
The IPO market is a useful mirror, reflecting the mood of investors. In 2022, it showed caution and hesitation, but 2023 tells a different story – one of recovery.
In 2022, high inflation and rising interest rates led to a quiet year for Indian IPOs. However, IPOs are back in fashion in 2023 as inflation eases to the RBI's target levels, and investor confidence rises.
The benchmark Nifty 50 index is up 8.8% in 2023. This renewed enthusiasm is visible globally as well. The US indices S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 have risen by 18.4% and 46.5% in 2023.
Right now, the pessimists are losing money: Michael Burry, the investor known for his ‘big short’ during the 2008 global financial crisis and who had predicted a US market crash in 2023, closed his short positions worth $1.6 billion in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq in September, at a 40% loss.
India is set to be the fastest-growing major economy in FY24, and many companies are trying to ride the growth wave by launching their IPOs. But how does their performance compare to those in previous years? Let’s explore.
In this week’s Analyticks,
- IPO fever: 2023 sparks a wave of new listings, breaking 2022's quiet spell
- Screener: IPO stocks listed in the past two years with the highest 1-year jump in share price, plus YoY revenue and profit growth in Q2FY24
2023 sees an IPO bonanza, as markets recover
The IPO market saw a downturn in pandemic year 2020, with a 14.9% fall in listings. But the recovery in 2021 made it the ‘Year of IPOs’. The number of mainboard IPOs exceeded those of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in 2021, as larger companies rode positive market sentiment, helped by a 24.12% rise in the Nifty 50.
2023 marks the highest number of IPOs listed in five years
After a bull run in 2021, 2022 brought volatility, fueled by high inflation, rising interest rates, and geopolitical tensions. As a result, many companies scrapped their IPO plans citing unfavourable market conditions.
But in 2023, the total number of IPO listings has risen sharply, and reached the highest level in the past five years.
Vast majority of IPOs list in the green
Over the past five years, the number of IPOs listing with gains has increased. As of November 20, 2023, 83% of IPOs have listed above their issue prices.
IPO success rate climbs: Majority list in the green
The average listing gains of the five most successful mainline IPOs in each year tell an interesting story.
2022 sees dip in the top five IPOs' average listing gains
The average gain was the highest in 2021 (157.3%) but dropped significantly in 2022, due to investor hesitancy after the underperformance of several high-profile tech IPOs in 2021.
Only Zomato trades higher than its issue price among new-age tech companies
However, 2023 signals a positive shift. Not only has the number of listed mainline and SME IPOs crossed 2022’s total, the average listing gains of the most successful ones have also improved sharply, from 49.7% to 77.5% in 2023.
Banking and finance IPOs excel in 2023
Two companies from the banking and finance sector, Utkarsh Small Finance Bank and SBFC Finance, are among the top four IPOs this year, thanks to the sector's overall uptrend.
Utkarsh Small Finance Bank rises since its successful listing in July 2023
The most successful IPO of the year, ideaForge Technology from the defense sector, debuted with a 92.7% gain. However, the stock has since fallen sharply and is currently trading only 20% above its issue price. This IPO also had the second-highest total subscription at 106x its offer. The Indian government's defense spending boost has increased investor interest in this sector.
All four IPOs in 2023 garner strong investor interest with high subscription rates
Netweb Technologies, a software and services company, saw strong interest from qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) and listed at high gains. However, since its listing on July 27, the stock has declined by over 15%.
Stock prices of three out of the four most successful IPOs have now fallen below their listing gains. This trend suggests that investors are cashing in on initial gains to secure profits. Three of these IPOs listed in July 2023, a month when the Nifty 50 closed in the green for the fifth consecutive month.
Post-2021, investors seem more inclined toward companies with strong fundamentals, especially after loss-making companies were listed at extremely high valuations, but failed to meet expectations.
Barring ideaForge Technologies, which turned profitable in FY22, the other three top IPOs in 2023 have displayed consistent profitability.
ideaForge Technology turns profitable in FY22
With still a month left in the year, India's IPO landscape is bustling with activity. In the coming weeks, five companies, including Tata Technologies and the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), are set to collectively raise over Rs 7,300 crore. The IPO recovery is a confidence signal in the Indian economy, and more companies are lining up to list in the coming months.
Screener: IPO stocks listed in the past two years with highest 1-year change, and YoY revenue and profit growth in Q2FY24
Kaynes Tech leads in 1-year change % among IPOs listed in the past two years
This screener shows profit-making mainline IPO stocks listed in the past two years that have risen the most over the past year, with YoY revenue and net profit growth in Q2FY24. The screener is dominated by the banking & finance, consumer durables, diversified consumer durables, textiles, apparels & accessories and software & services sectors.
Major stocks that appear in the screener are Kaynes Technology India, Kalyan Jewellers India, Anand Rathi Wealth, Electronics Mart India, RateGain Travel Technologies and Global Health.
Kaynes Technology India has risen by 322.5% since its listing on the bourses on November 22, 2022. Its net profit grew by 53.8% YoY to Rs 32.3 crore, while revenue increased by 32.1% YoY in Q2FY24. The profit increase is on the back of improvement in the automotive, industrial and aerospace, outer-space & strategic electronics segments.
Kalyan Jewellers comes next with a 238.5% rise over the past year. Listed on March 26, 2021, at Rs 73.9 per share, its net profit and revenue grew by over 27% YoY in Q2FY24. This profit rise was aided by an improvement in operational leverage, new customer additions and new showrooms.
You can find more screeners here.