Determinants of the exit value in European venture capital-backed technology startups

Author(s):  
Benedetta Montanaro ◽  
Angelo Cavallo ◽  
Giancarlo Giudici ◽  
Antonio Ghezzi

Purpose This study aims to analyze the impact of different exit alternatives, investor presence and founders’ human capital on the exit value of European venture capital (VC)-backed high technology startups. Design/methodology/approach The empirical analysis is based on a sample of 107 European firms that obtained an exit through Merger&Acquisition (M&A) or an initial public offering (IPO) between 2010 and 2017, backed by VC investors. Findings This study provides empirical evidence on how different exit alternatives, investor heterogeneity and founders’ human capital may affect the exit value of European VC-backed startups. Exiting through an IPO and retaining a larger equity stake are positively correlated with the exit value. The presence of business angels and non-governmental VC firms is associated with larger valuations. Founders’ previous education was positively correlated with the exit value. Originality/value Exit strategies in technology startups are essential to capitalize investors’ efforts and reinvest cash into new ventures, supporting the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems and countries’ competitiveness. The results of this study provide interesting hints for policymakers and contribute to an in-depth understanding of the drivers of exit valuation for startups.

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 4126
Author(s):  
Bing Liu ◽  
Hui Jiang

This study aimed to explore how both geographic and industry distances, as potential barriers, affect the sustainability for venture capital (VC) syndication. Specifically, we examined the influences of initial public offering (IPO) activity as a market environment factor and foreign VC as a firm character on VC syndication in the tourism and hospitality sectors, together with the consideration of moderating effects of geographic and industry distances. Using a purposefully developed dataset of VC deals made in China, involving 645 VC firms and 592 VC-backed venture companies from 1991 to 2017, the empirical analysis indicated that both IPO activity and foreign VC were positively related to VC syndication. Geographic distance was found to negatively moderate the relationship between IPO activity and VC syndication; on the contrary, industry distance was found to positively moderate the relationship between foreign VC and VC syndication. These findings revealed that distances are not necessarily barriers to sustainability for VC syndication. This study provided an integrated view on the factors and barriers influencing the sustainability of VC syndication in tourism and hospitality sectors. It advances the knowledge of VC syndication in tourism investment and sheds light on sustainable entrepreneurship in tourism and hospitality.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy C. Artiach ◽  
Gerry Gallery ◽  
Kimberley J. Pick

Purpose This paper aims to provide a chronological review of changes in the institutional setting regulating Australian initial public offering (IPO) firms’ earnings forecasts over the period from 1994 to 2012. The changing forecasting environment covers both IPO firms’ prospectus earnings forecasts and post-listing updates to those forecasts. Design/methodology/approach This historical analysis reviews the changes in corporate regulation and enforcement, Australian Securities Exchange listing requirements and the outcomes of securities class actions (SCA) that affect IPO firms’ earnings forecasts. Findings A review of the institutional setting regulating Australian IPO firms’ earnings forecasts reveals two inter-temporal shifts in (increasing) litigation risk over 1994-2012 period which have arisen from more onerous regulations, stronger regulatory enforcement and a more active SCA market. The authors document the corporate responses to those shifts. Originality/value This is the first study to comprehensively document research of an inter-temporal litigation risk shift on IPO firms’ earnings forecasting behaviour. It therefore provides a formative base and a useful resource for researchers, practitioners and investigators (regulators, forensic accountants, etc.) when examining the impact of the changes on IPO firms’ forecasting behaviour following regulatory change and enforcement.


2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (12) ◽  
pp. 1392-1410 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Stephen Haggard ◽  
Yaoyi Xi

Purpose Conventional wisdom says that the price reduction stocks experience at expiration of the initial public offering (IPO) lockup period is due to relaxation of selling constraints. Findings from more recent literature question this explanation. The purpose of this paper is to examine a different cause for this price drop, IPO overvaluation. Design/methodology/approach Using the IPO overvaluation measures of Purnanandam and Swaminathan (2004), the authors examine IPO lockup period stock return differences between stocks in the highest and lowest overvaluation quintiles. Findings The authors show that the IPO lockup period price reduction is strongly related to overvaluation. Zero-investment portfolios long in the lowest overvaluation quintile and short in the highest overvaluation quintile of IPO firms have positive significant returns. Practical implications IPO investors can use the technique to identify firms likely to underperform in the IPO lockup period, potentially avoiding bad investments. Originality/value This is the first study to link IPO lockup period stock returns to IPO overvaluation, providing evidence on the impact of both overvaluation and short-selling constraints on stock returns in the IPO lockup period.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 342-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Chen ◽  
Xinrong Wang

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect of the reputation of underwriters and sponsoring representatives on initial public offering (IPO) underwriting fees, and further investigates the role of ownership and political connection. Design/methodology/approach The methodology includes three models. Model 1 empirically investigates the effect of underwriter’s reputation on underwriting fee. Model 2 studies the effect of sponsoring representative’s reputation on underwriting fee. Model 3 further examines the effect of underwriter’s reputation and sponsoring representative reputation on the underwriting fee controlling for the impact of ultimate controlling ownership and political connection. Findings The study documents that underwriters’ and sponsoring representatives’ reputation can result in reputational premiums. In the IPO of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), the reputation of underwriters and sponsoring representatives does not significantly affect the underwriting fees. In the IPO of non-state-owned enterprises (NSOEs), there is a significantly positive correlation between underwriters’ and sponsoring representatives’ reputation and underwriting fees. Further research results show that, on the one hand, the effect of underwriters’ and sponsoring representatives’ reputation on underwriting fees is not significant in the IPO of NSOEs with political connection. On the other hand, underwriting fees are positively associated with underwriters’ and sponsoring representatives’ reputation in the IPO of NSOEs without political connection. Research limitations/implications The sponsoring representative’s fee is not disclosed separately, which makes it difficult to distinguish the incremental effect from underwriter’s services and reputation. Practical implications NSOEs relative to SOEs are more likely to pay higher underwriting fees for hiring underwriter and sponsoring representative with better reputation during the process of IPO. Social implications The reputation of underwriter and sponsoring representative does not matter to SOEs but does matter to NSOEs. However, NSOEs’ political connection affects underwriter fees. Originality/value This paper provides new evidence of sponsoring representatives’ reputation and political connection on the underwriting fees in the IPO in Chinese SOEs and NSOEs.


2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yogesh Maheshwari ◽  
Khushbu Agrawal

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the impact of initial public offering (IPO) grading on earnings management by Indian companies in their IPOs. Specifically, it investigates whether earnings management significantly differs in the pre-IPO grading regime and post-IPO grading regime. Further, it examines whether earnings management significantly differs between high-graded and low-graded IPOs. Design/methodology/approach – The cross-sectional modified Jones model is used to obtain the discretionary accruals, a proxy for earnings management. The impact of IPO grading on earnings management is assessed using multiple regression analysis. Findings – Earnings management is significantly lower in graded IPOs as compared to the ones that are not graded. Further, among the graded IPOs, the high-graded IPOs exhibit lower earnings management as compared to the low-graded IPOs. The findings are robust to the use of an alternative measure for discretionary accruals. Originality/value – IPO grading in India is a unique certification mechanism, introduced for the first time in any market. This paper establishes the efficacy of this mandatory certification mechanism in reducing earnings management. The findings could be valuable to issuer companies, investors and market regulators.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nischala P. Reddy ◽  
Ben Le ◽  
Donna L. Paul

Purpose This paper aims to investigate how the passage of the Sarbanes Oxley Act (SOX) impacted the likelihood and timing of the decision of leveraged buyout (LBO) firms to exit via initial public offering (IPO) (reverse-LBO) and the mediating effect of reputed private equity (PE) firms. Design/methodology/approach The sample comprises firms that went private via LBO between 1990 and 2018. The authors use logistic and ordinary least square regression models to compare the effect of SOX on the re-listing decision and the time taken to re-list. Findings LBO firms were less likely to exit via public offering after SOX, and the time from LBO to IPO was significantly longer for exiting firms post-SOX. PE firm reputation partially reversed the reluctance to exit via IPO and shortened the time to exit. Research limitations/implications The primary focus is RLBOs; the authors do not directly examine other methods of LBO exit. The findings have policy implications for unintended impacts of SOX. Despite the benefits of increasing transparency and protecting investors, SOX reduced the likelihood of going public and increased the time to IPO, potentially reducing product market competition. Originality/value RLBOs present a unique experimental setting as the authors can test the impact of SOX on both the likelihood and time to go public, whereas prior literature using first-time IPO samples are able to test only the likelihood. The authors also show that the reputation of the advising PE firm attenuates the reluctance and time taken for RLBOs to re-list. The authors are, thus, able to provide a new perspective on the impact of SOX on the going public decision.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Wu ◽  
Zhenzhong Ma

Purpose Overseas work experiences have played a critical role in venture creation and success, yet the impact of overseas work experience on returnee entrepreneurs’ venture capital funding in the Chinese market remains understudied. This paper aims to explore the impact of returnee entrepreneurs’ overseas experiences on their opportunities of venture capital funding in China to help better understand the potential benefits that overseas work experiences bring to emerging markets. Design/methodology/approach The authors have conducted a two-year inductive field study to explore the impact of overseas experiences on Chinese returnee entrepreneurs’ funding in the Chinese market with in-depth interviews with returnee capital seekers (or the venture founders) and capital providers. Findings The results show that returnee entrepreneurs are more likely to succeed in acquiring financial resources for their new ventures if they skillfully present their overseas work experiences and international networks to manage the impression constructed by capital providers. Originality/value This research sheds light on how returnee entrepreneurs use impression management in external resource acquisition. It is clear that overseas experience has been regarded a symbol of personal capability closely associated with advanced knowledge and valuable human and social capital in the Chinese context. Resource holders appreciate such an association. The authors suggest that returnee entrepreneurs concerned about how to effectively acquire external resources should reflect upon the ways of presenting themselves to potential investors and fostering a positive image that encourages investors to commit to their ventures.


2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 368-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salim Chahine ◽  
Igor Filatotchev ◽  
Garry D. Bruton ◽  
Mike Wright

Organizational theory recognizes reputation as a central element to understanding the firm. Examining investor valuations of 1,676 initial public offerings (IPOs) in the United States from 1990 to 2011, we find that reputation transfer through an association of an IPO firm with a venture capital (VC) firm represents a resource whose value can increase/decrease over time depending on investors’ valuations of prior IPOs funded by a VC firm. We conclude that the impact of reputation transfer through association is not unidirectional but, instead, is to be viewed in the context of prior reputational development of organizations the focal firm is associated with. Furthermore, we find that three “transfer enhancers” can improve the impact of VC firm reputation transfer on IPO valuations, including the VC firm’s past experience intensity, the diversity of IPO experiences, and the number of prior syndicated IPOs involving the VC firm as a lead investor.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Waqas Mehmood ◽  
Rasidah Mohd-Rashid ◽  
Ahmad Hakimi Tajuddin ◽  
Hassan Mujtaba Nawaz Saleem

Purpose This study aims to investigate the effect of Shariah-compliant status and Shariah regulation on initial public offering (IPO) underpricing in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach Besides the ordinary least square’s method, this study used quantile least squares as a robust approach and stepwise regression for further analysis to investigate the underpricing phenomenon in Pakistan. Data of 84 IPOs listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange from January 2000 to December 2018 were collected to determine the impact of Shariah-compliant status and Shariah regulation on IPO underpricing. Findings Results of the study show that Shariah-compliant status has a negative relationship but Shariah regulation has a positive relationship with IPO underpricing. Hence, it is contended that Shariah-compliant firms have lower asset volatility and uncertainty than non-Shariah-compliant firms because of less information asymmetry, resulting in lower underpricing. These Shariah-compliant firms provide signals of high-quality IPOs as they must comply with the strict guidelines issued by the Securities Exchange Commission of Pakistan in addition to being considered as amicable by investors. Further, this study suggests that investors are more attracted to Shariah-compliant firms than non-Shariah-compliant ones. Research limitations/implications This study’s offers limited consideration of nonfinancial and financial characteristics that could influence the decision of investors to subscribe to IPOs. Besides, future studies could consider the screening benchmarks; for instance, debt and cash may explain the intensity of IPO initial return in Pakistan. Originality/value The present work empirically investigated the influence of Shariah-compliant status and Shariah regulation on IPO underpricing in Pakistan’s IPO market, which has been scarcely covered in the existing literature.


foresight ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Szkuta ◽  
Blagoy Stamenov ◽  
Paul Cunningham

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the impact of public support through equity instruments on firm performance, as measured by growth in employment, turnover and innovative activities. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on available academic literature and policy evaluation studies and using a mixed-method approach based on evaluation synthesis. Findings The key findings reflect positive, albeit quantifiably small, outcomes for this type of policy intervention for employment and turnover and no effect on innovation. There is some concentration of positive results, which is also dependent on the number and quality of the available target companies. Research limitations/implications The evaluations used in this study vary considerably in their design, nature and the input and output variables used and, thus, limit a robust comparison of their outputs. Most of the evaluations examined in this paper did not control for multiple simultaneous treatment effects and/or subsequent funding rounds. Practical implications The evaluations are rarely designed to compare the treatment effects of alternative policy choices. Only seldom is an evaluation designed to assess the impact of the scheme in the context of the broader policy mix (with its framework conditions, etc.) which would provide more fine-grained policy implications. Originality/value The recent literature (Duruflé et al., 2017, Da Rin et al., 2011) highlights the dearth of studies exploring the role of government policies supporting venture and, more broadly, equity investments beyond comparisons of the efficiency of independent venture capital and government-backed venture capital. Most studies explore the impact in terms of exits, initial public offering and leverage effects whereas fewer studies look at output effects on companies such as turnover and employment growth. The paper aims to collect the existing evidence including less analysed policy evaluation studies and draw lessons for public policy.


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