The Indian IPO market is expected to heat up again in the next quarter. With the economy steadying and market sentiments improving, many companies are lining up their initial public offerings (IPOs) in the coming months. As an investor, especially a retail investor, upcoming IPOs present an interesting opportunity to allocate a portion of the portfolio to high-growth businesses early.
However, not all IPOs are created equal. With so many companies hitting the primary market, how do you separate the wheat from the chaff? Which IPOs should one apply for, and what factors should be considered before investing?
This blog post discusses what investors can expect from IPOs in the next quarter and provides a framework for analyzing and shortlisting the best upcoming IPOs for your portfolio.
Strong IPO Pipeline
Investment bankers have a strong pipeline of companies planning to launch their IPOs soon. These include prominent startups from e-commerce, fintech, FMCG, and technology sectors. Some of the major upcoming IPOs to watch out for include the following:
- Ather Energy: Ather Energy has recently received approval from the capital markets regulator to float its initial public offer. The e-mobility unicorn plans to raise Rs 3,100 crore through its maiden share sale.
- Oswal Pumps: The IPO can supposedly have mixed fresh issues of equity shares that are worth 1000 crore INR. Also, the offer-for-sale (OFS) of close to 11.3 m equity shares will be made available by promoter Vivek Gupta.
- Schloss Bangalore: The parent company of Leela Hotel Chains, Schloss Bangalore, is also planning to offer a mix of the latest issue of equity shares (worth 3000 core INR) and the OFS of stocks, which cost around INR 2000 by Project Ballet Bangalore Holdings.
- iValue Infosolutions: iValue Infosolutions offers various digital services like security analytics and network security. It doesn’t have any listed peers on the Indian stock exchanges. The IPO is expected to have only OFS components with 18.7 m equity shares but no fresh issue components with it.
Factors to Consider Before Investing in Upcoming IPOs
The fast-growing Indian startup ecosystem provides immense potential for wealth creation. It is, however, crucial to remember that IPO investments usually carry higher risks than investing in established entities. An investor must assess multiple aspects of the issue to make informed decisions. Here are some key factors to evaluate:
Business Model and Market Opportunity
Study the company’s business model, target market, and future growth drivers to gauge the strength of the underlying business. Analyse if the company operates in a large addressable market and if tailwinds exist for long-term growth. For example, the rise of online spending presents a huge opportunity for e-commerce and fintech players.
Financial Health
Review key financial metrics like revenue growth, profitability, cash flows, operating leverage, and capital efficiency to assess the business’s financial health. It is better to prefer companies with a proven track record of predictable and profitable growth.
Valuations
Valuations play a critical role in IPO investing. It is crucial to compare the company’s earnings and price-to-sales multiples with listed industry peers to determine if the IPO is reasonably priced or overvalued. It is important to note that tech IPOs in the recent past have commanded higher valuations due to high growth potential.
Competitive Advantage
It is crucial to understand the company’s competitive positioning and moats, such as network effects, branding, or superior technology, that make its business difficult to replicate. Durable competitive advantages suggest that the company can maintain growth and profitability.
Risk Factors
Carefully read the prospectus’s list of risk factors, including operational, financial, compliance, and external risks. Evaluate whether the company has concrete plans to mitigate these risks.
Purpose and Use of IPO Proceeds
Analyse how the company plans to use the IPO funds. It can be beneficial to look for companies that utilize capital for productive purposes, such as expanding capacity, clearing debt, or gaining strategic capabilities via acquisitions, rather than just providing an exit route for investors.
Promoter Credibility and Skin in the Game
The credibility of the promoters or founders and their commitment to the business matter a lot. This is usually reflected in the portion of ownership they plan to retain post-IPO. Founders with enough skin tend to take a long-term view of steering the company.
Tips for Retail Investors Applying in IPOs
Here are some handy tips for retail investors to increase the probability of getting an IPO allotment:
- Open a demat account with a bank or broker that has a higher allocation in public issues. This can help increase one’s chances of allotment.
- Ensure sufficient funds are in the bank account linked to the demat account 2-3 days before the IPO opens. These funds will be blocked once one applies for the IPO.
- Focus on IPOs with larger offer sizes and avoid oversubscribed issues.
- Leverage UPI to apply as it typically has a higher allocation reserved for retail investors.
- Fill in the bid details carefully, and do not submit duplicate requests from the same account.
Conclusion
The IPO frenzy is expected to continue in the next quarter. For investors willing to stomach the risk, upcoming IPOs offer an opportunity to allocate a small portion of capital to new-age businesses that could create substantial wealth over long periods. Doing the homework, thoroughly evaluating company fundamentals and valuations, and investing discipline usually helps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Following are some common questions investors and traders may have about the upcoming IPOs.
Ans: The performance of IPOs that hit the markets in the next quarter can be expected to depend on several interlinked factors. These include prevailing market conditions, industry trends, company fundamentals, geopolitical events, and overall investor sentiment. Strong economic performance and growth outlook have historically supported higher IPO activity and valuations.
Ans: Choosing the right IPOs to invest in requires rigorous due diligence by investors. Critical aspects like the company’s financial health, growth levers, business model, competition dynamics, industry outlook, and the strength of the management team must be evaluated. Reading the IPO prospectus and analyst reports can help provide valuable perspectives.
Ans: Private enterprises from high-growth sectors like technology, healthcare, and green energy can expect to drive IPO volumes in the next quarter. Companies with strong innovation pipelines and a strategy to capitalize on current market conditions will likely draw significant interest.
Ans: While upcoming IPOs are expected to provide exciting investment opportunities, they also carry their share of uncertainty and risks that investors should be aware of. These include prevalent market volatility, chances of overvaluation, lock-in periods, and lack of historical performance data, in addition to the industry-specific and macroeconomic risks.
Ans: Among the upcoming IPOs, companies with strong brand recognition, unique and innovative offerings, established track records, or those operating in areas with massive growth runways can be expected to generate the most investor interest. Tracking financial media coverage and reports prepared by financial analysts can help highlight the important aspects of upcoming IPOs.
Ans: Retail investors should open a Demat account with a leading bank or brokerage firm to access upcoming IPO allotments. They must thoroughly understand the IPO allocation process, categories, and minimum investment thresholds applicable to retail investors.
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