IPO Watch: ASX IPOs in 2021 were up 14 per cent on average; here are the best performers

In 2021, more than 180 IPOs gained 14% on average since debut.

While the number of IPOs is 50% more than the previous two years combined, the average gain is much lower. In 2020, IPOs delivered an average 42% gain.

One stock has more than tripled since listing; 19 have gained 100% or more, compared to 12 last year.

After a relatively quiet first few quarters of 2020, the pipeline picked up at the back end of that year and continued into 2021, only slowing down in the week prior to Christmas.

The list of top winners has shifted substantially throughout the year. In the March quarter, medical imaging company Singular Health (ASX:SHG) and Perth telco Pentanet (ASX:5GG) were the hottest stocks.

In the middle of the year, a handful of uranium and battery metal IPOs topped the charts, although many retreated from all time highs as we moved into Spring.

In the last two months of the year, few IPOs set the world on fire but one was engineering service provider RemSense Technologies (ASX:REM) which is still up 123% from its IPO price.

While 2021 saw a record number of stocks with a market capitalisation of $1 billion, most opened below water and haven’t recovered – with 29 Metals (ASX:29M) and Pexa (ASX:PXA) being the exemptions.

Here’s how 2021’s ASX IPOs have performed (data excludes reverse takeovers):

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The Best IPO sector

The best sector was energy which had an average gain of 73%, buoyed by listees in the uranium and battery tech sectors.

Most other sectors recorded gains, including health which was up 23%, and resources where the average float rose by 17%.

Tech IPOs however only gained 1%, and financials lost 7%.

Best performing ASX IPOs in 2020

The best IPO, with a 562% gain, was Kuniko (ASX:KNI) which holds the Norwegian base metals projects of Vulcan Energy (ASX:VUL).

It listed in July amidst a series of battery metals IPOs which all gained.

The second best IPO, having gained 280%, is biotech Argenica Therapeutics (ASX:AGN).

While some biotech IPOs in 2021 have flopped, Argenica has gone the other way after positive pre-clinical data and obtaining a US patent.

Sitting in third spot is Australian Rare Earths (ASX:AR3) which is up 213% since listing in July.

While there is no shortage of rare earths companies generally, its ‘Koppamurra’ project in South Australia and Victoria stands out, being an ionic clay hosted rare earth element deposit, which are considered to be cheaper and more readily accessible than other forms of rare earth deposits.

IPOs with gains between 100% and 200% include chemicals, logistics and waste management company DGL (ASX:DGL) and caravan sharing community Camplify (ASX:CHL).

Other notable new listees with gains include Best & Less (ASX:BST), Airtasker (ASX:ART) and Bluebet (ASX:BBT).

Worst performers

The company at the top of the “worst” list is HR tech stock Hiremii (ASX:HMI) which listed at 20 cents and now sits at 4.8 cents – a loss of over 75%.

Another big loser is medtech company Tissue Repair (ASX:TRP).

This company is focused on developing advanced wound healing technology and plans to commence Phase III clinical trials next year.

In resources, the worst IPO was goldie Auric Mining (ASX:AWJ). Initially, it rose after some exciting results in late March but its share price has been all downhill since then.