Initial Public Offering (IPO) & Direct Listing – Meaning & Differences

Public companies have two major ways of raising capital – IPO and Direct Listing. Both these methods have different implementation methods, and companies can choose either one that suits their financial objectives. 

As an investor, you should know the differences between both to make the right investment choices. So let’s dive deeper into it. 

What Is an IPO?

An Initial Public Offering (IPO) is a method by which private companies become a publicly traded company and open themselves to the public by offering their shares and getting listed on the stock exchange consecutively. Organisations generally hire an investment bank as an underwriter to work closely with them throughout the IPO process. 

This intermediary helps the company meet all the regulatory requirements of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). After deciding the price of shares in the offering, the company sells them to investors via their distribution networks. Such investors comprise various investment banks, high net-worth individuals, retail investors, institutional investors, etc.

Before the IPO starts, the organisation and its underwriters organise an event in which the company’s top executives present their firm in front of investors to generate interest. Then, depending upon the assessment from this event, shares of the firm that will be made available in the IPO are priced by the underwriters.

What Are the Advantages of an IPO?

Some of the advantages of IPO are as follows:

• For investors, it is a great way to purchase shares of companies with significant growth potential and earn from them in the long run. 
• Allows businesses to generate capital for expanding their operations and fuel future growth. 
• Companies get to display their credibility in front of investors and thus gain their trust. 

What Is Direct Listing?

A direct listing is a process by which businesses can sell their current shares to the general public to obtain capital or become public corporations. There is no need to hire an underwriter or promoter because the shares issued are well-known. A few crucial advantages of direct listing include that it requires fewer regulatory requirements than an IPO, does not require an underwriter, saves time, and provides fewer shares when listing than an IPO.

A direct listing allows existing private shareholders’ shares to be listed immediately on the stock market for unrestricted trading. However, with a direct offering, the listing price of the shares is not set by the underwriter. Instead, market forces control the price.

What Are the Pros of Direct Listing?

Here are some of the benefits of Direct Listing:

• Since there is little to no requirement for an underwriter, direct listing is cost-effective. 
• Due to the fact that it needs less regulatory formalities, the direct listing procedure is quicker than the IPO.
• Since no extra money is being raised through the direct listing, companies are not required to pay the costs they would otherwise be required to pay in the case of a typical IPO. Therefore, in a direct listing, the charge is merely 1% instead of a 6-7% fee in the IPO.
• Insiders and prominent shareholders like private equity, venture capital funds, and domestic high net-worth or family offices are prohibited from selling or withdrawing their investments during a lock-in period in the traditional issuance. However, the direct listing approach does not include such a situation. Shareholders aren’t required to stay in their investments for a set amount needed to keep in their investments for a set amount of time before selling them.

What Are the Differences Between IPO and Direct Listing?

The primary differences between IPO and Direct Listing have been discussed below:

Final Words

IPO and Direct Listing are the two ways privately listed companies offer their shares to the public. Although these two methods have some key differences, the end goal for both is the same. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)