Trevena (TRVN) began trading on the NASDAQ on 31 January 2014

Two months after postponing its proposed initial public stock offering because of unfavorable market conditions, Trevena Inc. will be trading on NASDAQ.

The King of Prussia, PA biopharmaceutical company will begin trading Friday in a $64.75 million IPO. It is selling 9.25 million shares of common stock at $7 per share.

Trevena’s focus is on developing the next generation of medicines that target G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). GPCRs are a large family of cell surface receptors that trigger signaling pathways linked to cellular function and disease processes. The The 6-year-old company’s “biased” GPCR ligands work by binding to receptors that are “biased” toward either activating or blocking specific signaling pathways to treat a disease.

Trevena, according to its SEC filing, plans to use the bulk of its proceeds from the proposed stock offering to continue the development of its two lead drug candidates: TRV027, an acute heart failure treatment, and TRV130, a treatment of moderate-to-severe acute pain. It also plans to advance additional product candidates, including two preclinical programs focused on central nervous system indications.

The company, led by CEO Maxine Gowen, has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 1.4 million additional shares of common stock to cover overallotments. The offering is expected to close on February 5, 2014, subject to customary closing conditions.

Barclays Capital and Jefferies are joint book-running managers for the offering. Canaccord Genuity Inc., JMP Securities and Needham & Co. are acting as co-managers.

From those keeping track at home, Trevena's stock sale makes four initial public stock offerings by Philadelphia region’s life sciences company since last summer.

Onconova Therapeutics of Newtown, Pa., and TetraLogic Pharmaceuticals of Malvern, Pa., completed IPO’s last year. Akers Biosciences Inc. of Thorofare, N.J., raised $15 million in a public stock offering that put the company’s stock on NASDAQ. It previously traded only on the London Stock Exchange.

Address

Suite A, 1018 West 8th Avenue
KNG OF PRUSSA, PA 19406
United States

Website  

http://www.trevenainc.com

Key stats and ratios

	Q3 (Sep '13)	2012
Net profit margin	-	-1936.07%
Operating margin	-	-1932.89%
EBITD margin	-	-1835.38%
Return on average assets	-65.90%	-113.73%
Return on average equity	-	-
Employees	31

Trevena Announces Pricing of Initial Public Offering

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Jan 31, 2014 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Trevena, Inc., a clinical stage pharmaceutical company involved in the discovery and development of G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) biased ligands, today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 9,250,000 shares of common stock at a price of $7.00 per share. Trevena previously announced that the number of shares in the offering was 8,500,000. The shares are scheduled to begin trading on the NASDAQ Global Market under the ticker symbol "TRVN" on January 31, 2014. In addition, Trevena has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 1,387,500 additional shares of common stock from Trevena at the initial public offering price. The offering is expected to close on February 5, 2014, subject to customary closing conditions.

Barclays Capital Inc. and Jefferies LLC are acting as joint book-running managers for the proposed offering. Canaccord Genuity Inc., JMP Securities LLC and Needham & Company, LLC are acting as co-managers.

A registration statement relating to these securities was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 30, 2014.

The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. A copy of the final prospectus relating to these securities will be filed with the SEC and may be obtained, when available, from Barclays Capital Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by email at Barclaysprospectus@broadridge.com or by phone at 888-603-5847 or Jefferies LLC, Equity Syndicate Prospectus Department, 520 Madison Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10022, by email at Prospectus_Department@Jefferies.com or by phone at 877-547-6340.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Trevena

Trevena, Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and intends to commercialize therapeutics that use a novel approach to target G protein coupled receptors, or GPCRs. Using its proprietary product platform, Trevena has identified and advanced two differentiated product candidates into the clinic -- TRV027 to treat acute heart failure and TRV130 to treat moderate to severe acute pain intravenously. Trevena also plans to advance additional product candidates, including two preclinical programs focused on central nervous system indications.

Trevena

King of Prussia, Pa.
Founders: Dr. Robert Lefkowitz and Dr. Howard Rockman
VC Investment over the last four quarters: $26.1 million

Trevena, founded in January 2008, is a drug discovery company developing pharmaceuticals that target what are known as G-protein coupled receptors. Such drugs make up more than 40% of marketed drugs today, according to Trevena. The company's drug discovery platform is based on research from Duke University Medical Center, including that of founder and National Medal of Science winner Robert Lefkowitz.

CHC Group Ltd (HELI) began trading on the NYSE on 17 January 2014

Vancouver-based CHC Group Ltd., a commercial provider of helicopter maintenance and flying services, especially offshore to oil and gas companies, brought a a Sikorsky S-76 to celebrate its IPO.

CHC Group Ltd William Amelio, President and Chief Executive Officer rings the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on January 21, 2014 in New York City.

North Atlantic Drilling Ltd (NADL) began trading on the NYSE on 29 January 2014

North Atlantic Drilling Ltd., an operator of nine offshore drilling rigs with headquarters in Norway, celebrates its IPO and begins trading on the NYSE today under the ticker symbol “NADL.”

North Atlantic Drilling CEO Alf Ragnar Lovdal and Chairman, John Fredriksen ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on January 29, 2014 in New York City.

GW Pharmaceuticals plc (GWPH) began trading on the NASDAQ on 29 April 2013

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GW Pharmaceuticals plc, a biopharmaceutical company, together with its subsidiaries, is engaged in discovering, developing, and commercializing cannabinoid prescription medicines. The company operates through three segments: Sativex Commercial, Sativex Research and Development, and Pipeline Research and Development. The company primarily offers Sativex, an oromucosal spray for the treatment of MS symptoms, cancer pain, and neuropathic pain. It also focuses on the Phase III clinical development program of Sativex for use in the treatment of cancer pain. In addition, the company's product pipeline includes an orphan childhood epilepsy program, as well as other product candidates in Phase I and II clinical development for the treatment of glioma, ulcerative colitis, type-2 diabetes, and schizophrenia. It has a strategic alliance with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. The company operates in the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States, Canada, and Asia. GW Pharmaceuticals plc was founded in 1998 and is based in Salisbury, the United Kingdom.

Address

Porton Down Science Park
SALISBURY, ENG SP4 0JQ
United Kingdom

Website 

http://www.gwpharm.com

Key stats and ratios

		2012
Net profit margin	-	7.52%
Operating margin	-	3.15%
EBITD margin	-	1.17%
Return on average assets	-	6.07%
Return on average equity	-	12.81%
Employees	182

Celladon (CLDN) began trading on the NASDAQ on 30 January 2014

Celladon Corp. (CLDN), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused in the field of SERCA enzymes, announced Wednesday that it has priced its initial public offering of 5.5 million shares of its common stock at $8.00 per share.

Celladon has also granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 825,000 shares of common stock to cover overallotments, if any.

Celladon's common stock is scheduled to begin trading on the NASDAQ Global Market on January 30 under the symbol "CLDN". The company noted that the offering is scheduled to close on February 4, subject to customary closing conditions.

Barclays is acting as the sole book-running manager for the offering. Stifel and Wedbush PacGrow Life Sciences are acting as co-managers.

Address

Suite 240, 12760 High Bluff Drive
SAN DIEGO, CA 92130
United States 

Website 

http://www.celladon.net

Orphan drug maker Ultragenyx ups IPO price to $19-$20

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. upped its initial public offering price to $19 to $20 per share, hoping to raise as much as $98 million from the sale of 4.8 million shares this week.

The Novato-based rare drug developer, which would be traded on the NASDAQ exchange as "RARE," previously priced the IPO at $14 to $17 per share.

Based on a midpoint of $19.50 per share, Ultragenyx would net about $84.7 million, the company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing, but if underwriters exercise all their options, proceeds could climb to $97.9 million.

The IPO is being closely watched as one of the first biotech offerings of 2014, but also a test of CEO Emil Kakkis' vision and the drug-development industry's focus in recent years on so-called orphan diseases.
Generally, drugs to treat rare diseases cost more and insurance companies have not balked at covering those costs for patients.

Ultragenyx has four drugs in clinical trials. Its lead program, UX-001, is an extended-release form of sialic acid aimed at hereditary inclusion body myopathy. Another drug, UX-023, is a monoclonal antibody that targets X-linked hypophosphatemia, a bone disease that causes bowed legs, shorter height and muscle weakness.

In the Bay Area, KineMed Inc. of Emeryville, Revance Therapeutics Inc. of Newark, Asterias Biotherapeutics Inc. of Menlo Park and CardioDx Inc. of Palo Alto are planning IPOs after about a half-dozen life sciences IPOs last year.

Dicerna Pharma Prices IPO Of 6 Mln Shares At $15/shr

Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative treatments for rare inherited diseases, announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 6 million shares of common stock at $15.00 per share, before underwriting discounts. The offering is expected to close on February 4, 2014.

In an amended S-1 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the company recently expected to price the initial public offering of 6 million common shares at $14 per share.

In addition, Dicerna has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 900,000 shares of common stock from Dicerna at the public offering price, before underwriting discounts.

The Watertown, Massachusetts-based company shares to begin trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol "DRNA" on January 30, 2014.

Jefferies LLC, Leerink Partners LLC, and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering. Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated is acting as co-lead manager for the offering.

Onconova Therapeutics, Inc. (ONTX) began trading on the NASDAQ on 22 July 2013

Onconova Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on discovering and developing small molecule drug candidates to treat cancer. Its products include Rigosertib intravenous (IV) that is in Phase III trials for higher risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS); Rigosertib Oral, which is Phase II clinical trials for patients with transfusion-dependent lower risk MDS and in patients with head and neck cancers; and Rigosertib IV, a combination therapy with gemcitabine in a Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. The company's products also comprise ON 013105 that is in Phase I clinical trials to treat various lymphomas and leukemias; and Recilisib, a molecule with radiation protection properties has completed four Phase I clinical trials. In addition, its preclinical products consist of ON 1231320, an inhibitor of polo-like kinase 2; ON 123300, an inhibitor of the cell cycle and cancer cell metabolism; ON 108600, an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 9 and casein kinase 2; ON 044580, a dual inhibitor of janus kinase 2 and Bcr-Abl kinase; ON 24 series of compounds that are oral anti-tubulin agents; and ON 146 series, which are selective inhibitors of PI3K alpha/delta isoforms. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

Address

375 Pheasant Run
NEWTOWN, PA 18940
United States 

Website 

www.onconova.com

Key stats and ratios

	Q3 (Sep '13)	2012
Net profit margin	-1838.80%	-64.76%
Operating margin	-1801.43%	-48.23%
EBITD margin	-	-47.54%
Return on average assets	-91.14%	-67.74%
Return on average equity	-	-
Employees	57

AMC Theatres (AMC) : 1-month performance

Receptos, Inc.(RCPT) began trading on the NASDAQ on 6 May 2013

Receptos, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of various therapeutics for immune disorders. Its lead product includes RPC1063, an oral sphingosine 1-phosphate 1 receptor modulator that is in Phase II portion of Phase II/III studies for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis; and is in Phase II studies to treat ulcerative colitis. The company's products also comprise RPC4046, a monoclonal antibody, which is in Phase II studies for the treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis, an allergic/immune-mediated disorder. It is also developing glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor small molecule positive allosteric modulators that are in Preclinical studies for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes. The company was formerly known as Receptor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and changed its name to Receptos, Inc. in May 2009. Receptos, Inc. was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

weekly chart

Emerge Energy Services LP (EMES) began trading on the NYSE on 6 May 2013

Emerge Energy Services LP focuses on owning, operation, acquisition, and development of energy service assets in the United States. The company intends to engage in the mining and processing frac sand that is used for hydraulic fracturing of oil and natural gas wells for oilfield services companies in Wisconsin and Kosse, Texas. It also plans to involve in the acquisition, processing, separation, and sale of transportation mixture; sale of wholesale petroleum products; blending of renewable fuels; and provision of third-party terminaling services and tank cleaning services.
The company was formerly known as Emergent Energy Services LP and changed its name to Emerge Energy Services LP in July 2012.

Emerge Energy Services LP was founded in 2012 and is based in Southlake, Texas.

Relypsa (RLYP) began trading on the NASDAQ on 15 November 2013

1/24/14 update

Jan 2014

Nov 2013

Description

Relypsa, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of non-absorbed polymeric drugs to treat disorders in the areas of renal, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The Company has completed its two-part pivotal Phase III trial of its product candidate, patiromer, for the treatment of hyperkalemia, a life-threatening condition defined as abnormally elevated levels of potassium in the blood. The Company has designed patiromer to efficiently bind and remove potassium from the body, thereby treating hyperkalemia. The Company has conducted a clinical development program, in which daily administration of patiromer has been observed by the Company to lower, and maintain control of, serum potassium levels in hyperkalemic subjects with an acceptable safety and tolerability profile.

Address

700 Saginaw Drive
REDWOOD CITY, CA 94063
United States 

Website 

http://www.relypsa.com

Key stats and ratios

	Q3 (Sep '13)	2012
Net profit margin	-	-
Operating margin	-	-
EBITD margin	-	-
Return on average assets	-314.24%	-92.43%
Return on average equity	-	-
Employees	69

Healthcare Outpaced Tech IPOs in 2013

In 2013, more venture-backed healthcare companies went public than tech companies. In 2013, about 38 healthcare firms went public, compared to 28 in technology, according to a report released Thursday, by venture capital database firm CB Insights.

While tech companies such as Twitter Inc. attracted the most attention for their 2013 public offerings, the healthcare industry experienced much higher growth in IPOs last year, while the number of tech offerings declined. Healthcare’s 38 IPOs reflected a 217% jump from just 12 IPOs in 2012. Notable 2013 public offerings included Agios Pharmaceuticals Inc. and biotech companies Intrexon Corp. and Ophthotech Corp.

In comparison, the number of tech companies that went public declined 7% from 30 in 2012. Aside from Twitter, those included the October 2013 public offering of cloud provider Veeva Systems Inc. and November’s IPO of online retailer Zulily Inc.

While there were fewer tech IPOs in 2013, the median value of those offerings was $559 million, compared to a median value of $236 million for the healthcare initial public offerings, according to CB Insights. Twitter, for example, raised as much as $2.1 billion in its IPO, while Intrexon raised about $160 million.

Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. (SC) began trading on the NYSE on 23 January 2014

Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. (SC), the U.S. auto-lending unit of the Spanish bank, announced it has raised $1.8 billion in an initial public offering. The IPO priced more than 74 million shares of common stock at $24 a share. The company's stock is expected to start trading on Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker "SC". The firm is using Citigroup Inc. and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. as the main underwriters.

Chairman and CEO Thomas G. Dundon of Santander Consumer USA Holdings rings the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on January 23, 2014 in New York City.

BioAmber Inc. (BIOA) began trading on the NYSE on 10 June 2013

BioAmber Inc., a bio-based chemicals company, produces and sells bio-succinic acid in the United States. Its proprietary technology platform combines industrial biotechnology and chemical catalysis to convert renewable feedstocks into chemicals that are replacements for petroleum-derived chemicals. The company also has additional bio-based products under development with partners, which include bio-succinic acid derivatives, such as 1, 4 butanediol, gamma-butyrolactone, and succinic acid based polyesters. Its bio-succinic acid has applications in plasticizers, polyurethanes, personal care products, resins and coatings, food additives, lubricants, fine chemicals, and de-iciing solutions, as well as in other products that include anti-freeze solutions, solvents, water treatment chemicals, and effervescence agents, such as laundry tablets and bath salts. The company serves various chemical markets, such as polyurethanes, plasticizers, personal care products, de-icing solutions, resins and coatings, food additives, and lubricants. BioAmber Inc. sells its products directly to its customers, as well as indirectly through an exclusive distributor in the Asia-Pacific region. It has strategic relationships with Mitsui & Co., Ltd.; Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation; Lanxess Deutschland GmbH; Faurecia, S.A.; NatureWorks LLC; DuPont; Evonik Industries AG; Agro-industrie Recherches et Dveloppements; and Celexion, LLC. The company was formerly known as DNP Green Technology, Inc. and changed its name to BioAmber Inc. in 2010. BioAmber Inc. is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

Karyopharm Therapeutics (KPTI) began trading on the NASDAQ on 6 November 2013

Jan 2014 update

Description

Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of drugs directed against nuclear transport targets for the treatment of cancer and other major diseases. The Company has discovered and developed small molecule, Selective Inhibitors of Nuclear Export (SINE), compounds that inhibit the nuclear export protein XPO1. The Company’s drug candidate, Selinexor (KPT-330), is an XPO1 inhibitor, evaluated in multiple open-label Phase 1 clinical trials in patients with heavily pretreated relapsed or refractory hematological and solid tumor malignancies. As of September 20, 2013, the Company had administered Selinexor to over 170 patients in these trials.

Address

2 Mercer Road
NATICK, MA 01760
United States

Website 

www.karyopharm.com

Key stats and ratios

	Q2 (Jun '13)	2012
Net profit margin	-3409.84%	-2505.99%
Operating margin	-3410.11%	-2506.31%
EBITD margin	-	-2487.07%
Return on average assets	-	-372.30%
Return on average equity	-	-
Employees	23

Wix.com (WIX) began trading on the NASDAQ on 6 November 2013

Jan 2014 update

Wix.com Ltd. is a global Web development platform. The Company offers its solutions through a freemium and subscription model and as of August 31, 2013, it had 679,536 premium subscriptions. The Company’s core product is a drag-and-drop visual development and editing environment complete with templates, graphics, image galleries and fonts. Its cloud-based platform is accessed through a hosted environment, allowing its users to update their site and manage their business or organization at any time.

Address

40 NAMAL TEL AVIV ST.
TEL AVIV-YAFO, 6701101
Israel
+972-3-5454900 (Phone)

Website 

www.wix.com

Key stats and ratios

	Q3 (Sep '13)	2012
Net profit margin	-36.12%	-34.28%
Operating margin	-33.99%	-34.48%
EBITD margin	-	-32.48%
Return on average assets	-134.40%	-86.16%
Return on average equity	-	-
Employees	452

Evoke Pharma (EVOK) began trading on the NASDAQ on 25 September 2013

Jan 2014 update

Description

Evoke Pharma, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company. The Company is focused primarily on the development of drugs to treat gastrointestinal (GI), disorders and diseases. The Company is developing EVK-001, a metoclopramide nasal spray for the relief of symptoms associated with acute and recurrent diabetic gastroparesis in women with diabetes mellitus. The Company’s lead product candidate, EVK-001, is in late stage clinical testing. EVK-001 is a formulation of this drug, designed to provide systemic delivery of metoclopramide through intranasal administration. Gastroparesis is a condition of delayed gastric emptying in the absence of mechanical obstruction. Gastroparesis results in food remaining in the stomach for a longer time than normal, yielding a variety of symptoms.

Address

Suite 385, 12555 High Bluff Drive
SAN DIEGO, CA 92130
United States

Website 

http://www.evokepharma.com

Key stats and ratios

	Q2 (Jun '13)	2012
Net profit margin	-	-
Operating margin	-	-
EBITD margin	-	-
Return on average assets	-55.40%	-395.07%
Return on average equity	-	-
Employees	2

Acceleron Pharma (XLRN) began trading on the NASDAQ on 18 September 2013

Jan 2014 update

Description

Acceleron Pharma Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of protein therapeutics for cancer and rare diseases. The Company’s research focuses on the biology of the Transforming Growth Factor-Beta (TGF-b) protein superfamily, a large and diverse group of molecules that are key regulators in the growth and repair of tissues throughout the human body. By coupling its discovery and development expertise, including its knowledge of the TGF-b superfamily, with its internal protein engineering and manufacturing capabilities, it has built a productive research and development platform that has generated clinical and preclinical protein therapeutic candidates with mechanisms of action.

Address

128 Sidney Street
CAMBRIDGE, MA 02139
United States 

Website 

http://www.acceleronpharma.com

Key stats and ratios

	Q3 (Sep '13)	2012
Net profit margin	-433.56%	-213.60%
Operating margin	-422.32%	-204.17%
EBITD margin	-	-13.39%
Return on average assets	-88.78%	-52.98%
Return on average equity	-	-
Employees	79

Travelocity parent Sabre files for an IPO

• The Texas-based company employs about 10,000 people in 60 countries
• Company has recorded net losses every year since 2008, according to SEC filing

Sabre Corp., the provider of travel data and reservation software whose businesses include Travelocity, filed to raise $100 million in an initial public offering.

The figure is a placeholder used to calculate fees and may change. The company, backed by TPG Capital and Silver Lake Management LLC, plans to use the funds from the IPO to repay debt. Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Bank of America Corp., and Deutsche Bank AG are managing the offering.

Sabre’s technology processes more than $100 billion of estimated travel spending each year, according to a regulatory filing today. The Southlake, Texas-based company’s customers include airlines, hotel providers, cruise lines and tour vendors, which contributed to its $2.3 billion in revenue for the nine months through September 2013.

The former unit of AMR Corp. was traded on the New York Stock Exchange from 1996 until it was taken private a decade later by TPG and Silver Lake for about $5 billion, including debt.

In the first nine months of 2013, the company’s travel-network segment contributed to 57 percent of revenue, while its airline and hospitality solutions made up 22 percent. Travelocity produced 21 percent of sales over the period, the filing shows.

EP Energy Corp (EPE) began trading on the NYSE on 17 January 2014

EP Energy Corp. priced its initial public offering of 35.2 million shares at $20 a share, lower than it had originally forecasted.

• EP Energy, which drills for oil in so-called shale rock formations underlying Texas, Utah and Louisiana, is among the domestic energy players that have been lining up to tap the equity market. Advances in drilling technology such as hydraulic fracturing—or “fracking”—have led to a surge in energy production within the U.S.
• Sold 35.2 million shares, versus the 40 million it had forecast in a regulatory filing.
• Two other companies tied to shale oil and gas are slated to debut in coming days. Energy producer RSP Permian Inc. is slated to price a roughly $400 million IPO after the close, while Rice Energy Inc. has an IPO of about $800 million on deck for next week.

The offering, valued at $704 million, was expected to be one of the largest in the industry, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Houston-based oil and gas company was expected to raise as much as $1.1 billion based on the price of 40 million shares at $23 to $27 a share.

The stock will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “EPE.”

EP Energy filed for the IPO in September, and Reuters reported at the time that it could value the company at more than $8 billion.

EP Energy, which originally was El Paso Corp.'s exploration and production arm, was bought by a private equity group for $7.15 billion in May 2012, making it the largest private equity deal of the year. The deal took nine months and was tied to Kinder Morgan’s $38 billion acquisition of El Paso.

The private equity group was led by Apollo Global Management LLC (NYSE: APO) and included Riverstone Holdings LLC, Access Industries Inc. and Korea National Oil Corp.

Credit Suisse and J.P. Morgan are acting as joint book-running managers. Citigroup, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank Securities, UBS Investment Bank, BMO Capital Markets, RBC Capital Markets and Wells Fargo Securities are also acting as book-running managers. Evercore, Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co., Barclays, Jefferies, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, BBVA, Nomura,
Scotiabank/Howard Weil, Societe Generale and TD Securities are acting as senior co-managers, and Capital One Securities, CIBC, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, ING, Mizuho Securities, SMBC Nikko, Stephens Inc., Lebenthal Capital Markets and Topeka Capital Markets are acting as co-managers.

The next wave of potentially hot IPOs

SAN FRANCISCO – Just as one high-tech breakthrough often paves the way for the next big thing, initial public offerings in the tech world sometimes follow the same pattern.

Twitter’s scintillating stock market debut punctuated a procession of highly anticipated coming-out parties during the past 2 1/2 years, providing a springboard for a new generation of rapidly growing startups to make the leap to Wall Street.

The next wave of potentially hot IPOs includes Airbnb, Square, Spotify, Dropbox, Uber, Snapchat, Pinterest, Box, Scribd, Flipboard and King.com. Most of their services are tailor-made for smartphones and tablets, a crucial characteristic that helped feed the rabid demand for Twitter’s stock in its initial public offering this month.

Despite Twitter’s unprofitable history, the company is now worth about $29 billion – a valuation that has enriched its founders, employees and early investors.

The message service’s successful IPO even proved that it’s irrelevant whether companies are profitable, he says.

“Twitter just made it clear that the IPO window is open, and a lot of success can be had,” says Ira Rosner, an attorney and shareholder for Greenberg Traurig, a law firm that helps prepare companies for IPOs.

“There is no question that a successful offering encourages other offerings,” he says. “It gets people excited, and it creates buzz.”

Even before Twitter’s IPO, good vibes were rippling through the stock market as the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor’s 500 indexes repeatedly set new highs. The fertile conditions have produced 199 IPOs in the U.S. this year, according to the research firm Renaissance Capital.

At the current pace, 2013 is on track to be the biggest year for IPOs in a decade.

The string of IPOs that helped fuel investors’ interest in rapidly growing Internet companies began with the May 2011 debut of professional network LinkedIn Corp.

Other online services that followed LinkedIn into the stock market include online review site Yelp, Internet radio station Pandora Media, daily deal-maker Groupon, online game-maker Zynga and Facebook.

Qiwi (QIWI) drops as Russia moves to expand police powers before Olympics

Qiwi's downfall came on reports that Russia's Duma was set to vote Wednesday on a set of anti-terrorism measures. The legislation would, among other things, "oblige websites to inform authorities about their users, restrict anonymous Web payments and also broaden powers of security officers," according to the Moscow Times.

One basic aim of the bill was to restrict money laundering, seen as a key source of finance for terrorists. Proposed restrictions include holding anonymous Web payments made in Russia to below 1,000 rubles ($30) per day for one payment or 15,000 rubles ($450) per month for one user, and ban anonymous Web payments from abroad, the Moscow Times reported.

The restrictions could bear directly on Qiwi's customers, who use ATM kiosks to make online payments and money transfers.

Wednesday's loss of as much as 22% drove Qiwi shares deep below their 10-week moving average, a key line of support.