- IPO (Initial Public Offering): The first time a company offers its shares to the public for purchase.
- DRHP (Draft Red Herring Prospectus): A detailed document filed by a company with SEBI (the regulatory body) before an IPO. It contains financial information, business model, risks, and other relevant details.
- Abridged Prospectus: A concise summary of a company’s Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP). It highlights key information that an investor needs to make an informed decision about investing in an IPO.
- Offer Price: The price at which a company offers its shares to the public during the IPO.
- Issue Size: The total value or quantity of shares a company offers in an IPO.
- Market Capitalization: The total market value of a company’s outstanding shares.
- Underwriter: A financial institution that helps a company issue its securities, often assuming the risk of selling shares.
- Book Running Lead Manager (BRLM): The primary underwriter responsible for managing the IPO process.
- Anchor Investors: Large institutional investors who commit to investing a substantial amount in an IPO, typically before it opens to the public.
- Retail Investors: Individual investors who participate in an IPO, often limited to smaller amounts than institutional investors.
- Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs): Institutional investors like mutual funds, insurance companies, and banks eligible to invest in large quantities.
- Allotment: The process of assigning shares to investors based on their applications.
- Listing: The process of having a company’s shares listed on a stock exchange.
- IPO Grey Market: An unofficial market where IPO shares are traded before the official listing.
- IPO Subscription: The number of shares applied for by investors compared to the total number of shares offered.
- IPO Over-subscription: When the demand for shares exceeds the supply.
- IPO Under-subscription: When the demand for shares is less than the supply.
- IPO Withdrawal: The process of an investor withdrawing their IPO application before the allotment process.
- IPO Refund: The return of funds to investors if their applications are not fully or partially allotted.
- IPO Lock-in Period: A period during which promoters and other early investors are restricted from selling their shares post-IPO.
- Offer for Sale (OFS): When existing shareholders sell a portion of their stake to the public in an IPO.
- Follow-on Public Offer (FPO): When a listed company issues additional shares to the public after its initial IPO.
- Green Shoe Option: A provision allowing underwriters to sell additional shares beyond the initial offer size to meet excess demand.
- Cut-off Date: The last date for submitting IPO applications.
- Listing Gains: The difference between the listing price and the issue price at the time of IPO listing.
- Bid Lot: The minimum number of shares an investor can apply for in an IPO. Investors must place bids in multiples of this lot size.
- Pre-IPO Placement: Shares offered to select institutional or high-net-worth investors before the IPO to secure anchor investments or reduce risk.
- Employee Reservation: Shares allocated in an IPO specifically for employees, often at a discount as an incentive.
- Registrar: A third-party entity responsible for IPO operations such as processing applications, allotment, and refunds.
- Syndicate Member: Intermediaries, including brokers, appointed by the BRLM to assist in distributing shares and collecting applications from investors during the IPO.
Key Terms Related to IPO Every Investor Should Know
