Hypo Venture Capital is a market leader in Financial Services. Here is a guide to Initial Public Offerings (IPO’s) designed to take the jargon and fear out of the myth that IPO’s are higher risk than ordinary investments.

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IPOs or Initial Public Offers are means by which a company can raise debt free capital through sharing the ownership and profits. There have been many companies opting for the IPO route over the last two decades. There have also been many big success stories with people making decent profits through these investment tools. However, there are always some items to consider when investing in an IPO that can reduce the risk in this.

IPO Basics

As the company starts growing, there is a time when it needs huge capital to take it to the next level of growth. Some companies decide to raise debt to get this capital; others opt for profit sharing without adding to the debt. The second option is the IPO route. In effect, when you invest in an IPO your are opting for part of its profits and losses too! So you need to be very selective on which companies you want invest in.

Studying the Company

A good starting point for your IPO analysis is to look at the IPO prospectus, and the financial reports of the company for as many years as possible. One thing that every company must publish is its total debt and total asset value. As long as the asset value is more than the debt, you know that enterprise can pay off its debts so it would survive. Also look at the difference in the assets value and debt which in effect is like the company value. Check what is the effective company value based on the IPO price and number of shares. If the IPO price is less than this value you are in for good profits on listing.

Besides value, another good indicator is the company growth seen in the profits it has made over the past few years. Sometimes the enterprise is new so its current value is less, but a strong growth pattern would be that its value is going to increase in future so it is a good longer term investment.

Third important thing to look at is whether the company is stuck in some legal tangles. Typically, if the verdict goes against it, it would affect its finances and more importantly the stock price in the market. You could lose lot of money, in that case. So study these aspects well before investing.

Lastly, analyze its market standing among the peers. If you use its products, you know it is a good company and you can invest with lesser risk. But if it is an unheard commodity, you need to be cautious.

Besides these points, other items that could affect the IPO price on listing are market sentiments, the economic outlook, general industry news, etc. These are so dynamic that they cannot be used a guidelines, and you need to go with the market flow.

In short, investing in an IPO in can be risky, but with careful analysis you can reduce the risk. For this there are some items to consider when investing in an IPO. As long as you do your homework, the risks are limited.

About the Author:

Stephen Holmes is a Senior Vice President at Hypo Venture Capital, with experience in the Financial Services industry spanning over 25ys and 3 Continents. Stephen currently directs the Portfolio Risk Management Group after moving from the Equity Derivatives Research Group 3yrs ago. He has a PhD in Experimental Particle Physics and has been working in the alternative investment industry since 1992. His interests include classical music, reading and he often is a guest speaker at corporate functions with a focus on ‘Technology in Society’.

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Hypo Venture Capital is an independent investment advisory firm which focuses on global equities and options markets. Our analytical tools, screening techniques, rigorous research methods and committed staff provide solid information to help our clients make the best possible investment decisions. All views, comments, statements and opinions are of the authors. For more information go to www.hypovc.com