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Strategic waiting in the IPO markets

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  • Çolak, Gönül
  • Günay, Hikmet

Abstract

The paper analyzes the strategic waiting tendencies of IPO firms. Our game theoretic model shows why some high-quality firms may strategically delay their initial public offering until a favorable signal about the economic conditions is generated by other issuing firms. Survival analysis suggests that IPOs in the highest quality decile have significantly higher median waiting days (since the start of a rising IPO cycle) than the IPOs in the lowest decile. During the early stages of an expanding IPO cycle the average firm quality is lower than in its later stages. We find supporting evidence also from the IPOs of future S&P 500 firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Çolak, Gönül & Günay, Hikmet, 2011. "Strategic waiting in the IPO markets," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 555-583, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:corfin:v:17:y:2011:i:3:p:555-583
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    4. Colak, Gonul & Fu, Mengchuan & Hasan, Iftekhar, 2022. "On modeling IPO failure risk," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    5. Colak, Gonul & Fu, Mengchuan & Hasan, Iftekhar, 2020. "Why are some Chinese firms failing in the US capital markets? A machine learning approach," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    6. Franck Bancel & Usha R. Mittoo, 2013. "Survey evidence: what do we know about European and US firms’ motivations for going public?," Chapters, in: Mario Levis & Silvio Vismara (ed.), Handbook of Research on IPOs, chapter 3, pages 57-75, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    7. Colak, Gonul & Gounopoulos, Dimitrios & Loukopoulos, Panagiotis & Loukopoulos, Georgios, 2021. "Political power, local policy uncertainty and IPO pricing," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    8. Chua, Ansley, 2014. "Market conditions, underwriter reputation and first day return of IPOs," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 19(C), pages 131-153.
    9. Chenjun Fang & Ning Zhu, 2019. "Name complexity, cognitive fluency, and asset prices," Review of Financial Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(1), pages 168-196, January.
    10. Dimitrios Gounopoulos & Georgios Loukopoulos & Panagiotis Loukopoulos, 2021. "CEO education and the ability to raise capital," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 67-99, January.
    11. Shantanu Banerjee & Ufuk Güçbilmez & Grzegorz Pawlina, 2013. "IPO waves and hot markets in the UK," Chapters, in: Mario Levis & Silvio Vismara (ed.), Handbook of Research on IPOs, chapter 4, pages 76-98, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    12. Liu, Duan & Qiu, Qi & Chen, Shou, 2023. "Timeliness of technological innovation and decisions of IPO timing and pricing," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 498-519.
    13. Anderson, Christopher W. & Huang, Jian, 2017. "Institutional investment in IPOs and post-IPO M&A activity," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 1-18.
    14. Gu, Xian & Hasan, Iftekhar & Zhu, Yun, 2019. "Political influence and financial flexibility: Evidence from China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 142-156.
    15. Flor, Christian Riis & Moritzen, Mark Raun, 2020. "Entering a new market: Market profitability and first-mover advantages," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    16. Zhiqiang HU & Yizhu WANG, 2013. "The IPO Cycles in China's A-share IPO Market: Detection Based on a Three Regimes Markov Switching Model," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 0(3), pages 115-131, October.
    17. Premti, Arjan & Madura, Jeff, 2013. "Motives and consequences of IPOs in cold periods," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 53(4), pages 486-496.

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