The Journey to the Public Markets
Our experts dive into the critical decisions companies face when going public. We explore the nuances of each method by which a company can become publicly traded and outline the essential steps needed to communicate these choices effectively before, during, and after the initial public offering.
What's covered in the webinar?
A Discussion of the Current IPO Market Trends
Gain insights into the latest developments shaping the IPO landscape. Understand how market volatility, investor sentiment, and regulatory changes impact the success of public offerings. Our experts analyze recent IPO activities, highlight emerging sectors attracting investor attention, and discuss what these trends mean for companies planning to go public.
Options for Going Public – From Direct Listings to IPOs to SPACs
We provide an in-depth comparison of the various routes to the public markets. Learn about the traditional IPO process, including underwriting, pricing, and roadshows. Discover how direct listings offer an alternative by allowing companies to list without issuing new shares or raising new capital. Explore the rise of SPACs as a faster, less conventional method, and understand how companies choose the option that best aligns with their goals and stakeholder interests.
Best Practices for Communicating Your IPO Based on the Selected Format
Effective communication is crucial throughout the IPO process. We discuss strategies for crafting compelling narratives that resonate with investors, regulators, and the public. Topics include tailoring your messaging to different audiences, leveraging digital media platforms, and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. Learn how to manage investor expectations and build confidence in your company's vision and financial health.
Metrics to Gauge a Successful Public Listing
Understand the key performance indicators that define a successful transition to the public markets. We cover metrics such as initial stock performance, capital raised versus projected needs, market capitalization, and post-IPO growth trajectories. Our experts share insights on how to set realistic benchmarks, monitor performance, and implement strategies for sustained success in the public eye.
Why You Should Watch:
Expert Guidance: Learn from seasoned professionals with firsthand experience in taking companies public across various industries.
Strategic Insights: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the pros and cons of each IPO route to make informed decisions.
Communication Strategies: Acquire actionable tips for effectively communicating your company's story to attract and retain investors.
Market Awareness: Stay updated on current trends and future projections in the IPO market to better position your company.
Get Access to the Webinar:
Unlock valuable knowledge that can propel your company toward a successful public offering. By watching this webinar, you'll be better prepared to make strategic decisions, communicate effectively with stakeholders, and achieve a successful public listing.
Meet the Panelists
Matt Rubel
Executive Board Chairman, MidOcean Partners
Matt Rubel currently serves as a Chairman, MidOcean Private Equity Executive Board. Matt is a renowned retail and brand CEO, having led many successful global brands and businesses. Notable past experiences include his role as CEO, President, and Board Member of Varsity Brands, Chairman, CEO and President of Collective Brands, Inc., Chairman, CEO and President of Cole Haan LLC, and senior leadership roles at J. Crew Group, Revlon, and Murjani International Ltd.
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Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Yahoo
SPACs Are Back - You Should Be Worried
SPACs aren't new. Their rise and fall are a clear case of market memory loss. From 2020 to early 2021, special purpose acquisition companies exploded into the spotlight. Hundreds launched, raising over $160 billion. They were sold as a faster, more flexible alternative to IPOs, a way to take private companies public without the regulatory drag. But underneath the surface, most were hype machines. Celebrities joined the party. Shaquille O'Neal. Jay-Z. Even former House Speaker Paul Ryan. Their names were plastered on term sheets while pre-revenue companies were rushed into the market and pitched as the next Tesla or Amazon. Few investors stopped to ask the obvious: why were these companies avoiding the standard IPO route? By late 2022, the bubble had burst. SPACs that once traded at premiums dropped below their $10 NAV floors. Goldman Sachs reported that 77% of post-merger SPACs from the 2020–2021 class traded below their issue price within a year. High-profile failures like Nikola and Lordstown Motors burned a lot of capital and credibility. These companies weren't just struggling for scale or profits; some barely had functioning products. And yet, retail investors piled in, drawn by slick investor decks and the promise of early access. More News from Barchart OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Calls DeepSeek's Bluff: 'I Don't Think They Figured Out Something Way More Efficient' Vanguard Is Now the Top Investor in MicroStrategy Stock. Should You Buy MSTR Too? Warren Buffett Used These 4 Simple Rules to Acquire 76 Businesses Worth Over $173 Billion Our exclusive Barchart Brief newsletter is your FREE midday guide to what's moving stocks, sectors, and investor sentiment - delivered right when you need the info most. Subscribe today! Now, SPACs are making a quiet comeback. Deal volumes are creeping up again. Promoters are talking about "next-gen" structures and stronger governance. But underneath, little has changed. A SPAC is only as good as the business it merges with. Most of the time, it still ends in disappointment. Why They Took Off Last Time And Why They Failed The SPAC craze had nothing to do with sound investing. It was hype from the start. Retail investors, riding stimulus checks and fresh off big pandemic gains, were desperate to jump into the next big thing. SPACs gave them what looked like front-row access. Unlike traditional IPOs, where institutions get first pick, anyone could buy into a SPAC at $10. Wall Street sponsors knew how to frame the story. They pitched SPACs as democratized dealmaking. But they buried the fine print, loaded fees, generous promoter shares, and exit strategies that let them cash out long before the retail crowd knew what they owned. The real problem wasn't access. It was the quality of the business. Many weren't just unprofitable; they had no revenue at all. Take Nikola, which reached a multi-billion-dollar valuation based on a prototype that didn't work. Or Clover Health, which marketed itself as a tech-forward insurer but was later revealed to be under federal investigation. These weren't outliers. They were standard. Investor decks promised 10x revenue growth and market dominance. Cash flow was always "just a year or two away." SPACs operate on a two-year deadline to complete a deal or return capital. That timeline created urgency, not quality. Many sponsors pushed through weak deals to meet the clock. Due diligence suffered. As a result, over 60% of SPACs from that boom now trade under $5. Some are down over 90%. Investors didn't buy businesses. They bought marketing slides and a dream. What's Different Now? Not Enough Wall Street doesn't have a long memory. And it rarely admits mistakes. As SPACs reappear in the headlines, the narrative has shifted. Sponsors say this new batch is more disciplined: better targets, tighter structures, and improved governance. The pitch has changed, but the incentives haven't. Sponsors still get paid if a deal closes, no matter how it performs. Their promoter usually hands them 20% of the post-merger equity for little or no cost. That means millions in upside for getting a deal across the line—even if the company craters. Meanwhile, retail investors are left with stock in businesses that may have less cash, fewer assets, and no clear plan. Redemptions are another warning sign. In many recent SPACs, more than 80% of the initial capital was withdrawn before the merger. That leaves the company underfunded on day one. Sponsors patch the gap with last-minute PIPEs or debt deals, moves that weaken the structure further. And retail still comes in last. By the time the average investor hears about the deal, the best terms are already taken. PIPE investors get their discounts. Sponsors take their free shares. What's left is a press release, a public ticker, and a lot of misplaced optimism. As one hedge fund analyst put it to me, "Sure, the paint looks fresh. But the engine's still busted." The Illusion Of Cheap Some SPACs now trade well below trust value. On paper, they look like bargains. But cheap prices often signal something deeper: real risk. The incentives haven't changed. Sponsors still hold upside through warrants and promote shares that dilute common shareholders. Most deals still include preferred equity, convertibles, or earn-out structures that cut into future gains if the stock doesn't run. Then comes dilution. These post-merger companies often need new capital quickly. That means issuing stock at lower prices, repricing warrants, or cutting side deals with PIPE investors. Shareholders get diluted. Ownership shrinks, even if the stock doesn't move. Liquidity is another problem. Many of these stocks have thin floats and wild price action. It only takes a small group of traders to move the price 10% or more in a day. That illusion of volume can vanish fast. Meanwhile, insiders and early backers often have structured ways to exit while retail is still buying. Just because a SPAC trades at $3 doesn't make it a bargain. If it's got no cash, weak fundamentals, and layers of dilution, it's not discounted. It's dangerous. What to Watch If You Must Play Not every SPAC is a dud. A few have created value. But the good ones don't come with billboards and buzz. If you're still going to fish in these waters, use better bait. Start with the sponsor. Do they have a track record of building real businesses? Or are they serial promoters chasing fees? Look for personal capital at risk and evidence they're not just passing through. Next, check the cash. How much money will the company have after redemptions? A deal that closes with an empty trust account is already in trouble. Insider behavior is key. Are they buying shares in the open market? Participating in the PIPE? Or lining up the exits? Follow the money, not the marketing. And finally, evaluate the business. Is there revenue? Margins? A clear path to profitability? If it relies on projections five years out with no current traction, it probably won't deliver. Real Opportunities Live Elsewhere You don't need to chase SPACs to find upside. There are cleaner plays with better setups and stronger alignment. Spin-offs, for example, are consistently fertile ground. When companies split off divisions, it often unlocks value, especially when insiders keep equity and focus on performance. These are companies with an operating history, not just a pitch deck. Broken IPOs are another space worth watching. These are stocks that went public at overhyped prices and got crushed. But when the smoke clears, the underlying business may still be strong, cash flowing, growing, and forgotten by the crowd. Turnarounds offer potential too. They're messy and often unloved. But when you find a name with a clean balance sheet, management alignment, and early signs of operational recovery, the upside can be real. It takes work. But it's real investing. SPACs didn't fade because they worked. They faded because they failed. Their return isn't a sign of progress. It's a sign that markets forgot what happened the last time. You don't need to short SPACs. But you don't need to step back into the fire either. Investors chasing yesterday's fantasy are likely to relive yesterday's outcome. You want asymmetric payoff? Look where others aren't. On the date of publication, Jim Osman did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Yahoo
SoFi Stock Is Up Over 90% in 3 Months. Should You Still Buy or Sell Now?
SoFi stock (SOFI) has gained over 90% in the last three months. It has rebounded sharply from its 2025 lows, not only turning positive for the year but also achieving YTD gains of 38%, outperforming the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) by a significant margin. In this article, we'll discuss whether SoFi is still a buy or if it would be prudent to take some profits off the table here. The last time I covered SoFi in June, it was trading around $15. The stock now trades above $20, a price level it hasn't been able to rise to since 2021 when it went public by merging with one of Chamath Palihapitiya's special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). More News from Barchart Dear Nvidia Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for July 16 How to Buy Tesla for a 13% Discount, or Achieve a 26% Annual Return Retirement Ready: 3 Dividend Stocks to Set and Forget Our exclusive Barchart Brief newsletter is your FREE midday guide to what's moving stocks, sectors, and investor sentiment - delivered right when you need the info most. Subscribe today! SoFi Is a SPAC Success Story All other companies that Palihapitiya took public with his SPACs trade well below the IPO price of $10. SoFi is a rare exception not just for Palihapitiya-backed SPACs, but also the wider SPAC ecosystem. Many former SPACs have either gone bankrupt or slipped into oblivion. Many of the companies that opted for SPAC mergers were disruptive businesses seeking to redefine their respective industries. However, most either had flawed business models or burned too much cash for them to be sustainable. This is where SoFi stands out. The company has challenged the status quo in the banking landscape with its innovative products and diversified business. SoFi has turned profitable on a GAAP basis while continuing to grow its top line at a stellar pace. It has an ambitious target of becoming among the top 10 financial institutions in the U.S. – a goal that does not look entirely unachievable, even if lofty. Why Has SoFi Stock Rallied? SoFi's recent rally has been backed by a both supportive macroenvironment as well as positive company-specific news. Geopolitical tensions have eased while markets have started taking President Donald Trump's tariff announcements in stride. On a company-specific level, SoFi's re-entry into crypto trading was received positively by the market. The foray comes at a time when there is an increased appetite for digital assets. Earlier this month, SoFi said that it would add more private market funds to its platform, which would let members invest in popular privately held companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX and ChatGPT-parent OpenAI. Cross-selling incidentally is a key opportunity for SoFi, whose member count was 10.9 million at the end of March, with the number rising over 10x in the preceding five years. SoFi Stock Forecast Despite its stellar financial performance and the accompanying rally, SoFi has failed to win over the analyst community. Earlier this week, Citizens JMP downgraded SoFi stock from an 'Outperform' to 'Market Perform' over valuation concerns. Goldman Sachs also assumed coverage of the stock with a 'Neutral' rating and $19 target price. Their ratings match the consensus 'Hold' rating that SoFi has had for the last many quarters. While SoFi has generally traded above its mean target price for the last year, after the recent rally, it has run up to its Street-high target price of $21. Should You Buy SoFi Stock? SoFi trades at a forward price-earnings (P/E) multiple of 77.2x with a price-to-book value of 3.5x. The stock appears quite overvalued on these multiples when compared with traditional banks. However, SoFi is not a traditional bank. I see the company as having the body of a traditional bank with the soul of a fintech. Having the banking charter helps SoFi gain access to low-cost member deposits and lowers its reliance on high-cost wholesale borrowing. At the same time, it has the agility of a fintech, which enables it to launch some products that traditional banks might not. SoFi gets a high (and rising) share of its revenue from non-lending-based ventures, which warrants higher multiples, particularly on book value. SoFi previously guided for an earnings per share (EPS) of between $0.55 and $0.80 in 2026, which I believe could be revised upwards if its crypto business takes off in a big way. Going by the top end of the guidance, SoFi trades at 26.2x its 2026 EPS, which still does not look exorbitantly high as SoFi expects its EPS to rise by between 20%-25% beyond 2026 as well. I have been a long-term SoFi bull and have used sharp rallies to book profits while buying more shares when the stock dips. After the recent rally in SoFi, I am a bit wary of the stock, as at least the short-term risk-reward does not look too favorable. I would rather use the opportunity to take some profits off the table here, and will add more shares to my position if the stock falls from these levels. On the date of publication, Mohit Oberoi had a position in: SOFI. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Yahoo
The Smartest Bank Stocks to Buy With $100 Right Now
SoFi is adding high-value services to its platform that target its specific market. Nu is adding millions of customers quarterly, but it's still a small fish in a large sea of financial companies in Latin America. 10 stocks we like better than SoFi Technologies › Bank stocks as a category are generally high-value, low-growth stocks. They typically pay dividends, often with attractive yields, and they're reliable for long-term growth as they drive the economy. However, if you're looking for great bank stocks, I'm going to turn the tables here and present two quality candidates that are high-octane growth stocks with no dividends that are not for the risk-averse investor. If that fits your investing profile, and you have $100 to invest right now, SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI) and Nu Holdings (NYSE: NU) are two stocks you should take a look at. SoFi was one of the legions of special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) that stormed the markets a few years ago before petering out to a trickle these days. It's one of the few that actually took off, becoming a real industry disruptor with loads of potential. The bank is all online, with a multitude of easy-to-use services geared toward the novice user. Since it was created to be completely digital, and it's still small and growing, it has agility and flexibility that give it a leg up, in certain ways, over legacy banks. It's attracting customers at a rapid pace, with a record 800,000 new accounts in 2025's first quarter, a 34% increase from the same period last year. The target market is young professionals who are getting their feet wet in finance, with good jobs and a long runway in increasing engagement and adoption of financial services. The company calls its growth strategy the financial services productivity loop, and it involves cross-selling and upselling more services to monetize its user base more effectively over time. That means adding new customers and impressing them enough to keep them, as well as launching new services to have a broad assortment of products and solutions. To appeal to this specific market, it's using some aggressive marketing techniques like naming sports arenas that are meaningful to these users and sponsoring events they appreciate. More than that, it's rolling out services with the intent to deliver real value to its customers rather than simply mimicking what's already available through other banks. For example, it has offered access to initial public offerings (IPOs) usually only available to institutional investors, and it recently announced that it will offer users instant global remittances through a blockchain. Last week, it announced access to private markets through several partnerships. SoFi's core segment is lending, and as interest rates have started to come down, it has been boasting strong revenue gains and profit growth, as well as improving credit metrics. But it's focusing on expanding its platform, specifically in the financial services segment, which is low cost and fee based. It's probably only a matter of time until this segment becomes its largest, and scale is resulting in increasing net income. Chief Executive Officer Anthony Noto envisions SoFi becoming a top-10 bank with a huge, long-term opportunity. Nu is similar to SoFi, but it operates in Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. It's growing fast, adding millions of new customers quarterly, but it has a way to go. The bank added more than 4.3 million new accounts in 2025's Q1 for a total of 118.6 million. The vast majority, 104.3 million, are in the company's home market of Brazil, where more than half of the adult population has a Nu account. Although it's still adding millions of new customers there, it's growing even faster in Mexico and Colombia where it's still a small presence. It only recently launched savings accounts in these countries, and it was recently approved for a bank charter in Mexico, making it the first all-digital bank to get one. Customers are highly engaged, and the company is reporting strong growth metrics. Revenue increased 40% year over year in 2025's Q1, and net income was up 74% to $557.2 million. Although sales growth decelerated in the quarter, Nu has been demonstrating admirable performance considering the high inflation and overall volatile macroeconomy in Brazil. Deposits increased 48% over last year in the quarter, and loan originations were up 64%, but net interest margin (NIM) was down from 19.5% last year to 17.5% this year. Management cites its heavy investments in expanding the business in Mexico and Colombia as pressuring the margin. However, even though those two regions aren't yet profitable, the Brazil business is profitable enough on its own to keep earnings positive and allow for newer growth areas. Nu has a small share of the financial services system in its regions, specifically in Mexico, but it's growing quickly, and there's a tremendous opportunity to capture more. Now is an excellent time to get in as it keeps expanding. Before you buy stock in SoFi Technologies, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and SoFi Technologies wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $680,559!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,005,670!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,053% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 15, 2025 Jennifer Saibil has positions in Nu Holdings and SoFi Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends Nu Holdings. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Smartest Bank Stocks to Buy With $100 Right Now was originally published by The Motley Fool
