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Gentlemanly capitalism revisited: a case study of the underpricing of initial public offerings on the London Stock Exchange, 1946–861

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  • DAVID CHAMBERS

Abstract

Allegations of British capital market failure are numerous, but frequently contentious. This paper revisits the literature by highlighting the post‐1945 market for initial public offerings (IPOs) as a clear instance of capital market failure. Despite the tender method delivering substantially lower underpricing than the traditional fixed‐price offer method, it was adopted by only one in 10 firms going public. This missed opportunity cost issuing firms between £1.7 billion and £3.5 billion in real proceeds forgone between 1960 and 1986, excluding privatizations, and was symptomatic of a lack of competition in equity underwriting before Big Bang.

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  • David Chambers, 2009. "Gentlemanly capitalism revisited: a case study of the underpricing of initial public offerings on the London Stock Exchange, 1946–861," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 62(s1), pages 31-56, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ehsrev:v:62:y:2009:i:s1:p:31-56
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0289.2008.00457.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Carsten Burhop, 2011. "The Underpricing of Initial Public Offerings at the Berlin Stock Exchange, 1870–96," German Economic Review, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 12(1), pages 11-32, February.
    2. Carsten Burhop & Thorsten Luebbers, 2011. "The design of licensing contracts: Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, and Electrical Engineering in Imperial Germany," Cologne Economic History papers 11, University of Cologne, Department of Economic and Business History, revised Jun 2011.
    3. Sibylle H. Lehmann, 2014. "Taking firms to the stock market: IPOs and the importance of large banks in imperial Germany, 1896–1913," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 67(1), pages 92-122, February.
    4. Abe de Jong & Wilco Legierse, 2022. "What causes hot markets for equity IPOs? An analysis of initial public offerings in the Netherlands, 1876–2015 [Market timing and capital structure]," European Review of Economic History, European Historical Economics Society, vol. 26(2), pages 208-233.
    5. Carsten Burhop & David Chambers & Brian Cheffins, 2011. "Is Regulation Essential to Stock Market Development? Going Public in London and Berlin, 1900-1913," Cologne Economic History papers 10, University of Cologne, Department of Economic and Business History, revised Mar 2011.
    6. Carsten Burhop & David Chambers & Brian Cheffins, 2011. "Is Regulation Essential to Stock Market Development? Going Public in London and Berlin, 1900-1913," Discussion Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods 2011_15, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods.

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