BSE expects 30 SME IPOs in next 2-3 months

Leading stock exchange BSE said  on Thursday it expects 30 initial public offerings (IPOs) on its small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) platform in the next two-three months.

This comes after 17 SMEs already listed on capital markets with public issues worth Rs 134 crore in the first five months (April-August) of the ongoing fiscal.

In addition, several companies had launched their initial public offerings (IPOs) last month.

"We expect about 30 companies will get listed on SME platform in the next two-three months and the total number of IPO issues on such platform is expected to be around 100 this fiscal," BSE Managing Director and Chief Executive Ashishkumar Chauhan said on the sidelines of Dun & Bradstreet event.

These companies are from various sectors including trading, steel, manufacturing, textile and finance and are spread across the country.

BSE and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) had launched SME platforms in March 2012, becoming the only two bourses to offer such a segment in the country. BSE (formerly known as Bombay Stock Exchange) has about 110 companies listed on its SME platform, with a total market capitalisation of over Rs 7,733 crore.

This platform has helped the listed SMEs to mobilise over Rs 832 crore. The NSE has 30 companies trading on its SME platform. The platforms provide opportunity to entrepreneurs to raise equity capital for growth and expansion. It also provides immense opportunity for investors to identify and invest in good SMEs at an early stage.