The road to becoming a listed company: step by step
There are several different incentives for an IPO/listing. Being listed makes it easier for a company to raise new capital from the capital market, enables the company to use its own shares as payment in the event of acquisitions, enables share-based incentive programmes, improves recruitment opportunities and results in the company’s shares becoming liquid and convertible into cash; in other words, it provides an exit option for existing shareholders. Becoming listed is also a company’s seal of quality as the listing places high demands on the company’s provision of information to the market and increases its transparency. This can also help raise awareness of the company and its products or services.
Regardless of why a company chooses to list its shares, the IPO process will be relatively long and resource-intensive for the company. This is why it is important for the company to start preparing its IPO process well in advance and to start allocating sufficient resources for the project.
Below is a brief description of what an IPO process may look like.
START
The company is evaluating its interest in – and the possibility of – carrying out a listing and adopting preparatory measures (e.g. a pre-IPO/IPO readiness assessment)
1.
- Adviser(s) are chosen
- Initial meeting with the stock exchange/marketplace
- Exchange auditor/certified advisor/mentor is chosen and its review process initiated
2.
- Review of the organisation, including financial reporting, disclosures to the market and corporate governance, and adaptations to meet the listing requirements
- The due diligence process begins
- Work with a prospectus/company description/information memorandum
- Euroclear affiliation begins (if the company is not already a VPC-affiliated company)
3.
Efforts involving analysis, pricing/valuation and initial marketing
4.
- The due diligence process is completed
- Discussion with FI regarding approval/registration of the prospectus
- Translation and layout of prospectus (if relevant)
- Decision on and application for listing
5.
- The stock exchange approves the company’s listing application
- Prospectus sent to FI for final approval/registration
- Printing of the prospectus
- Road shows for investors
- Notification period
6.
- Decision on share price
- Subscription
- Allotment
- First day of trading
GOAL
Congratulations on your IPO!
Lindahl's offer
Lindahl’s competence group for capital markets and public M&A provides ongoing advice to companies in connection with IPOs, as well as for capital market transactions and issues arising during a company’s life as a listed company, such as handling the AGM, corporate law issues, corporate governance issues, disclosure issues, insider issues, incentive programmes, procurements of capital, buy-outs from the stock exchange, mergers, etc.
Lindahl’s clients are often found in knowledge-based, innovative and technology-intensive industries, and Lindahl is regularly engaged for capital market transactions in areas such as life science, real property, shipping, IT, information and communications technology (ICT).