Latest news with #ScottMcCubbin
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Just nine firms listed in London this year as fears grow for UK market
Analysts have warned the City faces a 'quiet' outlook for IPO activity in the months ahead after just nine businesses listed on the London Stock Exchange in the first half of 2025. Three of the listings in 2025 so far were on the main market, with the remaining six on the Alternative Investment Market. The listings raised £182.8million in total, representing a 64 per cent drop from the same period a year ago, according to data from EY-Parthenon. Momentum for initial public offerings on the LSE has been 'slower to build, reflecting the broader macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds facing businesses', Scott McCubbin, EY-Parthenon UKI IPO Leader, said. EY-Parthenon said the outlook for IPOs was 'projected to remain quiet' in the second half of the year, as many businesses grapple with higher costs and economic uncertainty. The outlook for IPO activity is also being dampened by trade tensions between the US, according to the findings. In Europe, IPO activity faced declines as most major European markets paused amid market turmoil, EY-Parthenon said. EY-Parthenon said a 'more stable macroeconomic backdrop' was needed before a rise in IPO activity could occur. This week, the Confederation of British Industry warned that London's stock market risked 'drifting into irrelevance'. In a report, the CBI called for bold reforms to revitalise the exchange. The CBI wants stamp duty on share purchases to be scrapped and for pension funds to be encouraged to invest more in UK shares. It also wants to see moves to reinvigorate public interest in shares, companies in Asia encouraged to have secondary listings in London, and the cost of IPOs to be made tax deductible. The London market faces a worsening crisis with many of its most prominent companies being snapped up or switching their listings to New York. The CBI's report said British investors were 'shifting away from UK equities' while listings have slowed, private equity predators are acquiring many businesses and high-growth firms are often looking overseas to raise capital. Fintech Wise is the latest to have confirmed such a move while recent reports suggested that even drugs giant AstraZeneca, which is Britain's biggest listed business, may cross the pond. McCubbin, of EY-Parthenon, said: 'While there were expectations that 2025 would mark the rebound of the UK IPO market, momentum has been slower to build, reflecting the broader macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds facing businesses. 'Ongoing uncertainty around global trade and tariffs has fuelled market volatility, while escalating geopolitical tensions continue to influence energy prices and inflation expectations.' He added: 'Many of the challenges we're seeing are not unique to London and are affecting exchanges around the world. 'That said, London remains the fifth-largest exchange globally for equity capital raised, with over £7.5billion raised so far this year. 'We anticipate renewed momentum in the M&A market in the second half of 2025, which could pave the way for a recovery in IPO activity. For companies considering going public, early preparation, a clear path to profitability, and operational resilience will be key.' Grant Humphrey, a partner EY-Parthenon, said: 'The global IPO market over the first six months of 2025 continues to reflect a cautious and risk-averse environment, shaped by persistent macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds. 'Investor caution, valuation pressures, supply chain disruptions and rising recession risks have further dampened listing activity with many PE-or VC-backed companies opting to put their IPO plans on hold. Looking ahead to the second half of 2025, without resolution on trade tensions or a more stable macroeconomic backdrop, the global IPO environment is projected to remain quiet.' According to an analysis by AJ Bell, 88 companies left the London market or moved their primary listing elsewhere in 2024 and more than 70 have done the same so far in 2025.
Zawya
07-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Tariffs, geopolitics drag on European IPOs, even as funds flow in
LONDON/FRANKFURT - Tariffs and Middle East turmoil are spooking European companies and the investors weighing their initial public offerings even as volatility subsides and money flows back into equity markets, advisers told Reuters. President Donald Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs targeting imports from nearly all U.S. trading partners in April and his subsequent U-turn pause on the levies sent shockwaves through the global economy. But markets, including those in Europe, have since bounced back. The VIX, Wall Street's "fear gauge", has fallen around 67% from a peak touched following Trump's tariff announcement. And fund inflows into European stocks reached their second-highest level this century earlier this year. Still, investors remain wary of new listings. Topping their list of concerns, according to seven IPO advisers interviewed by Reuters, are the potential impact of conflicts like the Israel-Iran war and uncertainty regarding newly listed companies' aftermarket performance. "There's still a bit of nervousness in the network and a hangover from issues around tariffs and the war in the Middle East," said Scott McCubbin, head of EY's UK and Ireland IPO practice. Some companies, meanwhile, are unwilling to accept lower valuations than they had hoped for, the advisers said. SHELVED LISTINGS German medical technology firm Brainlab postponed its IPO this week, citing "geopolitical uncertainties". Pharmaceutical company Stada delayed its debut in March, citing market volatility, while another German firm, car parts seller Autodoc did the same last month without giving a reason. Glencore-backed metals investor Cobalt Holdings, which was planning London's biggest IPO of 2025, meanwhile failed to secure enough investor interest, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters previously. Cobalt Holdings declined to comment. The recent run of shelved listings is making things harder for firms attempting to reopen the IPO market, one person close to the Brainlab IPO process said. Investors could not agree a price for the offering with Brainlab, the person and a second source said. Existing shareholders were dissatisfied with the makeup of the order book, said one of the sources, both of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because the process was private. A spokesperson for Brainlab said interest from investors was "very strong" but the conditions were not optimal for an IPO. While more funds have flowed into European equities this year from investors seeking to reduce their exposure to U.S. assets, that money is going into the stocks of large companies rather than IPOs, said one equity capital markets banker. Some of the reticence stems from cases like German perfume retailer Douglas, which saw its shares drop more than 12% on its listing debut. It subsequently cut its guidance this year. The number of companies that went public across the EMEA region in the first six months of this year fell to 44 from 59 in the same period last year, according to Dealogic data. The amount raised also fell sharply, to around $5.5 billion from $14.1 billion. In such a challenging environment, Naveen Mittel, head of equity capital markets syndicate for EMEA at Citi, said companies planning an IPO have little margin for error. "You need to be clean in terms of setup and structure, evaluation of price, and there needs to be no question marks around it," he said. A POST-SUMMER IPO REBOUND? There have been some success stories this year. Hacksaw, a developer and distributor of online betting games, successfully listed on Nasdaq Stockholm in June. "It's hard to draw any firm conclusions from a few deals when others like Hacksaw, are still getting away," said Michael Jacobs, a partner at law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer. "But it does feel like the IPO window needs a summer break to reset." Advisers are hoping an array of bigger deals may help open the market in the second half. That could include a return of Stada, and possible listings of prosthetic manufacturer Ottobock, Deutsche Boerse's research and technology unit ISS Stoxx, and classifieds business Swiss Marketplace Group. Stada is evaluating all options for the further ownership of the company including a possible IPO, it said. Swiss Marketplace Group said it had recently taken initial steps to achieve a "high level of IPO readiness", but its shareholders had not yet made a decision on the possible timing of a float. And Ottobock said it is continually reviewing options including an IPO, but no decision has been made. Deutsche Boerse said it was considering an IPO of ISS Stoxx, but could also buy out private equity investor General Atlantic from the company. No decision had yet been made, it added. Despite the bleak year-to-date numbers, the big picture for European IPOs - positive funds inflows and a calming of market volatility - looks good, one equity capital markets banker said. "The candidates in the pipeline all have next to no tariff impact, so we are optimistic that after the summer the IPO gates will open," the banker said. (Reporting by Charlie Conchie and Emma-Victoria Farr; Additional reporting by Lucy Raitano; Editing by Anousha Sakoui and Joe Bavier)
CNA
04-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
Tariffs, geopolitics drag on European IPOs, even as funds flow in
(Refiles to add the name Kramer to the legal firm in paragraph 19) By Charlie Conchie and Emma-Victoria Farr LONDON/FRANKFURT :Tariffs and Middle East turmoil are spooking European companies and the investors weighing their initial public offerings even as volatility subsides and money flows back into equity markets, advisers told Reuters. President Donald Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs targeting imports from nearly all U.S. trading partners in April and his subsequent U-turn pause on the levies sent shockwaves through the global economy. But markets, including those in Europe, have since bounced back. The VIX, Wall Street's "fear gauge", has fallen around 67 per cent from a peak touched following Trump's tariff announcement. And fund inflows into European stocks reached their second-highest level this century earlier this year. Still, investors remain wary of new listings. Topping their list of concerns, according to seven IPO advisers interviewed by Reuters, are the potential impact of conflicts like the Israel-Iran war and uncertainty regarding newly listed companies' aftermarket performance. "There's still a bit of nervousness in the network and a hangover from issues around tariffs and the war in the Middle East," said Scott McCubbin, head of EY's UK and Ireland IPO practice. Some companies, meanwhile, are unwilling to accept lower valuations than they had hoped for, the advisers said. SHELVED LISTINGS German medical technology firm Brainlab postponed its IPO this week, citing "geopolitical uncertainties". Pharmaceutical company Stada delayed its debut in March, citing market volatility, while another German firm, car parts seller Autodoc did the same last month without giving a reason. Glencore-backed metals investor Cobalt Holdings, which was planning London's biggest IPO of 2025, meanwhile failed to secure enough investor interest, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters previously. Cobalt Holdings declined to comment. The recent run of shelved listings is making things harder for firms attempting to reopen the IPO market, one person close to the Brainlab IPO process said. Investors could not agree a price for the offering with Brainlab, the person and a second source said. Existing shareholders were dissatisfied with the makeup of the order book, said one of the sources, both of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because the process was private. A spokesperson for Brainlab said interest from investors was "very strong" but the conditions were not optimal for an IPO. While more funds have flowed into European equities this year from investors seeking to reduce their exposure to U.S. assets, that money is going into the stocks of large companies rather than IPOs, said one equity capital markets banker. Some of the reticence stems from cases like German perfume retailer Douglas, which saw its shares drop more than 12 per cent on its listing debut. It subsequently cut its guidance this year. The number of companies that went public across the EMEA region in the first six months of this year fell to 44 from 59 in the same period last year, according to Dealogic data. The amount raised also fell sharply, to around $5.5 billion from $14.1 billion. In such a challenging environment, Naveen Mittel, head of equity capital markets syndicate for EMEA at Citi, said companies planning an IPO have little margin for error. "You need to be clean in terms of setup and structure, evaluation of price, and there needs to be no question marks around it," he said. A POST-SUMMER IPO REBOUND? There have been some success stories this year. Hacksaw, a developer and distributor of online betting games, successfully listed on Nasdaq Stockholm in June. "It's hard to draw any firm conclusions from a few deals when others like Hacksaw, are still getting away," said Michael Jacobs, a partner at law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer. "But it does feel like the IPO window needs a summer break to reset." Advisers are hoping an array of bigger deals may help open the market in the second half. That could include a return of Stada, and possible listings of prosthetic manufacturer Ottobock, Deutsche Boerse's research and technology unit ISS Stoxx, and classifieds business Swiss Marketplace Group. Stada is evaluating all options for the further ownership of the company including a possible IPO, it said. Swiss Marketplace Group said it had recently taken initial steps to achieve a "high level of IPO readiness", but its shareholders had not yet made a decision on the possible timing of a float. And Ottobock said it is continually reviewing options including an IPO, but no decision has been made. Deutsche Boerse said it was considering an IPO of ISS Stoxx, but could also buy out private equity investor General Atlantic from the company. No decision had yet been made, it added. Despite the bleak year-to-date numbers, the big picture for European IPOs - positive funds inflows and a calming of market volatility - looks good, one equity capital markets banker said.
Reuters
04-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Tariffs, geopolitics drag on European IPOs, even as funds flow in
LONDON/FRANKFURT, July 4 (Reuters) - Tariffs and Middle East turmoil are spooking European companies and the investors weighing their initial public offerings even as volatility subsides and money flows back into equity markets, advisers told Reuters. President Donald Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs targeting imports from nearly all U.S. trading partners in April and his subsequent U-turn pause on the levies sent shockwaves through the global economy. But markets, including those in Europe, have since bounced back. The VIX, Wall Street's "fear gauge", has fallen around 67% from a peak touched following Trump's tariff announcement. And fund inflows into European stocks reached their second-highest level this century earlier this year. Still, investors remain wary of new listings. Topping their list of concerns, according to seven IPO advisers interviewed by Reuters, are the potential impact of conflicts like the Israel-Iran war and uncertainty regarding newly listed companies' aftermarket performance. "There's still a bit of nervousness in the network and a hangover from issues around tariffs and the war in the Middle East," said Scott McCubbin, head of EY's UK and Ireland IPO practice. Some companies, meanwhile, are unwilling to accept lower valuations than they had hoped for, the advisers said. German medical technology firm Brainlab postponed its IPO this week, citing "geopolitical uncertainties". Pharmaceutical company Stada delayed its debut in March, citing market volatility, while another German firm, car parts seller Autodoc did the same last month without giving a reason. Glencore-backed metals investor Cobalt Holdings, which was planning London's biggest IPO of 2025, meanwhile failed to secure enough investor interest, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters previously. Cobalt Holdings declined to comment. The recent run of shelved listings is making things harder for firms attempting to reopen the IPO market, one person close to the Brainlab IPO process said. Investors could not agree a price for the offering with Brainlab, the person and a second source said. Existing shareholders were dissatisfied with the makeup of the order book, said one of the sources, both of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because the process was private. A spokesperson for Brainlab said interest from investors was "very strong" but the conditions were not optimal for an IPO. While more funds have flowed into European equities this year from investors seeking to reduce their exposure to U.S. assets, that money is going into the stocks of large companies rather than IPOs, said one equity capital markets banker. Some of the reticence stems from cases like German perfume retailer Douglas ( opens new tab, which saw its shares drop more than 12% on its listing debut. It subsequently cut its guidance this year. The number of companies that went public across the EMEA region in the first six months of this year fell to 44 from 59 in the same period last year, according to Dealogic data. The amount raised also fell sharply, to around $5.5 billion from $14.1 billion. In such a challenging environment, Naveen Mittel, head of equity capital markets syndicate for EMEA at Citi, said companies planning an IPO have little margin for error. "You need to be clean in terms of setup and structure, evaluation of price, and there needs to be no question marks around it," he said. There have been some success stories this year. Hacksaw ( opens new tab, a developer and distributor of online betting games, successfully listed on Nasdaq Stockholm in June. "It's hard to draw any firm conclusions from a few deals when others like Hacksaw, are still getting away," said Michael Jacobs, a partner at law firm Herbert Smith Freehills. "But it does feel like the IPO window needs a summer break to reset." Advisers are hoping an array of bigger deals may help open the market in the second half. That could include a return of Stada, and possible listings of prosthetic manufacturer Ottobock, Deutsche Boerse's ( opens new tab research and technology unit ISS Stoxx, and classifieds business Swiss Marketplace Group. Stada is evaluating all options for the further ownership of the company including a possible IPO, it said. Swiss Marketplace Group said it had recently taken initial steps to achieve a "high level of IPO readiness", but its shareholders had not yet made a decision on the possible timing of a float. And Ottobock said it is continually reviewing options including an IPO, but no decision has been made. Deutsche Boerse said it was considering an IPO of ISS Stoxx, but could also buy out private equity investor General Atlantic from the company. No decision had yet been made, it added. Despite the bleak year-to-date numbers, the big picture for European IPOs - positive funds inflows and a calming of market volatility - looks good, one equity capital markets banker said. "The candidates in the pipeline all have next to no tariff impact, so we are optimistic that after the summer the IPO gates will open," the banker said.
CNA
04-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
Analysis:Tariffs, geopolitics drag on European IPOs, even as funds flow in
LONDON/FRANKFURT :Tariffs and Middle East turmoil are spooking European companies and the investors weighing their initial public offerings even as volatility subsides and money flows back into equity markets, advisers told Reuters. President Donald Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs targeting imports from nearly all U.S. trading partners in April and his subsequent U-turn pause on the levies sent shockwaves through the global economy. But markets, including those in Europe, have since bounced back. The VIX, Wall Street's "fear gauge", has fallen around 67 per cent from a peak touched following Trump's tariff announcement. And fund inflows into European stocks reached their second-highest level this century earlier this year. Still, investors remain wary of new listings. Topping their list of concerns, according to seven IPO advisers interviewed by Reuters, are the potential impact of conflicts like the Israel-Iran war and uncertainty regarding newly listed companies' aftermarket performance. "There's still a bit of nervousness in the network and a hangover from issues around tariffs and the war in the Middle East," said Scott McCubbin, head of EY's UK and Ireland IPO practice. Some companies, meanwhile, are unwilling to accept lower valuations than they had hoped for, the advisers said. SHELVED LISTINGS German medical technology firm Brainlab postponed its IPO this week, citing "geopolitical uncertainties". Pharmaceutical company Stada delayed its debut in March, citing market volatility, while another German firm, car parts seller Autodoc did the same last month without giving a reason. Glencore-backed metals investor Cobalt Holdings, which was planning London's biggest IPO of 2025, meanwhile failed to secure enough investor interest, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters previously. Cobalt Holdings declined to comment. The recent run of shelved listings is making things harder for firms attempting to reopen the IPO market, one person close to the Brainlab IPO process said. Investors could not agree a price for the offering with Brainlab, the person and a second source said. Existing shareholders were dissatisfied with the makeup of the order book, said one of the sources, both of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because the process was private. A spokesperson for Brainlab said interest from investors was "very strong" but the conditions were not optimal for an IPO. While more funds have flowed into European equities this year from investors seeking to reduce their exposure to U.S. assets, that money is going into the stocks of large companies rather than IPOs, said one equity capital markets banker. Some of the reticence stems from cases like German perfume retailer Douglas, which saw its shares drop more than 12 per cent on its listing debut. It subsequently cut its guidance this year. The number of companies that went public across the EMEA region in the first six months of this year fell to 44 from 59 in the same period last year, according to Dealogic data. The amount raised also fell sharply, to around $5.5 billion from $14.1 billion. In such a challenging environment, Naveen Mittel, head of equity capital markets syndicate for EMEA at Citi, said companies planning an IPO have little margin for error. "You need to be clean in terms of setup and structure, evaluation of price, and there needs to be no question marks around it," he said. A POST-SUMMER IPO REBOUND? There have been some success stories this year. Hacksaw, a developer and distributor of online betting games, successfully listed on Nasdaq Stockholm in June. "It's hard to draw any firm conclusions from a few deals when others like Hacksaw, are still getting away," said Michael Jacobs, a partner at law firm Herbert Smith Freehills. "But it does feel like the IPO window needs a summer break to reset." Advisers are hoping an array of bigger deals may help open the market in the second half. That could include a return of Stada, and possible listings of prosthetic manufacturer Ottobock, Deutsche Boerse's research and technology unit ISS Stoxx, and classifieds business Swiss Marketplace Group. Stada is evaluating all options for the further ownership of the company including a possible IPO, it said. Swiss Marketplace Group said it had recently taken initial steps to achieve a "high level of IPO readiness", but its shareholders had not yet made a decision on the possible timing of a float. And Ottobock said it is continually reviewing options including an IPO, but no decision has been made. Deutsche Boerse said it was considering an IPO of ISS Stoxx, but could also buy out private equity investor General Atlantic from the company. No decision had yet been made, it added. Despite the bleak year-to-date numbers, the big picture for European IPOs - positive funds inflows and a calming of market volatility - looks good, one equity capital markets banker said.
