PRIMARY · CAPITAL MARKETS

IPO Pipeline Watch: Who Filed, Who Delayed

Mainboard and SME cues—fresh DRHPs, observation letters, anchors in prep, and books that pushed.
By bataSutra Editorial · October 4, 2025
In this piece:
  • The short — this week’s signals
  • Files, clears, and pauses
  • Valuation bands & comps (illustrative)
  • SME surge — day-2 reality
  • Checklist for retail & anchors

The short

  • Files: A clutch of consumer/industrial names updated financials and refreshed DRHPs for an October–November window.
  • Clears: Observation letters for select mid-caps landed; anchor outreach underway.
  • Pauses: A few books deferred amid market volatility and sector-specific noise.

Files, clears, and pauses

StageWhat movedRead-throughWhat to watch next
DRHP filing/refreshConsumer services, specialty industrialsTargeting festive and year-end windowsUpdated revenue mix and cohort disclosures
Observation lettersMid-cap manufacturing & platformsListing windows narrowingAnchor allocations and lock-in tenors
DeferralsSmaller discretionary namesPrefer stability in GMP/liquidityWatch when QIB risk returns

Valuation bands & comps (illustrative)

Issuer typeImplied P/SImplied EV/EBITDAListed read-acrossKey swing factor
Consumer platform3–5×NA / early EBITDAMarketplace/vertical peersTake rate, retention, CAC payback
Industrial mid-cap1–2×9–12×Capital goods/specialty peersOrderbook-to-sales, margin conversion
Asset-light services2–3×10–14×Tech-enabled servicesUtilization and churn

SME surge — day-2 reality

Oversubscription remains elevated, but day-2 liquidity is uneven where floats are tight. Treat allocation-led pops as opportunity to right-size exposure rather than chase prints. Focus on free float, market-maker obligations, and working-capital cycles.

Checklist — retail

  • Read DRHP tables: revenue mix, customer concentration, contingent liabilities.
  • Prefer CFO positivity (OCF/EBITDA) and low receivable days.
  • Size bids by likely allotment and free float, not oversub multiples.

Checklist — anchors

  • Push for cohort metrics and CM2 bridges to audited numbers.
  • Insist on clear use-of-proceeds and capex phasing.
  • Model post-lock-in supply; avoid crowded exit windows.

Two-week calendar (indicative)

  • Mainboard names aiming for late-October roadshows; keep contingency slots for earnings blackout overlaps.
  • SME line-up remains busy; verify exchange cut-offs and market-maker terms before bids.