Chapter 4: Primary Markets Flashcards
What is a greenshoe, or over-allotment clause?
Enables companies to increase the number of shares offered at IPO.
What are the 3 broad stages to an IPO?
The decision
The preparation of the prospectus
The sale of securities
Who underwrites the offer?
Investment bank or banks that manage the sale
What is a “firm” underwriting?
Where there is a guarantee in place to purchase the securities
What is a “best-efforts” underwriting?
Where banks will do their best to sell the shares from the offering
What is the risk the underwriter may take on in a “best-efforts” underwriting?
If the IPO is under subscribed, they may suffer reputational damage - meaning less likely to be involved in future IPOs
What is a follow-on offering commonly referred to as?
Secondary offering
When would a company not do a secondary offering?
In a bear market
What are the 3 ways that a company can use IPOs?
Offers for sale
Placings
Introductions
What is an offer for sale?
Issuing company sells its shares to a issuing house (usually investment bank), who then take on the role at selling them to to public at a higher price
What is a fixed-price offer?
Price is usually fixed at just below where it is believed the issue should be fully subscribed
What is the benefit of a fixed-price offer?
Encourages an active secondary market
What is a tender offer?
Company sets a minimum tender price
Investors state the number of shares they wish to purchase and which price they are willing to pay
What happens when a tender offer closes?
A single settlement price is determined by the issuing house, and all applications at or above will be accepted at that price
Which offer type is more common?
Fixed-price
What is the benefit of tender offer over fixed-price?
More efficient way of allocating shares and maximising proceeds
What is the downside of tender offers?
More complex to administer
Where does the term greenshoe come from?
Green Shoe Manufacturing Company is 1919 was the first company to be permitted to do a over-allotment option
What does the over-allotment option allow underwriters to do?
Sell up to an additional 15% more shares if demand is in excess
How can the underwriter to support the stock price in case of adverse market conditions?
They can buy shares on the open market
What is a selective placing?
Company markets issue directly to broker/issuing house which in turn places the shares with selected clients
Why is a placing sometimes referred to as selective marketing?
Because the intermediary is selecting the clients on who to offer to
What is a private placement?
A placement offered directly to a restricted class of investors, known as “sophisticated, qualified or accredited”
Why are private placements not allowed to be offered to the public?
They have not filed a formal prospectus or offering document that is required by regulation to offer shares to regular investors
What does a prospectus outline?
Details regarding the offering
Detailed business plan
How the proceeds will be used
Director details
Risks disclosure
What are the regulations for private placements in the UK, EU, US?
UK - Prospectus Regulations (reflect EUs regs)
EU - Prospectus Directive (PD)
US - Reg D
What is an introduction?
A direct listing of a company shares into a new secondary market
A way of gaining liquidity by offering into a new market - e.g. ADR?
What is a hybrid instrument?
One that has characteristics of bonds and equities
What does an exchangeable bond offer to the investor?
Right to exchange the bond for a set number of shares, but the shares are not those of the bond issuer - but of another companies shares held by the issuer.
What benefits do exchangeable bonds offer to investors?
Safety of coupons and repayments, combined with the potential upside of equity growth