AIM ends year on a high

AIM finished 2016 on a high as the 38 companies that floated on the market ended the year up more than 39 per cent on average.

In addition, 263 companies, already quoted on AIM raised more than £3.8 billion in further fundraising, underlining the market’s capacity to act as a vital source of permanent growth capital.

Since its launch in 1995, AIM, now in its 21st year, has allowed companies from across the UK and around the world to raise nearly £100bn in new and further fundraising. Just this year we have seen companies from across the UK, including businesses from Scotland and Wales, as well as household names such as fashion retailer, Joules; chocolatier, Hotel Chocolat and publisher, Time Out Group.



The success of companies floated in 2016 builds on similarly strong price performance of IPOs over the last three years: +16 per cent on average. The last three years have also seen the nature of new AIM companies evolve. Compared to 10 years ago, the average new AIM company is significantly larger: £88m market cap versus £17m in 2005, raising more capital: £30m versus £5m in 2005.

Marcus Stuttard, Head of AIM and UK Primary Markets, London Stock Exchange said: “As IPO markets worldwide experienced a challenging 2016, AIM again demonstrated why it is recognised as the world’s leading growth market. Now in its 21st year, AIM has come of age as a market as the nature and performance of this year’s IPOs illustrates. AIM is fulfilling its promise: a global market successfully connecting the real economy: ambitious, small and mid-cap growth companies to institutional and retail investors.”

AIM: An evolving market - Key statistics

New AIM company average performance

2016

+39%

New AIM company average performance

2014-16

+16%

FTSE 100 performance

2014-16

+4%

New AIM company average market cap

2014-16

£88m

AIM company average market cap

2005

£17m

Average money raised at IPO

2014-16

£30.3m

Average money raised at IPO

2005

£5m

 

Top performing new AIM companies 2016

 

Issuer

Admission date

Money raised at IPO

Current market cap

Share price performance

Sector

Country of Primary Business

Blue Prism Group plc

18-Mar-16

21.1

£261.3m

438.5%

Software & Computer Services

United Kingdom

Franchise Brands plc

05-Aug-16

3.5

£31.8m

101.5%

General Retailers

United Kingdom

MaxCyte Inc

29-Mar-16

10.0

£59.0m

93.6%

Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology

United States

Hotel Chocolat Group plc

10-May-16

55.5

£318.2m

90.5%

Food Producers

United Kingdom

Yu Group plc

17-Mar-16

10.0

£45.7m

75.7%

Gas, Water & Multiutilities

United Kingdom

Cerillion Technologies Ltd

18-Mar-16

10.0

£37.5m

67.1%

Software & Computer Services

United Kingdom

Directa Plus plc

27-May-16

12.8

£54.4m

64.0%

Chemicals

Italy

Harwood Wealth Management Group plc

29-Mar-16

13.5

£73.7m

63.6%

Financial Services

United Kingdom

Angus Energy Plc

14-Nov-16

23.0

£21.0m

62.5%

Oil & Gas Producers

United Kingdom

Filta Group Holdings plc

04-Nov-16

6.2

£33.4m

49.4%

Support Services

United Kingdom

 

Top performing new AIM companies 2014-16

Of particular note has been the variety of the highest performing new AIM companies over the last three years. They operate in sectors as diverse as beverages to high end software and IT. Interestingly too, they all joined AIM with relatively large initial market capitalisations, demonstrating the market’s ability to fund high growth mid-caps as well as smaller businesses.

Issuer

Admission date

Money raised at IPO

Market cap

Share price performance

Sector

Country of Primary Business

Fevertree Drinks

07-Nov-14

£93m

£247m

691.8%

Beverages

UK

4D Pharma

18-Feb-14

£16m

£61m

622.5%

Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology

UK

Blue Prism Group

18-Mar-16

£21m

£47m

438.5%

Software & Computer Services

UK

Gear4music

03-Jun-15

£10m

£43m

211.2%

Leisure Goods

UK

Quartix Holdings

06-Nov-14

£11m

£87m

203.9%

Software & Computer Services

UK

Fulham Shore

20-Oct-14

£1.6m

£32m

189.6%

Travel & Leisure

UK

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