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The Underpricing of Insurance IPOs

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  • Qiming Wang
  • James A. Ligon

Abstract

The previous literature documents that insurance initial public offerings (IPOs) are less underpriced than those of noninsurance firms. This difference is usually attributed to lower information asymmetry for regulated firms. However, we find that once one controls for the file price adjustment insurance IPOs, both stock and mutual, are no less underpriced than other noninsurance offerings suggesting the book‐building process resolves any such information asymmetries. We also find that mutual IPOs appear more underpriced than stock insurance IPOs, but this difference is related to the differences in pre‐issue managerial ownership.

Suggested Citation

  • Qiming Wang & James A. Ligon, 2009. "The Underpricing of Insurance IPOs," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 38(2), pages 301-322, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:finmgt:v:38:y:2009:i:2:p:301-322
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-053X.2009.01037.x
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    1. Antti Talonen & Harri Talonen & Jari Stenvall & Iiro Jussila, 2020. "Communicating the economic value of customer ownership in insurance: A qualitative analysis of annual reports," Risk Management and Insurance Review, American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 23(3), pages 243-267, September.
    2. Jakša Krišto & Antti Talonen & Hrvoje Pauković, 2021. "Analysis of community‐owned mutual insurers' prospects of development in CEE countries: Outlining research agenda," Risk Management and Insurance Review, American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 24(3), pages 243-261, September.
    3. Otchere, Isaac & Owusu-Antwi, George & Mohsni, Sana, 2013. "Why are stock exchange IPOs so underpriced and yet outperform in the long run?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 76-98.
    4. Hsuan-Chi Chen & Robert Fok & Sheng-Hung Kang, 2010. "Issuers’ incentives and tests of Baron’s model of IPO underpricing," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 35(1), pages 71-87, July.
    5. Alessandro Cirillo & Donata Mussolino & Sara Saggese & Fabrizia Sarto, 2018. "Looking at the IPO from the “top floor”: a literature review," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 22(3), pages 661-688, September.
    6. Adjasi, Charles K.D. & Osei, Kofi A. & Fiawoyife, Eme U., 2011. "Explaining underpricing of IPOs in frontier markets: Evidence from the Nigeria Stock Exchange," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 255-265, September.

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