Common Reasons for Missing Out on an IPO Allotment
An IPO allotment process is kept simple. Investors must fill out an application form with the correct details and submit it online. However, it is quite common for investors to miss out on a promising IPO. Some common reasons or mistakes stop the investor from getting an IPO allotment:
The fundamental rule of offering IPO subscriptions says that the company that wishes to raise capital can list its shares on the stock exchange by the amount it wants to raise. This ensures that only a limited number of applicants will apply and every applicant gets an IPO allotment. For instance: Let’s say a company wants to raise ₹10 crore funds and for this, it launches an IPO worth 10 lakh shares in the price range of ₹100 to ₹101. Now, 10 lakhs applicants will apply and every applicant wins.
However, in the real world, the scenario is different. For the same fund and shares, companies receive 5x or even 10x applicants. This is called oversubscription which increases the chances for an investor to miss out on an IPO.
You must already know that the IPO application and allotment process is majorly done through online portals. But did you know that the allotment process is done through a computerised lottery system?
Let’s take the above example where a company gets 5x or 10x applicants than the number of shares it has to offer. In such a case, the company performs a computerised lottery allotment system where every investor has an equal opportunity of getting an allotment. However since the shares are in limited numbers, many investors miss out on IPO allotment.
Errors in the application form are one of the most common reasons when IPO is not allotted and investors miss out on an IPO allotment. Know that IPO applications are scanned either by the IPO registrar or digitally to verify every single detail and even a minor error can lead to rejection. Let’s take a look at common errors in the application form that lead to rejection:
Remember that an IPO application requires you to fill in your PAN card details. Now, in many cases, there are multiple forms under the same PAN card which leads to every form under the said PAN number getting rejected.
Inaccurate details like name, PAN card number etc.
Differences in the name of the applicant on PAN card, bank account details etc.
There are two types of IPOs offered: Fixed Price and Book Building. Under a book-building IPO, investors have to bid a price within the price range provided by the company. The price range has a base price or floor price and an upper price or cap price. Once bidding is complete, the company decides the final price and investors who made the correct bid get an allotment.
Now, investors who bid a price below the issue price will not get an IPO allotment.
How to Improve Your IPO Allotment Chances
Although the final call of offering an IPO depends on the company, there are certain tricks and methodologies that you can keep in mind to improve your choices for an IPO allotment:
As discussed earlier, errors in the application form are one of the most common reasons that lead to the rejection of an IPO application form. While filling out the application form, make sure to provide every detail accurately. The right way of filling out an IPO application form is to double-check every detail you have filled. Make sure there are no typing errors in your name, bank account details, or PAN card number and have submitted documents correctly. Remember that once you have submitted the form, any correction becomes a hassle or might not even be allowed in many scenarios.
A common mistake that many investors make is to fill out big applications to maximise their chances of getting an IPO allotment. However, this in fact lowers their chances.
Know that the Securities and Exchange Board of India has laid down a rule regarding the IPO allotment process that mandates companies to treat the application of every retail individual investor of less than ₹2 lakhs equally and allot a maximum of one lot per investor even if the allotment process is based on a computerised lottery system.
Making smaller applications is the smarter way of applying for an IPO in today’s time.
As discussed earlier, when a company receives oversubscriptions of its IPOs, it shifts to a computerised lottery allotment system. To improve your chances of getting an allotment for oversubscribed IPOs, you can apply through multiple demat accounts.
Remember that this does not mean that you can use multiple demat accounts registered with the same PAN number. You have to apply with different PAN numbers. Using friend's or family’s demat accounts is a common strategy for investors.
A reliable strategy for ensuring IPO allotment is bidding at the cut-off price. For book-building IPOs, companies offer a price bracket for investors to bid. Now it is argued that bidding at the maximum price is the smarter way.
However, you also have the option of bidding at the cut-off price. This means that you are willing to pay whatever issue price the company decides. Remember that since the issue price is decided after the bidding is complete, you will be required to pay the maximum price under the price bracket and if the issue price is lower than what you paid, you will receive the remaining sum.
For instance: If the price bracket is ₹100-₹101, then you will have to initially pay ₹101. If the issue price is ₹100.8 then you will receive ₹0.20 per share in your bank account.
While there is no rule against last-minute submissions, there are increased chances of you making an error in submitting the form. There can be chances that your internet connection is lagging, bank statements are not available or the website crashes. To avoid these challenges, make sure to submit the IPO application form at an early stage.
Another strategy that investors often rely on is subscribing to the shares of the parent company. If the parent company of the company that you are interested in has its shares listed on the stock exchange you can apply for its shares. Once you are a shareholder in the parent company you can apply for an IPO allotment under the “shareholder” category and not the “retail” category to improve your chances of getting an IPO allotment.
Note- Remember that all the above-discussed points are suggestions that might improve your chances of getting an IPO allotment and not an assurance.
What is an IPO Lot?
Before you leave, let’s quickly discuss what a lot is under an IPO. Know that IPO application and allotment are done in “lots”. A lot in an IPO represents the minimum number of shares that an investor has to apply for to get an IPO allotment.
While applying for an IPO, you are not allowed to apply for an individual share or any number of shares you desire. The company fixes a minimum number of shares which is mandatory for every investor interested in the company’s IPO.
For instance: A company launching its IPO declares that it will list 10 lakh shares and the issue price will be ₹100. The company also declares that the lot size will be 145. Now, every investor who applies for an IPO has to apply for a minimum of 145 shares of the company.
Final Takeaway
Initial public offerings or IPOs are important players in the stock market. These work like a two-headed sword that benefits both the company and investors. Despite the application process being simple, applying for an IPO requires you to make smart choices like choosing multiple demat accounts, bidding at a cut-off price and avoiding errors in the form to improve your chances of getting an IPO allotment. So if an IPO is not alloted, you do not need to worry.
To apply for an IPO, you need to have a trading and demat account. Make sure to choose a reliable trading platform to open these accounts.
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Disclaimer: Investments in the securities market are subject to market risk, read all related documents carefully before investing.
This content is for educational purposes only. Securities quoted are exemplary and not recommendatory.
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