According to the latest report published EY, for 2022, there have been a total of 992 IPOs raising US$146b, a 44% and 57% decrease compared to a year ago. This the accounting firm said follows the trend for the year in which IPO companies and investors were faced with mounting macroeconomic challenges, market uncertainties, increasing volatility, and falling global equity prices. Apparently, volatility increased from 19.7 in 2021 to 25.6 in YTD 2022.
YTD, the technology sector continued to lead by the number of IPOs, although the average deal size came down from US$261m to US$123m YOY. While the energy sector overtook by proceeds with the largest increase of 176%, driven largely by three of the global top five deals in YTD 2022, the consumer products sector witnessed the biggest drop in average deal size (69%).
Q3 2022 saw the lowest SPAC IPO proceeds since Q3 2016, along with de-SPACs struggling to find the right targets. The SPAC market was continually challenged this quarter with only 17 deals, raising US$0.9b. A record number of existing SPACs are actively seeking targets, with the majority facing potential expiration in the next year.
Overall regional performance: taking a wait-and-see approach
Major economies and financial markets in the Americas and EMEIA remain under pressure as quantitative tightening kicks into a higher gear.
Americas exchanges saw the sharpest decline, recording only 116 deals raising US$7.5b YTD, a decrease of 94% in proceeds and 72% in volume YOY. In direct contrast to a record-breaking year in 2021, YTD Americas IPO activity sank to its lowest level in 20 years.
YOY, EMEIA IPO activity fell by 50% and 52% by number and proceeds, respectively. Europe dropped 76% in proceeds, but the Middle East continued to be a rare bright spot with a 209% increase in proceeds, despite a 51% decrease in the number of deals.
As the region has been less impacted by inflation and geopolitical issues, Asia-Pacific exchanges have performed relatively better, housing five of the top 10 global IPOs in YTD. YTD it has also contributed 61% and 69% of the global share of IPOs and proceeds, respectively. However, it still registered YOY declines of 25% by deal number and 22% by deal size.
YTD, Asean saw a total of 96 IPOs raising US$3.8b, up 4% in deal numbers and a decline of 57% in proceeds YOY. The notable decline in proceeds was due to a lack of mega IPOs (IPOs with proceeds equal to or greater than US$1b) in YTD 2022. Asean exchanges that were most active YTD were Indonesia (45 IPOs raising US$1.5b), Malaysia (25 IPOs raising US$0.7b), and Thailand (13 IPOs raising US$1.3b), followed by Philippines (7 IPOs raising US$0.3b) and Singapore (6 IPOs raising US$33m).
Paul Go, EY Global IPO Leader, says: “With uncertainties being the IPO market’s biggest challenge, companies and investors continue to wait for a more stable and positive stock market sentiment before any sustained appetite for IPO activity re-emerges.”
Q4 2022 outlook: icebreakers will pave the way
Soaring inflation and rising interest rates are adversely affecting the global equity market. Geopolitical tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic led to more market uncertainty and volatility. All these factors are bringing headwinds for risk assets as we near the end of 2022.
In the Americas, IPO pipelines are waiting for the market to reopen next year, and in EMEIA, tough market conditions continue to squeeze IPO windows. For APAC, while public filings for IPOs have not picked up, activity remains strong in the background as companies evaluate their options for 2023.
Go says: “Many companies’ IPO plans were put on ice in early 2022, in anticipation of more favorable market conditions. Providing market uncertainties and volatility subside, the launch of long-awaited blockbuster IPOs together with improved after-market returns may reverse the sentiment and attract more companies to follow.”
Overall, IPO candidates looking to go public will need to be well prepared when re-engaging the market as they will face much lower valuations compared with the highs of 2021.
