IPO
Initial Public Offering · Stock Exchange Listing
The first public sale of a company's shares, converting a private company into a publicly traded one — from that day the company has a ticker and a daily quoted market price.
What it is
IPO (Initial Public Offering) is the process by which a company first offers its shares to the public and begins trading on a stock exchange. Underwriting banks set the launch price based on institutional investor demand gathered before the IPO itself (roadshow).
On the first day of trading, the price can differ significantly from the launch price — a first-day pop when demand is higher than underwriters estimated.
After the IPO a lockup period typically applies (usually 90–180 days), during which insiders (founders, employees, early investors) may not sell their shares. The end of the lockup is often accompanied by increased selling pressure.
Why track it
A newly listed company has a short public history — few quarters of financial statements, an unreliable beta (see beta), and often high volatility until the shareholder base and analyst coverage stabilize. Fundamental analysis and valuation models (DCF, multiples) are considerably less reliable for such a company than for an established company with a ten-year track record.
Real-world example
Watch out for
The launch price is set by underwriters based on a limited demand survey, not by market equilibrium — it is not the same as a "fair price" in the sense of intrinsic value. A large first-day pop does not mean the company is undervalued in the long run; it may simply reflect a short-term supply shortage that corrects after the lockup expires.