What Does Oversubscription Mean In IPO Allotments?

In the context of an Initial Public Offering (IPO), oversubscription occurs when the demand for shares exceeds the number of shares available for allotment. This means that investors have applied for more shares than what is being offered by the company in the IPO. Oversubscription is a common occurrence in popular IPOs, especially when there is high market interest in the company.

How Does Oversubscription Work?

When an IPO is oversubscribed, it indicates that investors are willing to buy more shares than are being offered. For example, if an IPO offers 10 million shares and investors apply for 20 million shares, the issue is 2 times oversubscribed.

Impact on IPO Allotments:

Allotment Ratio:

The allotment ratio is determined based on the level of oversubscription. If an IPO is oversubscribed, the allotment ratio will be lower, meaning investors may not receive the full number of shares they applied for. For example, in a 2x oversubscription, investors who applied for 100 shares may only receive 50 shares, as only 50% of the applied shares are allotted.

Pro-Rata Allotment:

In case of oversubscription, the allotment is typically done on a pro-rata basis. This means shares are distributed proportionately based on the number of shares applied for by each investor. So, if an investor applied for a large number of shares and the IPO was oversubscribed, they may receive a smaller portion of what they requested.

Lotteries:

For certain IPOs, when the subscription is extremely high, a lottery system might be used to allocate shares. This is common for retail investors who apply for shares in smaller lots. The lottery ensures fairness in allotment when demand is very high.

Retail vs Institutional Investors:

Oversubscription often affects retail investors (individual investors) more significantly than institutional investors (such as mutual funds, insurance companies). Retail investors may receive fewer shares, while institutional investors typically have a better chance of receiving their requested allotment, though this depends on the overall demand.

Pricing Impact:

Pricing: While oversubscription itself doesn't directly affect the IPO price, high demand for the shares can indicate strong market sentiment, which may influence the pricing process. In oversubscribed IPOs, especially with book building methods, companies may price their shares towards the higher end of the price band.

Market Sentiment: Oversubscription can be a sign of strong market interest and investor confidence, often leading to positive movements in the stock price once it lists on the stock exchange.

Example:

Let’s say an IPO offers 1 million shares at a price of ₹100 each. If investors apply for 5 million shares, the IPO is 5 times oversubscribed. As a result, each investor may only receive one-fifth of the shares they applied for. If you applied for 100 shares, you would receive 20 shares (100 ÷ 5).

Conclusion:

Oversubscription refers to a situation where the demand for IPO shares exceeds the number of shares available for allotment. It often leads to a lower allotment ratio for investors, who may receive fewer shares than they applied for. Oversubscription can be seen as a sign of strong market interest and can positively affect investor sentiment, but it may reduce the chances of getting the full allocation of shares.