BULLS & BEARS: Healthy skepticism needed when considering an IPO
It is the goal of many wide-eyed entrepreneurs to take a company public. While private businesses are usually closely held by a small number of shareholders, an IPO enables a company to expand its shareholder base. By listing its shares on a stock exchange, a company is exposed to a wide range of investors who are provided the opportunity to review its financial statements and buy and sell the company’s shares. Initial public offerings serve as a key capital-raising mechanism…