Top Performing 2010 IPOs

Of the 161 IPOs on US exchanges this year, the average return versus the offering price has been +16.84%.  Below are the 40 that have done the best.  As shown, hiSoft Technology (HSFT) is up the most at 184.26% since June 29th.  Motricity (MOTR) ranks second with a gain of 178.7%.  Of the 40 stocks shown, SODA went public most recently on November 2nd.  

GM Files for Landmark IPO to Repay Bailout

General Motors filed for an initial public offering of stock on Wednesday, clearing a key hurdle toward repaying taxpayers for a controversial bailout just over a year after its bankruptcy.

The 700-page registration form, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, begins a process that will lead to an initial public offering of GM's stock. No date was set for the sale, but experts say the IPO could come as early as October.

Stakeholders in the company, including the U.S. Treasury Department, initially will sell common stock, while GM will sell preferred shares that are similar to bonds.

The forms did not say how many shares would be sold and it was unclear just how much stock the government wants to unload.

The U.S. government owns roughly 61 percent of the company, which it got in exchange for giving GM $50 billion in survival aid last year. GM has repaid $6.7 billion, and the remaining $43.3 billion was converted to the ownership stake. Other stakeholders include a United Auto Workers health-care trust and the Canadian government.

Government ownership has hurt the company's public image and sales, CEO Ed Whitacre has said. He'd like to shed the derogatory nickname "Government Motors."

GM's IPO would have to bring in $70 billion just to pay back all of GM's stakeholders. The largest U.S. IPO so far is Visa Inc.'s 2008 offering that raised $19.7 billion.

The Detroit automaker's recent profits come after it lost nearly $13 billion in last year's second quarter alone.

Tesla Motors raises $266 million in IPO

Tesla Motors (TSLA) zoomed out of the gate Tuesday, closing at $23.89 per share, 40.5% above its $17 offer price on its first day of public trading.

This closely watched IPO was a success, especially in a day filled with broader market turmoil.

It was just a couple of weeks ago that Tesla raised its offering to 11.1 million shares, hoping to bring in $178 million. Investors are apparently really excited about this thing.

"Demand from investors appears to be outstripping concerns that Tesla has lost money since its inception and that it offers just one model for now, the wallet- and passenger-unfriendly Roadster," writes The New York Times.

Carlyle files for $300m Booz Allen Hamilton IPO

Source: AltAssets

Carlyle is planning a $300m initial public offering for shares of US government consulting business Booz Allen Hamilton and will pay down debt with the proceeds of the sale.

As of yet, there is no share volume or share price set for the offering, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

The US buy-out house bought the company back in May 2008 for $2.54bn, at which point Booz Allen's global commercial business formed a standalone company separate from the division acquired by Carlyle.

Booz Allen offers management consulting, engineering, IT and systems development and integration services supporting mission-critical programmes for the US government.

With 23,000 people, the firm generates over $5bn in annual revenue, according to the company’s website.

Carlyle has retrained its eye on Europe recently, earlier this month making a bid for 65 per cent of Giannoni France, a Brittany-based manufacturer of heat exchangers for boilers.

If the private equity firm seals the deal, which values Giannoni at €490m, it will be the first in the continent since 2008.