Initial public offerings (IPOs), or new listings of companies on stock exchanges, are among the most important form of finance and generate considerable attention and excitement. They are used to raise capital or to monetize investments by the early generation of venture capital and other private investors. They are increasingly international in scope and reach, especially with non-American firms offering on American stock exchanges.

This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of why companies list on stock exchanges, how IPOs are regulated, initially valued, and their performance in the short and long run. The first part examines the economics of IPOs, and offers statistics and regulatory insights from the United States and other countries around the world. The volume then covers mergers versus IPOs, as well as reverse mergers and special purpose acquisition companies. Part III analyzes institutional ties in IPOs, including analysts, investment banks, auditors, and venture capitalists. The fourth section provides international perspectives on IPOs from a number of countries around the world. Part V discusses alternatives to IPOs, including private marketplaces, and crowdfunding. Reflecting the range of disciplines that analyze IPOs, the contributors come from the fields of finance, international business and management, economics, and law. The chapters cover the latest information on a range of fundamental questions that are of interest to academics, practitioners, and policymakers alike.

Douglas Cumming's profile page

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Douglas Cumming is the DeSantis Distinguished Professor of Finance and Entrepreneurship at the College of Business, Florida Atlantic University. He has published over a dozen books and 4 other Oxford Handbooks, we well as 150 articles in leading refereed academic journals in finance, management, and law and economics.

Sofia Johan, LL.B., LL.M., PhD., is an Adjunct Professor of Finance and Entrepreneurship at the Schulich School of Business, York University. She has published over 50 articles in leading journals, and is the coauthor of Hedge Fund Structure, Regulation and Performance around the World (Oxford University Press, 2013).