London’s flotation fever is rampant: The 2022 year promises to be another banner year for big-name businesses as they weigh blockbuster IPOs










A number of major firms are considering listing in London in the UK, which is poised for another year of booms in floats.

Analysts believe that the ‘raw material’ is available for an exceptional year in the stock market.

CVC, Virgin Atlantic and Monzo are just a few of the companies that may go public in this year’s private equity roundup.

Float frenzy: Private equity giant CVC, digital bank Monzo and Virgin Atlantic are among the groups that could go public in 2022

Flut frenzy: CVC, Virgin Atlantic and digital bank Monzo are just a few of the companies that may go public in 2022.

The London Stock Exchange saw the addition of more than 120 businesses last year. This was the highest number since the financial crisis.

Yesterday, the LSE witnessed its first flotation of the year as facilities by ADF made their debut in movie make-up.

Shares in the group rose 9 per cent to 54.5p – indicating traders are still keen to invest in newly floated companies. 

ADF Facilities provides facilities for production sites that include wardrobe rooms, lodging and toilets in trailers.

The company was established in 1992. It now operates a fleet with more than 500 trucks. Some of its clients are Apple, Sky, Disney and Netflix.

It raised £18.4m in its listing which chairman John Richards said would help the firm ‘meet increasing demand’.

After the uncertainty created by the Brexit referendum, the UK’s number of businesses coming to the market slowed in 2015.

When Britain left the EU in January 2020, analysts expected a rise in floats – but this was kiboshed by the pandemic.

There was a frenzy last year with listings. This included big successes like Darktrace, Bridgepoint, Dr Martens and Dr Martens in London, along with flops like Deliveroo, Pension Bee, Victorian Plumbing.

For the total number of floats, the UK was second only to the US and Greater China. And the LSE raised more money – £16.8billion – than exchanges in Amsterdam and Paris combined.

Jupiter Asset Management’s Dan Nickols stated that ‘the raw materials are definitely there’ to allow this success. 

‘Our team looks at many would-be float candidates and – qualitatively – we have seen many exciting businesses across a range of sectors,’ he said.

The Barclay family was said to be mulling a £4billion float of online fashion retailer Very Group, which sells clothing lines designed by actress Michelle Keegan (pictured)

The Barclay family was said to be mulling a £4billion float of online fashion retailer Very Group, which sells clothing lines designed by actress Michelle Keegan (pictured)

Last month it was reported that private equity group CVC had hired Goldman Sachs to explore a stock market listing that could value it at £11billion – though it was not clear if it would choose London. 

British semiconductor designer Imagination Technologies has also brought in advisers to help it weigh up a UK or US listing, while the Barclay family was said to be mulling a £4billion float of online fashion retailer Very Group, which sells clothing lines designed by actress Michelle Keegan.

Rumours have circulated that Virgin Atlantic may be able to join the stock markets after the pandemic destroyed its finances.

Anne Boden, chief executive at Starling online bank, stated that she is aiming to flote as soon as possible this year. Monzo bosses, however, have indicated that a listing may be in the offing.

The Issa brothers were reportedly mulling a £10billion float of their EG Group petrol forecourt business and analysts are keen to see if Brewdog revives its plans to go public after it delayed a £2.1billion float in October. 

Susannah Streeter from Hargreaves Lansdown commented: “Although there is a lot of pipeline in 2022, 2021 will prove to be quite difficult.”

Advertisement