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Companies That Had Their IPO In 2021

Last updated 03/14/2024 by

Allan Du

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Summary:
The year 2021 saw several notable Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) from companies such as Coinbase Global, UiPath, Roblox, Bumble, Coupang, Oatly Group, and Krispy Kreme. An IPO is a significant event for a company as it allows it to raise capital, increase its visibility, and potentially provide an exit for its early investors and founders. While going public can bring credibility, prestige, and help attract new investors, customers, and business partners, the IPO process itself can be both time-consuming and expensive.
Initial public offerings (IPOs) are a big step for the companies that manage to reach such a stage. IPOs represent a significant milestone for a company to be able to access funding, helping them to grow their business to the next level.
Every year there are a number of exciting companies that go public with their company shares. Here we’ll explore what IPOs are, the pros and cons, and the most notable IPOs of 2021.

Notable IPOs of 2021

Coinbase Global

Coinbase Global went public on April 14, 2021, offering 114.8 million shares. The company’s shares opened at $381 and closed at $328.28 on the first day of trading. Coinbase’s IPO raised a whopping $4.4 billion, making it one of the most successful IPOs of the year so far. The market debut of Coinbase was a significant event for the cryptocurrency industry, highlighting the growing mainstream acceptance of digital currencies as a legitimate asset class.
Coinbase Global is a leading cryptocurrency exchange platform that allows customers to buy, sell, and trade digital currencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin.

UiPath

UiPath went public on April 21, 2021. With over 23 million shares offered, the company raised a whopping $1.34 billion. The IPO opened at $65.50 per share, and by the end of the day, the stock price had climbed to $69 per share, marking a successful debut for UiPath on the public market.
UiPath is a software company that provides a platform for robotic process automation (RPA), which allows businesses to automate repetitive and mundane tasks.

Roblox

Roblox had its IPO on March 10, 2021, with 199 million shares offered at $64.50. The share price rose during the day, closing at $69.5, and the IPO raised a total of $2.3 billion. The popular gaming platform’s IPO was eagerly anticipated and saw strong demand from investors.
Roblox is an online gaming platform and game creation system that allows users to create their own games and play games created by other users.

Bumble

On February 11, 2021, Bumble, the dating app catered to women, went public with its IPO. Bumble offered 50 million shares at $76 per share, raising a whopping $2.15 billion. Despite its impressive debut, Bumble’s share price closed at $70.55, lower than the opening price.
Bumble is a dating app that allows users to make meaningful connections and build relationships. It is unique in that it requires women to initiate conversations with matches.

Coupang

South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange on March 11, 2021, offering 130 million shares at $63.50 per share. However, the stock closed lower at $49.25 per share, marking a 22.4% drop. Despite this, Coupang still managed to raise an impressive $4.6 billion, making it the biggest IPO of the year so far.
Coupang is a South Korean e-commerce company that offers a wide range of products and services, including home goods, groceries, and clothing.

Oatly Group

In May 2021, Oatly Group went public with 84,376,000 shares offered at $22.12. While the stock price closed lower at $20.20, the IPO raised $1.4 billion, highlighting the growing demand for plant-based alternatives in the food industry.
Oatly Group is a Swedish-based food company known for its oat milk products. The company produces a range of plant-based dairy alternatives, including milk, yogurt, and ice cream.

Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme, the popular donut chain, went public on July 1, 2021, offering 29.4 million shares at $16.30 each. The shares opened at $16.30 and closed at $21.00, raising $500 million.
Krispy Kreme is an American doughnut company that offers a variety of doughnuts and other baked goods.

What is an IPO

IPO stands for Initial Public Offering, which is the process by which a private company becomes a public company by offering shares of its stock to the public for the first time. The proceeds from the sale of the shares go to the company, which can use the funds for various purposes, such as funding growth, paying off debt, or making acquisitions. An IPO is a significant event for a company, as it allows it to raise capital, increase its visibility, and potentially provide an exit for its early investors and founders.

The Pros and Cons of IPOs

On the plus side, going public can bring a level of credibility and prestige to a company’s name. By being listed on a major stock exchange, it can help attract new investors, customers, and business partners, as well as provide a way to raise more capital for expansion and innovation.
A major downside of IPOs is the cost and complexity of the IPO process itself, which can be both time-consuming and expensive. Public companies also face greater monitoring and regulation, as they are required to disclose financial information and meet reporting requirements to shareholders and regulatory bodies. Also, public companies may experience pressure from shareholders to prioritize short-term profits over long-term growth and innovation.
WEIGH THE RISKS AND BENEFITS
Here is a list of the benefits and drawbacks to consider.
Pros
  • Access to capital.
  • Enhanced visibility and credibility.
  • Increased liquidity.
  • Employee incentives.
  • Being part of the stock market can help a company secure better terms from lenders.
Cons
  • Additional regulatory requirements.
  • Founders may lose control of their company.
  • IPO transaction costs.

What happened to the stock market in 2021?

Despite modest losses on the last day of the year, the stock market had a successful 2021 due to key trends like a sagging bond market and a sector rotation away from high-growth companies, which helped boost the broader market. On the final day of trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite all experienced losses of varying degrees. However, overall, the stock indexes performed well in 2021, with gains driven by these trends.

What is the largest IPO in history?

The largest IPO (initial public offering) in history was the IPO of Saudi Arabian oil company Saudi Aramco, which was launched in December 2019. The company raised $29.4 billion by selling 1.5% of its shares on the Saudi stock exchange, the Tadawul. The IPO surpassed the previous record held by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, which raised $25 billion in its IPO in 2014.

How many companies went public in 2021?

In 2021, a total of 1035 companies went public through initial public offerings (IPOs) in the United States. More than double the number from 2020.

Key takeaways

  • IPOs can bring a level of credibility and prestige to a company’s name and provide a way to raise more capital for expansion and innovation.
  • The notable IPOs of 2021 are Coinbase Global, UiPath, Roblox, Bumble, Coupang, Oatly Group, and Krispy Kreme.
  • Going public can also be complex, time-consuming, and expensive, with greater monitoring and regulation, and pressure from shareholders to prioritize short-term profits over long-term growth and innovation.

SuperMoney may receive compensation from some or all of the companies featured, and the order of results are influenced by advertising bids, with exception for mortgage and home lending related products. Learn more

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Allan Du

Allan Du is a personal finance writer passionate about helping people take control of their finances. Allan strives to present readers with the right knowledge and tools, so they can make informed decisions about their money and build wealth. When he is not writing about finance, Allan enjoys pursuing his other interests, including powerlifting, kickboxing, and investing. He is an active follower of economic and political trends, always keeping watch on the latest developments that could impact the financial world.

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