Global IPO Proceeds Hit $268 Billion in 2020, Highest Value Since 2010

The initial public offering (IPO) market performance in 2020 defied all expectations, demonstrating the resilience of equity and capital markets. The year saw a total of 1,363 IPOs receiving $268.0 billion.

According to the research data analyzed and published by Comprar Acciones, IPO volume shot up by 19% in 2020 compared to 2019 while value surged by 29%. Total proceeds were the highest since 2010 when 1,361 IPOs raised $290.2 billion.

In the US, 43 consumer companies completed IPOs during the year, up from 27 in 2019. They raised a collective $19.57 billion, close to three times the $6.77 billion raised in the previous year.

US Exchanges Accounted for 88% of 2020 IPO Deal Value

The most active sectors in the 2020 IPO market were technology, industrials and healthcare. Together, they accounted for a 59% share of global deals and 64% of the total value.

Regionally, the United States saw the highest increase, 30% up in deal number and 78% up in proceeds. From 217 deals that raised $54.9 billion in 2019, there were 282 deals in 2020, raising $97.9 billion.

The Asia Pacific took the lead in terms of value and deal number. There was a 20% increase in deal number from 686 in 2019 to 822 in 2020. Deal value rose by 45% from $93.6 billion to $136.2 billion in the same period.

US exchanges accounted for 79% of global deal numbers and 88% of deal value. US Nasdaq received $55.3 billion from 181 IPOs while the NYSE got $30.9 billion from 43 IPOs.

Q4 2020 was noteworthy with 490 IPOs raising $101.4 billion, an increase of 30% year-over-year (YoY) in deal number and 9% in value. The highest valued IPO in Q4 2020 was JD Health, which raised $4.0 billion. AirBnB raised $3.8 billion while DoorDash raised $3.4 billion.