Quick answers to common IPO questions.

An IPO, or Initial Public Offering, is when a company offers shares to public investors for the first time and becomes listed on a stock exchange.

The offer can contain newly issued shares, shares sold by existing shareholders, or both. QuickIPO explains that split separately so you can see where the money actually goes.

In a fresh issue, the company creates new shares and the money raised goes to the company for the uses described in the offer document.

In an Offer for Sale (OFS), existing shareholders sell shares they already own, so that portion of the money goes to the selling shareholders rather than to the company.