• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechUnicorns

Why European Tech IPOs Have Bigger First-Month Pops

By
Kif Leswing
Kif Leswing
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Kif Leswing
Kif Leswing
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 30, 2015, 11:07 AM ET

There are nearly three times as many technology startups valued over $1 billion in the United States as in Europe. But European companies may be a better bet for investors in the public markets: Newly listed tech stocks in Europe rally 20% on average in the first month after their initial public offering, handily beating the 6.7% gain for newly public technology companies in the United States, according to Bloomberg.

That statistic takes into account 11 European tech companies and 13 American companies that priced their IPOs this year.

One reason why European tech stocks get a bigger pop in their first month? The same reason there are so many so-called unicorns in the United States: Late-stage venture capital valuations are nearly twice as large in the United States as in Europe.

American tech companies are simply valued at a higher revenue multiple — nine American tech companies went public at an average valuation of 3.9 times revenue, compared with a multiple of 2.6 for companies across the Atlantic. Eleven European tech IPOs this year raised a total of $1.8 billion, a significantly lower average than the 13 American IPOs that sold $4.3 billion of shares.

At a lower revenue multiple, there is more value for early investors in an IPO, whereas in the United States, more value is captured by late-stage investors, which increasingly includes mutual funds like Fidelity Investments in addition to the well-established network of California-based Silicon Valley venture capitalists.

Some also point to Europe’s investing culture as a reason for its larger first-month rallies. In Europe, “investors want to get out in two, three years, so they’re less greedy when it comes to pricing a company,” Fernando Chueca, a director for Carlyle Group, told Bloomberg.

Of course, the two biggest American tech IPOs from the past month, Square (SQ) and Match Group(MTCH), are both up more than 20 percent from their debut price. Neither were included in Bloomberg’s data.

Although a few European tech companies, such as the music streaming giant Deezer, have put their IPO plans on hold due to unfavorable market conditions, there are still a few big debuts on the horizon. Oberthur, a French security company, is expected to list shares this month in what could be 2015’s largest European tech IPO. Sigfox, another French company that makes networks for connected devices, is also considering going public.

And venture capitalists on both sides of the Atlantic continue to push private European valuations ever higher, with 10 European software companies attaining valuations over $1 billion in 2015. HelloFresh, a British food subscription company, raised $84.7 million in September to make it worth $3 billion on paper. BlaBlaCar, a French carpooling startup, was valued at $1.5 billion after New-York based Insight Venture Partners led a $200 million round in July.

At those valuations, European technology IPOs might resemble Silicon Valley public offerings before too long.

Is it too late for unicorns to IPO? Watch this Fortune video:

Subscribe to Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter on the business of technology.

 

About the Author
By Kif Leswing
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Arts & Entertainmentart
Banksy may have been identified, but his mystery has long been part of his art’s value, and a fan says it’s like finding out Santa Claus isn’t real
By Laurie Kellman and The Associated PressMarch 22, 2026
6 hours ago
Startups & VentureDefense
A turning point at the Pentagon: Anduril’s new mega‑deal rewrites the rules for Silicon Valley—and raises new risks
By Jessica MathewsMarch 22, 2026
9 hours ago
gen z
CommentaryGen Z
Gen Z is using ChatGPT to practice salary negotiations and tough conversations before they happen
By Phillip MillerMarch 22, 2026
10 hours ago
AIthe future of work
AI may be helping more people start their own businesses, but without many employees
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMarch 22, 2026
12 hours ago
AIFinance
Meet the CFO who turned Adobe’s finance department into an AI lab
By Sheryl EstradaMarch 22, 2026
13 hours ago
AIOpenAI
OpenAI plans to almost double its headcount this year, FT says
By Liza Tetley and BloombergMarch 21, 2026
22 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.