LBO modeling question - IPO exit

I am a newbie to LBO modeling and here is a question that i've encountered recently when i need to calculate the return for an IPO exit.
If it is a M&A exit, you just need to assume an exit EV/EBITDA multiple and that's all. But if it is IPO exit, other than EV/EBITDA exit multiple, you also need to assume % to be floated, IPO proceeds and here is the question. Say you are listing the company in 5 years at 7x EV/EBITDA, 15% float, then your IPO proceeds will be 15% of the enlarged company's equity value. However, your equity value = 7* EBITDA in 5 years - net debt in 5 years, while your net debt = net debt at listing - IPO proceeds, so now you have a circulatioin in your return analysis which I believe should not be there. So I am asking the modeling experts here how you would normally do it and if there is a "standard" way of getting rid of that circulation? thanks a lot in advance!

5 Comments
 

You can deal with this by assuming a pro forma capital structure at IPO. i.e. say the company will be 3x levered post IPO, then calculate the size of the primary offering to get down to that leverage.

Then you can say that the IPO will be 20% of PF equity value OR (Net debt at IPO - PF NET debt), whichever is larger.

In the real world, that is often the way investors will think about how to size the IPO.

 

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