ipo Watch: Biotech and software stocks flock to list
Rene Anthony
As the ipo merry-go-round continues, this week biggest local listing comes courtesy of life insurance business NobleOak (ASX: NOL), which leads a number of junior gold explorers. Meanwhile, after its ipo was postponed last week, BCAL Diagnostics (ASX: BDX), a company developing blood test diagnostics for breast cancer, has received confirmation it will list on Wednesday.
A number of biotech and software firms make up the majority of ipos scheduled to debut in the US this week, but it also the businesses discussing listing plans that are drawing attention.
Upcoming ipos
MarketCompanyFocusipo sizeExpected debutASXWestern Mines Group (WMG)Gold and base metals explorer$5.5mJuly 20ASXWestern Gold Resources (WGR)Gold minerals explorer$7mJuly 23ASXBCAL Diagnostics (BDX)Blood diagnostic test for breast cancer$8mJuly 21ASXOpenn Negotiation (OPN)Real estate software platform$9mJuly 21ASXNobleOak Life (NOL)Life insurance provider$62.2mJuly 21ASXVictory Goldfields (1VG)Gold minerals explorer$5mJuly 22ASXAlmonty Industries (AII)Investor and operator of tungsten projects$13.5mJuly 23USGambling.com Group (GAMB)Digital marketing group for gambling industryUS$90mTBCUSAbSci (ABSI)Development platform for proteinsUS$200mTBCUSElicio Therapeutics (ELTX)Immunotherapy cancer biotech US$40mTBCUSCandel Therapeutics (CADL)Phase 3 oncolytic cancer immunotherapyUS$85mTBCUSCore & Main (CNM)Supplier pipes and water infrastructureUS$750mTBCUSXponential Fitness (XPOF)Roll-up of franchise fitness brands US$200mTBCUSHCW Biologics (HCWB)Immunotherapy for inflammagingUS$64mJuly 20USCS Disco (LAW)Software provider for legal industryUS$193mJuly 21USKaltura (KLTR)Provider of SaaS video solutionsUS$150mJuly 21USPaycor HCM (PYCR)Human capital management platformUS$361mJuly 21USInfrastructure Holdings (INST)Learning management platformUS$250mJuly 22USZevia PBC (ZVIA)Steva soft drinks companyUS$200mJuly 22USRyan Specialty Group (RYAN)Wholesale specialty insurance brokerUS$1.34bJuly 22USCouchbase (BASE)NoSQL database tech providerUS$151mJuly 22USZenvia (ZENV)Customer experience comms platformUS$162mJuly 22USVTEX (VTEX)Enterprise software providerUS$304mJuly 22USOutbrain (OB)Online content marketing platformUS$200mJuly 23USOcean Biomedical (OCEA)Preclinical cancer therapy biotech US$50mJuly 23
*All dates are subject to change and should be treated as an indicative guide only
Future ASX Listings
Radiopharmaceutical company Clarity Pharmaceuticals put the finishing touches on the terms of its ipo last week, confirming it would raise $92 million at $1.40 per share. The company, which is developing cancer diagnostics using copper products, has also received the backing of Hong Kong China Grand Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare, with the two entities striking a binding licence agreement, alongside a $44.7 million investment from the international firm.With its sights set on a $500 million ASX listing, customer experience quality assurance platform Cyara is progressing its plans. Cyara offers an automated service that assesses the performance of clients' customer service technology, identifying errors, and manages interactive voice response systems as well. It has served the likes of Google and eBay since it was formed in 2006.Elsewhere, there is another buy-now pay-later company in the mix, albeit this time with a twist. Beforepay is looking to hit the ASX later this year, with the startup appointing former Westpac (ASX: WBC) CEO Brian Hartzer as Chairman. Unlike other players in the space, Beforepay relies on a fixed fee of five percent from the proceeds that it issues customers from their salaries before they are paid by their employer. The company recently topped 100,000 active users.
If there weren't already a significant number of gold explorers heading to the ASX, there is another on the way. Besra Gold, which owns the Bau Gold Project in Malaysia is targeting a market cap of $61 million, having completed approximately 250km of drilling in years gone past.
Perhaps the most interesting name on the horizon, however, is neobank Judo. The local digital bank, with a focus on lending to SMEs, is set to test investor appetite before it targets an ASX debut by December. Reports suggest Judo, with deposits of $2.29 billion and loans of $3 billion as at the end of April, could command a value in the vicinity of $3 billion on listing.
Future US Listings
There were 14 companies that submitted filings with the Securities Exchange Commission last week to detail their ipo plans.
While a number of biotechs and regional banks were the most-prominent categories on the list, the highest-profile name was outdoor grilling brand Weber (NYSE: WEBR). It comes at an interesting time for BBQ grill makers, with Weber joining Traeger and BBQGuys as prospective listings on the horizon. With consumer spending in this sector elevated over the last year amid the closure of restaurants across the US, Weber saw its sales up 60% in the half-year through March. The company plans to raise as much as US$1 billion for a valuation of between US$4-6 billion.Private health-care information and analytics business Cotiviti Corp is an ipo candidate, and reports suggest it could be assigned a valuation of more than US$15 billion. The company reconciles and performs checks on the accuracy of payments to health care professionals, while targeting government agencies and insurers as clients.The other name making headlines last week was content subscription platform Scribd. Although it has yet to commit to a timeline for a listing, the company is currently weighing up the merits of an ipo or merger with a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). Estimates put Scribd value at approximately US$1 billion.
Be sure to keep an eye out for our end-of-week bulletin covering all the major results among new ASX and US ipos.
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