The best year for new stock offerings since the tech bubble is in the books, and industry pros are expecting another strong year in 2014. Returns may not top 30% again, but in terms of activity the outlook is bright as long as the broader market continues to make progress. Visibility into the pipeline is trickier with the JOBS Act’s confidential filing allowance, but the following companies are likely prospects for 2014 offerings.
GE Consumer Lending
The Connecticut-based conglomerate is carving off a piece of its finance unit in a public offering. GE told investors in November that it will spin out its North American retail lending unit into a business that could be valued at $20 billion.
Chrysler
The automaker has filed for an offering, but many see it as a negotiating ploy by a retired workers’ trust that owns about 40% of the stock to wring out a higher price from controlling shareholder Fiat. Chalk Chrysler up as a firm 'maybe.'
Dropbox
Tech names were hot in 2013 and more of the same could be in store for 2014, including cloud storage outfits Dropbox and Box. One or both, each of which was valued at more than a billion dollars in their most recent funding rounds, will make its public debut.
Seamless
After merging with chief rival Grubhub, the online food delivery company is said to be targeting a public debut in the New Year and touts revenue figures in excess of $100 million annually.
Square
Sharing some corporate DNA with Twitter – both were co-founded by tech entrepreneur Jack Dorsey – certainly doesn’t hurt and whispers about a 2014 offering for the mobile payments company started circulating right around the time of the social network’s November debut.
Spotify
Questions remain over whether the streaming music business can actually make money for investors and whether big players like Apple and Amazon will squash smaller entrants. But none of that has been a problem for Pandora, which has tripled in 2013.
Good Technology
A potential play on the demise of BlackBerry, Good is all about solutions for corporate mobile security. That could make it a critical player in sensitive corporate areas like banking, especially as the bring-your-own-device trend becomes more deeply engrained.
OneWest Bank
The former IndyMac could follow the playbook of BankUnited, spinning financial crisis failure into new life. The California bank, backed by investors like Soros, John Paulson and JC Flowers, is run by former Goldman Sachs partner Steven Mnuchin.
Virgin America
The merger of American and US Airways, not to mention a sector-wide rally in 2013, has put the airline industry back in the headlines. This Richard Branson-backed carrier could try to capitalize on the recent gains in a public debut after notching its first back-to-back quarterly profits this year.
Tory Burch
Even with all the economic challenges facing consumers, demand for highly-regarded fashion brands is through the roof. Michael Kors shareholders have been ringing the register since that stock debuted in 2011 and Burch has had a clearer path since its eponymous founder reached a settlement with her ex-husband and co-founder in 2012.
Palantir Tech
The data analytics company raised over $100 million at a $9 billion valuation in its latest funding round, one that puts it on course for a sizable public offering. Founder Alex Karp has been lukewarm about an IPO, but it still looks like the most likely liquidity event for the fast-growing company.
J. Crew
The Mickey Drexler-led retailer was only taken private by TPG and Leonard Green Partners two years ago, but after a dividend recapitalization it could be ripe for a public offering if the investors decide to capitalize on an accelerating stock market in which retail growth stories are being rewarded.
Alibaba
What is likely to be the year’s largest offering could set records for the technology sector. Flirtations with exchanges are ongoing, but the smart money expects the Chinese e-commerce business to list in the U.S. One interested party: Yahoo, which has a sizable stake in the company that has been a big part of its stock surge.
