Why Would A Company Consider Going Public?

The most common type of public offering is an initial public offering, in which equity shares are offered to public investors for the first time. A secondary or follow-on public offering occurs when you want to sell equity shares in the public markets after you’ve completed an IPO. After a company has gone public, it is regulated by the Financial Authorities and must disclose regular financial performance to the public. When you list shares in a public offering, you are inviting shareholders to not only share in the ownership and profits of the business but you are also allowing them a vote on the future direction your company takes. In a private placement, you sell equity shares or debt instruments of your business to a select group of investors. The target investor audience for private placement deals is accredited investors, high net-worth individuals as described by the applicable regulations. The investors, who you are responsible for finding, although you could enlist the help of an intermediary, agree to buy and hold the participations (debt or equity) for a discounted price. There isn’t a lot of paperwork involved, and you do not have to register the deal with the Financial Authorities.

Initial Public Offering (IPO) vs. Private Placement

Private companies that seek to raise capital through issuing securities have two options: offering securities to the public or through a private placement. Regulations on publicly traded securities are subject to more scrutiny than those for private placements. Each offers the necessary capital, but the criteria for issuing, ongoing financial reporting and availability to investors differs with each type of issue. An IPO is under the regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and requires strict financial reporting criteria on a regular basis to remain available for trade by investors. In an IPO, the issuer obtains the assistance of an underwriting firm to help determine what type of security to issue, the best offering price, the number of shares to be issued and the time to bring it to market. Though the underwriting firms such as Goldman Sachs (GS) or Morgan Stanley (MS) that bring the issue to market hold shares to sell to their clients at the initial sales price, average investors can obtain the shares once they begin trading in the secondary market. IPOs can be a risky bet for investors, as there is no previous market activity to evaluate. This is why reading the IPO prospectus report, and gaining any knowledge about the company is crucial before investing. IPOs became friendlier to small businesses as a result of the passage of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, which was created to support hiring and lessen the otherwise extensive financial reporting burden on small businesses filing for an IPO.

Public Offering

The most common type of public offering is an initial public offering, in which equity shares are offered to public investors for the first time. A secondary or follow-on public offering occurs when you want to sell equity shares in the public markets after you’ve completed an IPO. After a company has gone public, it is regulated by the SEC and must disclose quarterly and annual financial performance to the public. When you list shares in a public offering, you’re inviting shareholders to not only share in the ownership and profits of the business but you’re also allowing them a vote on the future direction your company takes.

Advantages

The federal government made IPOs more small-business friendly as a result of public policy that was passed in 2012. The rule, which is named the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, was formed to support hiring, and it lessens the otherwise extensive financial reporting burden on small businesses filing for an IPO. Although you may not earn as much money in a private placement compared with an IPO, the expenses associated with a private deal are less. Private placements can also be completed quicker than IPOs, and if you value your position as a private entity, you don’t have to sacrifice that privacy but can still gain access to liquidity, or cash, from the deal.

Disadvantages

When it comes to a public offering, such as an IPO, a potential disadvantage is time. If you need to have the capital that will be raised in the deal, you’re probably not going to see any proceeds for at least six months from when you begin the public offering process. A potential drawback with a private placement is that the deal won’t get as much attention as it would in an IPO. That’s because securities laws limit the way that you can advertise a private placement, and as a result the deal may not generate as much investor interest versus a deal that is more heavily marketed.

What does Private IPO mean?

Private IPO is the process of raising capital through private placements. These placements are offered only to accredited investors such as pension funds, investment banks and certain mutual funds that meet the criteria laid down by the company offering private IPO. In return for purchasing through private IPO, these entities get a certain percent of ownership in the company. This process is in contrast to public IPO, where companies sell shares to the public to raise their capital. A private IPO differs from a public IPO in the amount of regulation and scrutiny the companies are subjected to. In the case of a public IPO, they have to meet the regulations laid down by the SEC. Also, they have to adhere to strict disclosure and financing requirements, which can be cumbersome. In the case of private IPO, the regulations are greatly reduced. If companies raise capital through Regulation D, then they are exempt from the many financial reporting requirements laid down by the SEC. This reduced regulation saves companies from spending so much time and effort, and this is why many companies prefer to take this route to raise capital. However, the downside is that companies cannot raise large amounts of capital because the pool of investors is highly limited. Another downside is that marketing of these private IPOs may be much more difficult than public IPOs. This difficulty is because private placements are riskier when compared to publicly traded companies, as the latter are subject to more scrutiny than the former. Moreover, liquidity levels are low with private IPOs as the shares cannot be sold easily when the investor needs money, unlike public IPOs, where the investor can sell his/her shares on the market to get immediate cash. For these reasons, private IPO is not for everyone. Rather, it is best used when a company does not need high amounts of capital, and is not willing to go through the long and arduous reporting requirements. A company can be more selective about who buys its shares if it sells them in a private placement. Shares sold in an initial public offering, or IPO, are offered to the general public and tend to attract more attention. However, private placement allows a company to raise money without going public and having to disclose financial information. A company can remain private while still gathering shareholder investments.

Private Placement

Private placement (or non-public offering) is a funding round of securities which are sold not through a public offering, but rather through a private offering, mostly to a small number of chosen investors. Generally, these investors include friends and family, accredited investors, and institutional investors. Private placement is also referred to as an unregistered offering. While an IPO requires a company to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) before it sells securities, a private placement is exempt from that requirement. A private placement might take place when a company needs to raise money from investors. Yet it is different from taking money from other private investors, like venture capitalists. It’s still regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), but under different rules, collectively known as Regulation D. Reg D allows companies to issue securities based on the investors buying them. It distinguishes between accredited and non-accredited investors, as defined by the SEC. Any number of accredited investors can take part in private placements. Though private placements can issue securities to non-accredited investors, only 35 such investors can be included. If you’re looking to invest in a private placement as an accredited investor, you’ll need to meet some requirements, including:

• A net worth of over $1 million (either independently or with a spouse).

• Earned income more than $200,000 a year (or $300,000 with a spouse).

PIPE (Private Investment in Public Equity) deals are one type of private placement. SEDA (Standby Equity Distribution Agreement) is also a form of private placement. They are often a cheaper source of capital than a public offering. Since private placements are not offered to the general public, they are prospectus exempt. Instead, they are issued through Offering Memorandum. Private placements come with a great deal of administration and are have normally been sold through financial institutions such as investment banks. Private placement can offer investors an exclusive opportunity that isn’t available to the public. It can also offer companies funding without requiring them to register with the SEC or disclose a lot of financial information. However, all investments carry risk. Though still covered by antifraud portions of securities laws, private placements can withhold more information than investors than public offerings. Companies should know that non-accredited investors still require financial disclosures. Meanwhile, potential investors should consider gathering information beyond what’s offered before sinking their money into a private placement.

Restrictions of Private Placements

There are some limitations of private placements, especially when it comes to what types of investors are allowed to participate. A number of rules within the SEC’s regulation D cover those restrictions.

Rule 504

Issuers can offer and sell up to $1 million of securities a year to as many of any type of investor as you want. They aren’t subjected to disclosure requirements.

Rule 505

This rule says issuers can offer and sell up to $5 million of securities a year to unlimited accredited investors and 35 non-accredited investors. If you’re selling to a non-accredited investor, you’ll need to disclose financial documents and other information. With accredited investors, the issuer can choose whether or not to disclose information to investors. But if you provide that information to accredited investors, you must also share that information with their non-accredited ones.

Rule 506

An unlimited amount of money can be raised if the issuer doesn’t participate in solicitation or advertising. While an unlimited amount of accredited investors can be brought in, 35 non-accredited can take part if they meet specific criteria. They need to have enough financial knowledge or have a purchaser representative present to understand and evaluate the investment.

Differences Between Private Placement & Public Offering

Both private placements and public offerings, such as initial public offerings, are ways for you to raise money to grow your business. One, the IPO, is a very public manner in which your business can expand and involve outside investors, while a private placement is less spectacular but can be equally effective in helping your company reach its potential. The approach that’s best depends on your ultimate goals and whether or not you want to open the door to a small or large number of outside shareholders.

Private Placement

In a private placement, you sell equity shares of your business to a select group of investors. The target investor audience for private placement deals is accredited investors, or those who earn at least $200,000 annually or whose net worth exceeds $1 million, according to a 2010 article on “The Wall Street Journal” website. The investors, who you are responsible for finding, although you could enlist the help of a broker, agree to buy and hold the shares for a predetermined period of time and in exchange are offered shares of the company for a discounted price. There’s not a lot of paperwork involved, and you don’t have to register the deal with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Lawyer

When you need legal help with securities law in Utah, please call Ascent Law LLC for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.

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Michael Anderson

People who want a lot of Bull go to a Butcher. People who want results navigating a complex legal field go to a Lawyer that they can trust. That’s where I come in. I am Michael Anderson, an Attorney in the Salt Lake area focusing on the needs of the Average Joe wanting a better life for him and his family. I’m the Lawyer you can trust. I grew up in Utah and love it here. I am a Father to three, a Husband to one, and an Entrepreneur. I understand the feelings of joy each of those roles bring, and I understand the feeling of disappointment, fear, and regret when things go wrong. I attended the University of Utah where I received a B.A. degree in 2010 and a J.D. in 2014. I have focused my practice in Wills, Trusts, Real Estate, and Business Law. I love the thrill of helping clients secure their future, leaving a real legacy to their children. Unfortunately when problems arise with families. I also practice Family Law, with a focus on keeping relationships between the soon to be Ex’s civil for the benefit of their children and allowing both to walk away quickly with their heads held high. Before you worry too much about losing everything that you have worked for, before you permit yourself to be bullied by your soon to be ex, before you shed one more tear in silence, call me. I’m the Lawyer you can trust.

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