noun

IPO

a company's first sale of shares to the public

In Banking & Finance

In more detail

1. (noun) the first time a company's shares are sold to the public on the stock market

2. (noun) the shares themselves that are offered in this first public sale

Examples

1. The tech startup had a successful IPO last year, raising millions of dollars.
2. Investors rushed to buy shares in the IPO on the first day of trading.

How to use IPO

IPO (initial public offering) is the standard term in finance and business contexts for a company's transition from private to publicly traded status. It refers both to the event itself and the shares offered, and is used by investors, analysts, and business journalists to discuss market activities and company valuations. The term is neutral and technical but widely understood in English-speaking business environments.

Common phrases

IPO launch
IPO price
IPO shares
successful IPO
file for an IPO
IPO market

Synonyms

public offering · flotation · listing · going public

Word family

go public · publicly traded

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use IPO as a verb (e.g., 'the company IPO'd'), which is informal and not standard in formal financial writing; the correct verb phrase is 'go public' or 'file for an IPO.'

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IPO