• The Korean Journal of Financial Management
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.1-33
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• 2010

This study explores if the higher initial returns and the poorer long-run performance observed in the IPOs markets are associated with the firms offered in the 'hot markets,' and then empirically examines the effect of optimistic investors' sentiment on this phenomenon, particularly in the aspects of both pricing mechanism and the opportunistic behavior of offering firms. We analyzed a total of 432 IPO firms for the years between 2001 and 2005. This analysis finds that the initial returns and long-run under-performances of 'IPOs in the hot market' are significantly higher than those of 'IPOs in the cold market.' This study also finds that the proxy variables for the optimistic investors' sentiment have a positive effect on the initial return and negative effect on the long-run performance. Finally, this research finds no difference of ownership structure, venture capital backed, and financial properties between hot market IPOs and cold market IPOs. R&D expenditure rate and financial qualities of IPOs are higher in the hot market than in the cold market. These results do not support the 'windows of opportunity' hypothesis that low quality firms take advantage of hot market condition for successful IPOs.