From Hype to Longevity: Evaluating the Endurance of Swedish IPOs : A quantitative approach to measure the long-term performance of IPOs

Sammanfattning: The prospect of earning extraordinary returns drives the allure of investing in new companies through IPOs. However, this approach may be flawed due to market conditions, information asymmetry, and behavioral biases. Past research supports evidence of the long-term underperformance of IPOs compared to the market index. Despite the substantial research on IPO performance, limited studies have focused on the long-term performance of IPOs in Sweden and among industries, particularly from 2010 to 2019. The study aims to address the existing knowledge gap and provide investors with insights into the long-term performance of Swedish IPOs and their associated industries. By analyzing IPOs, the study enhances the risk-reward understanding, informs retail investment decisions, and promotes stock market transparency in Sweden. The research employed a quantitative method with a deductive approach. Stock prices 12 and 36 months after the IPO date and prospect prices were collected as the data set. The data were analyzed using statistical applications to assess the significance of the research findings, employing a One-Sample T-test and Kruskal-Wallis H-test. The findings indicate that the IPOs in our sample underperformed the selected index, OMXSGI, with an average underperformance of 7.84% for 12 months and 12.32% for 36 months. The results are in line with previous research of similar markets as Sweden. Additionally, performance varied among industries, with the technology sector performing the best and consumer staples performing the worst.