The IPO markets have been quiet and look as though they'll remain that way for now. The recent downturn in the broad market has turned attention away from new IPOs, but the primary cause for delayed filings is the ongoing government shutdown. There's been very little in the way of IPO excitement last week and this week is looking the same for the moment.
The biotech space has seen new filings in keeping with their pace of last year. Also, Chinese listings continue to pour in as well. It's likely that Chinese listings and biotechs will dominate the first few months of 2019 IPOs.
A few notable names to mention that have filed include Acamar Holdings (NASDAQ: ACAMU), which is a blank check company focused on acquisitions in retail, fashion, and other consumer goods categories. This is the largest filing recently, coming in at $300 million.
In the biotech space, there have been a few filings. Alector (NASDAQ: ALEC) is the largest and most notable offering, coming in at $150 million. They're currently in phase 1 for their unique Alzheimer's medication. Their filing shows that they're well-capitalized, with nearly $300 million in cash. IPO analysts show that they may be aiming for a valuation that pushes into the $1 billion mark.
Lastly, in the Chinese tech space, there's been HeZhong International (NASDAQ: HZ), an offering led by ViewTrade. The company provides a peer-to-peer lending platform exclusively to the Chinese and shows $34 million in revenue in less than a year in operation. They filed to raise up to $6 million.