Considering and ultimately deciding to make the transition to a public company requires significant effort from many parts of a business. Our dedicated team supports clients at every step of the journey both before and beyond the IPO – choosing the appropriate market for listing, preparing the business, executing the public offering and ultimately, establishing themselves as a public company.
The following are some key questions and issues, which require consideration from management and shareholders of a company considering an IPO:
- If the rationale behind your IPO is to raise equity capital, have you considered all alternative strategies and which exchange to use?
- Are you sufficiently familiar with the listing process and roles of the various advisors in the process (e.g. banks, accountants, lawyers, etc.)? Have any of these advisors already been appointed?
- Do your information systems support the high quality management and financial reporting information as required for a public company?
- Have you prepared a business plan in the light of your business being a public company; and have you articulated the use of IPO proceeds, considered their proposed dividend policy, etc.?
- Have you prepared a sufficiently robust and integrated valuation model that incorporates your cost of capital, can be flexed, can test applicable banking covenants and provide projected cash positions?
How we can help
Our dedicated professionals provide our clients with a wide range of services to support them in their IPO. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Perform an IPO readiness review to assess the existing financial reporting, business controls, corporate governance and management information systems, and address any deficiencies;
- Due diligence on the business to be listed (financial, tax, operational, commercial, environmental, insurance and IT areas) to assist in drafting key sections of the investment circular;
- Reporting accountants (historic financials, working capital);
- Provide financial modeling services to generate a robust business plan, fit for purpose for an IPO; and
- Independent assessment of valuation.