Question

What is meant by 'Primary Market'?

Explain any two methods of floating new issues in the Primary Market.

Answer 1

A primary market issues new securities on an exchange for companies, governments and other groups to obtain financing through debt-based or equity-based securities. Primary markets are facilitated by underwriting groups consisting of investment banks that set a beginning price range for a given security and oversee its sale to investors. Once the initial sale is complete, further trading is conducted on the secondary market, where the bulk of exchange trading occurs each day.

Methods of Floatation:

• Public issue: When a company raises funds by selling (issuing) its shares (or debenture / bonds) to the public through issue of offer document (prospectus), it is called a public issue. Initial Public Offer (IPO): When a (unlisted) company makes a public issue for the first time and gets its shares listed on stock exchange, the public issue is called as initial public offer (IPO).Follow-on public offer (FPO): When a listed company makes another public issue to raise capital, it is called follow-on offer (FPO).
  
• Offer for sale: Institutional investors like venture funds, private equity funds etc., invest in unlisted company when it is very small or at an early stage. Subsequently, when the company becomes large, these investors sell their shares to the public, through issue of offer document and the company’s shares are listed in stock exchange. This is called as offer for sale. The proceeds of this issue go the existing investors and not to the company.