Accounting for the interaction between investment banks and lenders in IPO underpricing in Canada

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of pre-IPO banking relationships on a firm’s IPO. Using the data set, which compares the firm’s pre-IPO banking relationships to the underwriters managing the firm’s new issue, I test whether banking relationships established before the firm’s IPO ameliorate asymmetric information problems behind high IPO underpricing. The results show that firms with a pre-IPO banking relationship with a prospective underwriter face about 45.7% lower underpricing than firms without such banking relationships.