Top 5 Largest IPOs of All The Time

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20 January 2023

Top 5 Largest IPOs of All The Time

1. Saudi Aramco

IPO Date:
5 December 2019

Capital Raised:
$25.6 Billion

Industry:
Energy

The Saudi Arabian corporation, which is ranked fifth on Forbes' Global 2000 list for 2021, is one of the biggest businesses in the world. Originally known as the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, it is sometimes known as Saudi Aramco or just Aramco. As an energy it discovers, produces, transports, and sells crude oil and natural gas.

The company went public and began trading on the Saudi Stock Exchange in December 2019. To raise $25.6 billion, it first sold 3 billion shares. That's initial price was raised to $29.4 billion after the company reportedly sold an additional 450 million shares. It surpassed Alibaba to take the title of biggest IPO in history.

If you're wondering how you may own a portion of this profitable business, it might require some scheming. Saudi officials made the decision not to list abroad so that domestic investors could maintain control. Several Saudi stocks are included in the iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (KSA), which invests in a number of Saudi stocks, is one example of an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that you can use to make an indirect investment in it.

2. Alibaba

IPO Date:
18 September 2014

Capital Raised:
$21.8 Billion

Industry:
Technology

Alibaba's (BABA) IPO broke all previous records and held the title of largest IPO ever until Saudi Aramco overtook it. Even after Alibaba went public, the buzz about it persisted. The underwriters exercised an option to sell more shares four days following the IPO, increasing the total IPO to $25 billion.

But why was it so well-liked?

The chairman of the business declared his goal to increase sales in areas other than China, particularly in Europe and the US. China-based Alibaba is a multifaceted technology corporation.

Its businesses include:AliExpress: Is a multinational online retailer similar to Amazon. A retail chain that combines in-person and online purchasing is called Freshop. Youku: is a long-form video portal accessible to Chinese users.

Alibaba picked the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) for its initial public offering, despite the fact that technology companies typically list on NASDAQ. Credit Suisse underwrote the IPO in large part.

3. Soft Bank

IPO Date:
10 December 2018

Capital Raised:
$21.3 Billion

Industry:
Communication Services

Tokyo is home to SoftBank, which was established in 1986. It isn't a bank, despite what its name might lead you to believe. The business genuinely offers a variety of communication services, including as ISP services, mobile and fixed-line communications, and more. Consumers can purchase mobile devices from SoftBank.

After the company finished its first public offering in December 2018, raising more than $21 billion, shares started trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. However, SoftBank's stock fell 14.5% on its first trading day.

4. NTT Mobile Communication Network

IPO Date:
22 October 1998

Capital Raised:
$18.1 Billion

Industry:
Communication Services

The Tokyo-based telecommunications company NTT Mobile Communication Network, popularly known as NTT DoCoMo, entered the public market in October 1998. In the midst of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the company declared its intention to go public. The business was successful in securing Goldman Sachs for its underwriting group.

NTT controlled about 57% of the mobile market in Japan at the time of the offering. Its IPO provided it at the time Japan's third-largest market capitalisation. NTT's American Depository Shares (ADS), which were formerly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), were formally delisted from the market in April 2018.

5. Visa

IPO Date:
18 March 2008

Capital Raised:
$17.4 Billion

Industry:
Financial Services, Technology

Processing of debit and credit cards is Visa's (V) area of expertise. More than 70 million merchants utilise the company's services globally, with its headquarters in San Francisco, California. Every year, the business conducts more than 206 billion transactions.

It may seem strange that the company entered the public market during the global financial crisis. The company's public market debut during the world financial crisis may seem odd. And it's incredible that it was able to raise about $17.4 billion. Since each share was valued at $44, the business sold 406 million shares overall.

Given that it doesn't really lend money to customers, Visa is less vulnerable to default and late payments than other financial services firms, which is perhaps one of the reasons it has been successful. Fees for processing payments are how it generates revenue.