Financial Industry Participants Expect Successful Alibaba Group IPO But Aren't Ready to Invest

NEW YORK, July 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ConvergEx Group, a leading provider of global brokerage and trading-related services, has released the results of its Alibaba IPO Survey, exploring financial industry sentiment about the forthcoming initial public offering (IPO) of Alibaba Group.

While more than half (52%) of survey respondents expect an appreciation of 10% or more in the first month, and almost two-thirds (64%) see Alibaba as a good long-term investment, fewer than half of those surveyed (43%) say they plan to buy shares, and less than one-third (30%) are currently invested in Chinese companies.

"Alibaba is one of the most-discussed IPOs in years, and could become the biggest IPO of all time. Yet our survey reveals real questions that go beyond confidence in the company's fundamentals or the ability of U.S. market structure to handle an IPO of this size," said Nicholas Colas, ConvergEx Group chief market strategist. "Market participants clearly recognize Alibaba's potential, but are they fully comfortable with investing in a Chinese company? For other Chinese companies seeking access to global capital, Alibaba will represent either a real breakthrough or a major setback."

For buy-side survey participants, willingness to buy Alibaba correlated closely with their current ownership of Chinese equities: 60% of those who own Chinese shares plan to buy Alibaba as well, while just 38% of non-owners plan to buy Alibaba, either at or after the IPO.

For more information on the Alibaba IPO Survey, click here.

Expecting Appreciation
Respondents to the survey overwhelmingly expect some level of appreciation in Alibaba stock in the first month of trading. Key findings:

• Expecting appreciation – Total 88%
  • Will appreciate up to 10% – 36%
  • Will appreciate between 10% and 20% – 33%
  • Will appreciate 20% or more – 19%
• Expecting depreciation – 12%

Looking at the Long-Term
Survey participants like the long-term (3-5 year) potential for investment in Alibaba. Key findings:

• Good/Very Good potential – Total 64%
  • Very Good – 15%
  • Good – 49%
• Neutral – 32%
• Poor – 3%
• Very Poor – 1%

Not Choosing China
The majority of respondents do not currently own shares of Chinese companies. Key findings:

• Yes, own shares – 29%
• No, don't own shares – 67%
• Don't know – 4%

Buy-side respondents only

• Yes, own shares – 44%
• No, don't own shares–56%

Deal or No Deal?
The majority of respondents are not planning to buy shares in Alibaba. Key findings:

• Do not plan to buy shares – 57%
• Plan to buy after the IPO – 25%
• Plan to buy at the IPO – 11%
• Plan to buy both at and after IPO – 7%

Buy-side respondents only

• Do not plan to buy shares – 51%
• Plan to buy after the IPO – 20%
• Plan to buy at the IPO – 18%
• Plan to buy both at and after IPO – 11%
  

Biggest IPO ever? No problem.
Respondents were confident that U.S. equity market structure can support the high levels of trading expected during Alibaba's first few days of trading. Key findings:

• Confident/Very Confident  – Total 77%
  • Confident – 47 %
  • Very Confident – 30%
• Neutral – 15%
• Not Confident – 8%

Methodology
The ConvergEx Group Alibaba IPO Survey was performed by ConvergEx via an online survey of financial industry participants, resulting in 322 respondents. The survey was conducted from June 24 to June 27, 2014, and has a margin of error of ± 10% and a 90% confidence interval. Respondents included buy-side firms (asset managers, hedge funds), sell-side firms (banks, broker-dealers), trading venues, service providers and other financial industry participants.

About ConvergEx Group
ConvergEx Group is a provider of global brokerage and trading-related services. Its companies provide services in the following areas: global execution, commission management, independent research, commission recapture, options technologies and prime services. ConvergEx Group companies do not engage in market making or investment banking, but may operate in a riskless principal and/or net trading capacity as well as in an agency capacity.  In connection with certain ETF transactions requested by clients, ConvergEx Execution Solutions may act as a principal or engage in hedging strategies in connection with such transactions.

ConvergEx Group in the United States comprises ConvergEx Execution Solutions LLC (member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC); LiquidPoint, LLC (member CBOE/SIPC); G-Trade Services LLC (member FINRA/SIPC); Westminster Research Associates LLC (member FINRA/SIPC); ConvergEx Prime Services LLC (member FINRA/SIPC); and ConvergEx Solutions LLC, of which ConnEx, Jaywalk and LDB are divisions. ConvergEx Group, LLC is a subsidiary of ConvergEx Holdings, LLC.

In London, ConvergEx Group operates through its subsidiary ConvergEx Limited, which is incorporated in England and Wales (registered with company number 06262150). ConvergEx Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") of the United Kingdom and its FCA firm registration number is 472780.

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Contact: Michael Kingsley
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212.468.7713

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SOURCE ConvergEx Group