There are two types of IPOs. These are listed below : Fixed Price Issue – In this case, the issue price is pre ascertained by the issuer. Book Building – In this case, an indicative price range is declared by the company for a public offer of its equity shares. Interested investors place bids within this price range for the quantum of securities they want to subscribe to. Prospective investors can revise their bids at anytime during the bid period, that is, the quantity of shares or the bid price or any of the bid options. Usually, the bid must be for a minimum of 500 equity shares and in multiples of 100 equity shares thereafter. By recording the bids (quantum of shares ordered and the respective prices offered) received in a “book”, the issuer makes an assessment of the demand for the securities proposed to be issued. After the bid closing date, the book runner and the company fix the issue price and decide the allocation to each syndicate member. Thus, book building method helps in optimum price discovery for the security.

An Initial Public Offer or IPO is the first sale of a company’s shares to investors on a public stock exchange. While IPOs are effective at raising capital, being listed on a stock exchange imposes regulatory compliance and reporting requirements. When a shareholder sells shares it is called a “secondary offering” and the shareholder, not the company who originally issued the shares, retains the proceeds of the offering. To avoid confusion, it is imporatnt to remember that only a company which issues shares can make a “primary offering”. Secondary offerings occur on the “secondary market”, where shareholders (not the issuing company) buy and sell shares to each other.