, and generally a day or so before the public offering is made, the investment banker and company executives will conclude how many shares to offer and the price per share. After all of this has taken place and the money and shares of stock are exchanged, the offering is complete.
Underwriters do extensive research before committing to buy a companys securities. They take on a calculated risk, essentially betting that the price per share they pay out to a company will be less than what the market is willing to pay for it. Opportunities for huge profits -and losses- exist in this environment.
It goes without saying that while the risk is high for investment bankers, the IPO process offers huge potential for profit. It can be very exciting to have an opportunity to pay a low price for stock that will someday be worth a fortune.
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