Something that's been missing this year? Initial public offerings (IPOs).
In fact, we are seeing only a handful of new filings – and lots of withdrawals of registrations. According to a piece in Reuters, there have been about $21.4 billion in withdrawals so far this year (which involves 61 companies).
Simply put, investors are in fear-mode. Hey, even Warren Buffett is not so optimistic about things.
Yet, the fact remains that many companies still need financing. So, we may see an uptick in later stage venture and hedge fund financings. And yes, expect to see companies looking to sell out (which is not easy – in light of the soft M&A market).
True, we will still some interesting offerings, such as the Visa deal. But such deals will primarily be the exception.
Tom Taulli is the author of various books, including The Complete M&A Handbook
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