Global IPO Report – July 2018
We are pleased to present this Global IPO Report detailing new listing activity involving Bermuda, BVI and Cayman Islands public companies listed on stock exchanges around the world during H1 2018.
In the first half of 2018, Bermuda, BVI and Cayman companies performed well on the world’s major exchanges, with a total of 112 IPOs launched. A number of mega deals were recorded globally. Of particular note was Cayman company PagSeguro Digital Ltd., with its US$2.3 billion IPO – the second largest deal in Q1.
Bermuda also had a successful start to 2018 with the split-off and subsequent launch and listing of Liberty Latin America on the Nasdaq Global Select Market and OTC Market. And BVI finished 2017 on a high note, despite the tremendous challenges brought by a series of devastating natural disasters. A number of landmark transactions closed in 2017, including Despegar’s IPO which closed on the day Category 5 Hurricane Irma hit the islands. The deal resulted in Despegar becoming one of the most valuable publicly-listed BVI companies and was a true representation of BVI’s resilience and its role as a leading offshore centre for major corporate transactions.
Market Performance and Trends
Global IPO markets witnessed a slight increase in value in the first half of 2018 over the same period last year, raising a total of US$94.3 billion, a 5% increase in value. Volume, conversely, was down 21%, with an overall total of 660 listings.
Deal flow in our jurisdictions ran parallel with activity taking place globally. The most active exchange was the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, which represented 76% of the listings during this period, followed by the major exchanges in the US and one listing on the Bucharest Stock Exchange – as shown in the graphic on the right.
Early Indicators for an Active Year Ahead
There is a positive outlook for H2 2018 as a result of strong equity markets, high corporate earnings and increasing investor confidence. The pipeline in markets such as the Americas and Asia-Pacific looks healthy, with IPO activity in Brazil and Mexico remaining strong, and an appetite in Asia for small-cap listings and IPOs from high-tech companies. EMEIA is also displaying a positive outlook, notably through regions such as India and the Middle East.
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Global IPO Report – July 2018