IPOs in the UK - statistics & facts

Initial public offerings (IPOs) are the launch of privately-held companies on the stock market, also referred to as "going public". Companies getting listed on stock exchanges allow both institutional and individual investors to purchase shares of their ownership. The London Stock Exchange (LSE) in the United Kingdom (UK) is among the oldest stock exchanges worldwide, and one of the most attractive for companies planning to go public. In recent years, however, younger stock exchanges have started challenging the dominance of established ones, and Mainland China has grown to become the most active market for IPOs worldwide.

IPOs on the LSE

The London Stock Exchange is comprised of two major markets: the Main Market, and the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). The Main Market includes the largest companies on the exchange and accounts for the majority of IPOs and trades. The AIM is instead the market for small- and medium-sized companies. IPO activity on the LSE slowed down in 2019 and in 2020 but bounced back in 2021, despite concerns about Brexit and London's ability to keep attracting investors and capital. In fact, the LSE is one of the most international stock exchanges worldwide, with many foreign companies deciding to go public in the UK.

An opportunity for growth, but not for every company

Companies can decide to plan an IPO for several reasons, the main ones being to attract investors and expand funding opportunities, to increase visibility and prestige, and to gain public trust. However, IPOs are an expensive and lengthy process, which involves a lot of due diligence and also creates limitations to the way a company's affairs are managed, particularly when public shareholders are involved in the decision-making process. Also, it should be noted that not all IPOs are fully successful, and post-IPOs performances vary greatly depending on the market's development, and investors' sentiment, among other reasons.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Dec 20, 2023

Key insights

Money raised at IPOs on London Stock Exchange
8.12bn GBP
Leading sector for IPO volume in the UK
Energy and natural resources
Leading sector for IPO volume worldwide
Technology
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Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

All-time largest initial public offerings (IPOs) on the London Stock Exchange in the UK as of March 2023, by market cap at IPO (in million GBP)

Corporate Financing

All-time largest IPOs on the LSE in the UK 2023, by market cap at IPO

Total number of initial public offerings (IPOs) on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in the United Kingdom from 2010 to 3rd quarter 2023

Corporate Financing

Number of IPOs on the LSE in the UK 2010-2023

Leading countries as destinations for cross-border initial public offerings (IPOs) as of 3rd quarter 2023, by number of IPOs

Stocks

Leading destinations for cross-border IPOs Q3 2023

Related topics

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Overview

9

Overview

Largest IPOs

4

Largest IPOs

Post-IPO performance

3

Post-IPO performance

Tech IPOs

3

Tech IPOs

A global comparison

7

A global comparison

Further reportsGet the best reports to understand your industry

Initial public offerings (IPOs) in the United States
Initial public offerings (IPOs) in the United States
London Stock Exchange (LSE)
London Stock Exchange (LSE)
Stock exchanges
Stock exchanges
Initial public offerings (IPOs) in Europe
Initial public offerings (IPOs) in Europe
SPACs
SPACs
Initial public offerings (IPOs) globally
Initial public offerings (IPOs) globally

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