The IPO year of Circle Property Plc is 2016
Initial public offering is a type of public offering in which shares of a company usually are sold to institutional investors that in turn, sell to the general public, on a securities exchange, for the first time.
Through IPO a privately held company transforms into a public company. Initial public offerings are mostly used by companies to raise the expansion of capital, possibly to monetize the investments of early private investors, and to become publicly traded enterprises. A company selling shares is never required to repay the capital to its public investors. After the IPO, when shares trade freely in the open market, money passes between public investors.
Although IPO offers many advantages, there are also significant disadvantages, chief among these are the costs associated with the process and the requirement to disclose certain information that could prove helpful to competitors.
The IPO process is colloquially known as going public. Details of the proposed offering are disclosed to potential purchasers in the form of a lengthy document known as a prospectus. Most companies undertake an IPO with the assistance of an investment banking firm acting in the capacity of an underwriter. Underwriters provide several services, including help with correctly assessing the value of shares.
Circle is amongst the best performing quoted UK real estate companies by NAV total return (NAV growth and dividend) having delivered consistent returns with 87% NAV growth since IPO in 2016 in absolute terms. Circle focusses on acquiring assets in regional cities, many of which have significant office supply constraints, and on office assets with active management potential (refurbishment opportunities, under-rented or vacant properties or short leases), rather than just maximising initial rental yields. Circle is not a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) and can actively recycle proceeds from asset sales into its refurbishment and redevelopment pipeline, as well as future investment opportunities, therefore targeting a broader range of returns for shareholders, which are primarily driven by NAV growth. As well as already delivering substantial increases in NAV, the Company's portfolio has significant reversionary potential with current total estimated rental values of approximately £10.9 million per annum, compared to contracted rent of £8.2 million at 30 September 2019. The Company has a portfolio of 15 regional commercial property investment and development assets in the UK valued at £135.6 million as at 30 September 2019.