Initial Public Offering (IPO) and theories of underpricing

Related to the issuance of shares there are different kinds of “puzzles” which motivate to take a closer look at: Short-run ‘underpricing’, hot and cold issue markets, spread clustering and longrun underperformance. Even though these phenomena are frequently discussed in several scientific papers and journals, there is no conclusively completed theory. This work will concentrate on the various approaches developed to explain ‘underpricing’. As an introduction into the topic it will also provide a summary of the process of an Initial Public Offering (IPO).