2015 Set To Be Biggest Year Ever For IPOs
Last year, new stock offerings made 2014 the most profitable year for IPOs in well over a decade. 2015 is barely off the starting blocks and already it looks like it might have 2014 beaten. The sheer number of big name companies floating their shares for the first time is staggering. For those unfamiliar, an IPO […]
Last year, new stock offerings made 2014 the most profitable year for IPOs in well over a decade. 2015 is barely off the starting blocks and already it looks like it might have 2014 beaten. The sheer number of big name companies floating their shares for the first time is staggering.
For those unfamiliar, an IPO stands for initial public offering. It’s when a company offers up its business to public shareholders for the first time. It floats its shares on the stock market and its true value is assessed for the first time. Whether you specialise in Forex trading or stocks, 2015 looks to be one of the most exciting investment years yet. Let’s take a look at the mammoth names hitting the market this year.
Uber – Uber has the biggest pre-IPO value of any company, ever. It was valued at $41billion just before the new year. Uber is the revolutionary taxi company that uses smartphone technology to book and track taxis. They have populated every major city in the western world and are expanding frantically. They are already testing driverless cars and squeezing existing companies out of the market. Experts say the IPO will float later this year.
Snapchat – Snapchat have proven themselves a social force to be reckoned with. Founder and CEO Evan Spiegel famously turned down a $3billion offer from Facebook last year. Most of the tech world saw this as a huge mistake. However, Spiegel has gone on to push the company forward and Snapchat is now valued at $10 billion. Not such a big mistake after all. An IPO strategy team has been formed at the management core. It’s safe to assume we will see an IPO shortly.
Spotify – Spotify has completely disrupted the music industry. In much the same way that Napster did ten years ago, Spotify have ripped up the rule book. It puts the focus on streaming music rather than buying it. The music industry still hasn’t figured out how to deal with this change yet, but customers have. Music lovers are flocking to Spotify faster than you could imagine. CEO Daniel EK has gathered a strong team together and whispers of an IPO are growing louder.
Pinterest – Pinterest has quietly become one of the biggest forces in the social media world. It is now more influential than Twitter and hot on the heels of facebook. Its emphasis on imagery has made it one of the most popular services on the web. After becoming the fastest growing social media platform ever, it now looks set to float its IPO. It will be very interesting to see how it stands up against Facebook and Twitter on the public market.
AirBnB – Finally, there’s AirBnB. It has become the default destination for budget travellers. The service lets you rent out your flat or room to travellers. Likewise, you can search for bargain apartments at your destination. Simple, but hugely powerful. Look for this one hitting the stock market later this year.
With these giants of the tech industry all lining up their IPOs, we’re in for a staggering year. The stock market has never looked so packed full of new offerings.
