Initial Public Offerings in the United States
Legal Materials
There are four main sources for IPO information: SEC filings; Thompson Financial Securities Data; news; and analyst reports.
SEC Filings: Companies about to do an IPO must file an S-1 registration and a Prospectus with the SEC.
You can pull S-1 filings for free with the SEC’s EDGAR Company Search, and you can search for S-1s from the past four years for free with the Advanced Full-Text Search. For better searching, use one of the commercial SEC research systems discussed in the Filings section of the “Securities and Exchange Commission” entry.
Note: There is lots of information in an S-1, but companies generally try to be as vague as they think the SEC will let them get away with.
IPO Research Services: You can do basic IPO research for free using EDGARonline’sInitial Public Offering (IPO) Search, but make sure the years you need are covered. Subscription services include Lexis Securities Mosaic, Capital IQ and Thomson ONE (formerly SDC Platinum and the and Global New Issues database). You can also place an order for IPO research request by calling ThomsonReuters’s Customer Support Line (888-989-8373).
News & Related Information: Hoover’s IPO Central provides lots of information on IPOs, including data on recent IPOs and filings (with a 24-hour delay, unless you are a paying customer). Also check out Yahoo!’s Recent IPO News.
Analyst Reports: Brokerage houses issue reports on IPO companies (to get these reports, see “Analyst Reports”). However, you will not find reports issued while the IPO underway because the SEC prohibits brokers from commenting on IPOs from the time of filing until a month after the IPO is completed.
Treatises: Treatises discussing the practical and legal aspect of IPOs include
Initial Public Offerings: A Practical Guide to Going Public (PLI; more info here) and the
How to Prepare an Initial Public Offering (PLI), from the Corporate and Securities Course Handbook series. Venture Capital & Public Offering Negotiation (Aspen) covers how to take a Portfolio Company (i.e., a company receiving venture capital funding) public.
See Also
Analyst Reports
Company Information
Proxy Statements
Securities and Exchange Commission
Stock Prices
Securities Laws
Initial Public Offerings: Open and Free Legal Research of US Law
Federal Primary Materials
The U.S. federal government system consists of executive, legislative, and judicial branches, each of which creates information that can be the subject of legal research about Initial Public Offerings. This part provides references, in relation to Initial Public Offerings, to the legislative process, the federal judiciary, and the primary sources of federal law (cases, statutes, and regulations).
Federal primary materials about Initial Public Offerings by content types:
Laws and Regulations
US Constitution
Federal Statutory Codes and Legislation
Federal Case Law and Court Materials
U.S. Courts of Appeals
United States courts of appeals, inclouding bankruptcy courts and bankcruptcy appellate panels:
- Case law related to Initial Public Offerings in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island)
- Case law related to Initial Public Offerings in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (Connecticut, New York, Vermont)
- Case law related to Initial Public Offerings in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania)
- Case law related to Initial Public Offerings in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia)
- Case law related to Initial Public Offerings in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas)
- Case law related to Initial Public Offerings in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee)
- Case law related to Initial Public Offerings in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (Illinois, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin)
- Case law related to Initial Public Offerings in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota)
- Case law related to Initial Public Offerings in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Alaska, Arizona, California, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington)
- Case law related to Initial Public Offerings in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming)
- Case law related to Initial Public Offerings in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (Alabama, Florida, Georgia)
Federal Administrative Materials and Resources
Presidential Materials
Materials that emanate from the President’s lawmaking function include executive orders for officers in departments and agencies and proclamations for announcing ceremonial or commemorative policies. Presidential materials available include:
Executive Materials
Federal Legislative History Materials
Legislative history traces the legislative process of a particular bill (about Initial Public Offerings and other subjects) for the main purpose of determining the legislators’ intent behind the enactment of a law to explain or clarify ambiguities in the language or the perceived meaning of that law (about Initial Public Offerings or other topics), or locating the current status of a bill and monitoring its progress.
State Administrative Materials and Resources
State regulations are rules and procedures promulgated by state agencies (which may apply to Initial Public Offerings and other topics); they are a binding source of law. In addition to promulgating regulations, state administrative boards and agencies often have judicial or quasi-judicial authority and may issue administrative decisions affecting Initial Public Offerings. Finding these decisions can be challenging. In many cases, researchers about Initial Public Offerings should check state agency web sites for their regulations, decisions, forms, and other information of interest.
State rules and regulations are found in codes of regulations and administrative codes (official compilation of all rules and regulations, organized by subject matter). Search here:
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Alabama Administrative Code.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Alaska Administrative Code
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Arizona Administrative Code, Secretary of State's Office.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in Arkansas Administrative Rules, Secretary of State.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the California Code of Regulations
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Colorado Code of Regulations and the Online Register, Secretary of State.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Connecticut eRegulations System
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Delaware's Administrative Code
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the D.C. Municipal Regulations and D.C. Register
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Florida Administrative Code and Administrative Register, Department of State.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Administrative Rules, Lt. Governor of the State of Hawaii.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Idaho Administrative Code, Idaho Office of the Administrative Rules Coordinator.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Administrative Code, Illinois General Assembly, Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Indiana Administrative Code.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Iowa Administrative Code (titles) and Initial Public Offerings in the PDF content of rules.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Kansas Administrative Regulations, Kansas Secretary of State (search also Initial Public Offerings here)
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Kentucky Administrative Regulations
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Louisiana Administrative Code, State of Louisiana, Division of Administration
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in Maine Rules by Department, the Department of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR), Division of State Documents
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR), the Massachusetts Court System
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in Michigan Administrative Code, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Office of Regulatory Reinvention
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Minnesota Administrative Code, Office of the Revisor of Statutes
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Mississippi Administrative Code
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Missouri Code of State Regulations, Secretary of State.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Administrative Rules of Montana, Secretary of State.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Nebraska Rules and Regulations, Nebraska Secretary of State.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Nevada Administrative Code, Legislature Law Library
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the New Hampshire Administrative Rules, Office of Legislative Services
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the New Jersey Administrative Code
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the New Mexico Administrative Code, Commission of Public Records, State Records Center and Archives
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the North Carolina Administrative Code (NCAC), Office of Administrative Hearings
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the North Dakota Administrative Code
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Ohio Administrative Code, Legislative Services Commission
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Oklahoma Administrative Code, Oklahoma Secretary of State
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR), Secretary of State
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Pennsylvania Code Online (official publication rules and regulations), Pennsylvania Reference Bureau
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Rhode Island Final Rules and Regulations Database, State Archives. Four rulemaking agencies are not included
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the South Carolina Code of Regulations, South Carolina Legislature.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the South Dakota Administrative Rules, Legislative Research Council
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Effective Rules and Regulations of the State of Tennessee (Official Compilation), Secretary of State.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Texas Administrative Code, Secretary of State
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Utah Administrative Code, Utah Department of Administrative Services, Division of Administrative Rules
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Vermont Administrative Code
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Virginia Administrative Code, Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System (LIS)
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Washington Administrative Code (WAC)
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the West Virginia Code of State Rules, Secretary of State.
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in the Wisconsin Administrative Code
- Information related to Initial Public Offerings in Wyoming administrative rules, Secretary of State
State opinions of the Attorney General (official written advisory opinions on issues of state law related to Initial Public Offerings when formerly requested by a designated government officer):
Tools and Forms
Law in Other Regions
*This resource guide is updated frequently. However, if you notice something is wrong or not working, or any resources that should be added, please notify us in any of the "Leave a Comment" area.
