This has been a good year for stocks, and that usually translates into the perfect climate for privately held companies to go public. If investors are hungry for stocks, that’s a dinner bell for companies looking to enhance their access to financing by hitting a major stock exchange.
Many prolific companies took the IPO route in 2013. Here are some of the more recognizable members of this year’s rookie class.
Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCLH)
Norwegian Cruise Lines joined its peers Carnival (CCL) and Royal Caribbean (RCL) as public companies when it went public at $19 in January.
Norwegian Cruise Lines injected new life into the once stodgy cruise-ship industry with its “freestyle cruising” platform that lets guests dine wherever and whenever they want. It has gone on to incorporate freestyle cruising across a dozen of its vessels, and consumers don’t seem to mind.
Despite Carnival’s well-publicized fiascos over the past two years, Norwegian Cruise Lines is coasting along nicely with revenue climbing 11 percent through the first nine months of the year.
SeaWorld (SEAS)
The operator of 11 marine life theme parks and water parks has been hitting the rough seas that Norwegian Cruise Lines has avoided this year. SeaWorld was originally a hot IPO when it went public at $27 in April, but sentiment has turned against the company since the summertime debut of “Blackfish.”
The documentary takes SeaWorld to task for keeping the sometimes dangerous killer whales in captivity. The groundswell has resulted in a decline in attendance at SeaWorld, and the company is just now starting to fight back as musical acts have been urged by activists to cancel their upcoming shows.
Twitter (TWTR)
This year’s most anticipated Internet offering has to be Twitter. The social media darling went public at $26 in November, and investors haven’t been able to contain their enthusiasm about the IPO within 140 characters or less. Unlike Facebook’s (FB) debut last year that was initially greeted with skepticism and an initial trading disruption, Twitter’s deal has been well received after going off without a hitch.
Analysts — including many of those that were lead underwriters in taking Twitter public less than two months ago — have argued that Twitter is worth far more than $26, and the stock has gone on to nearly double. Twitter is just starting to monetize its heavy traffic, and its success on that front will ultimately dictate how high the shares ultimately go.
AMC Entertainment (AMC)
AMC Entertainment is the country’s leading exhibitor with nearly 5,000 screens in operation. It went public earlier this month at $18.
Attendance at movie theaters has been stagnant lately, but AMC has been trying to milk more revenue out of its patrons by offering greater perks to those trekking out to the local multiplex. Improving concessions with better food and installing Coca-Cola (KO) “freestyle” dispensers that offer greater varieties of soda has helped, but so has its push to offer more premium experiences including super-sized projection systems and installing plush reclining seats with dine-in service at select locations.
Hilton Worldwide (HLT)
Hilton also went public in December. The global hotel giant priced its debut at $20. Like AMC, Hilton once traded publicly before being acquired by a private equity firm that decided this month would be the right time to give the public market another go.
Hilton isn’t just about its high-end namesake hotels. Its brands include Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Conrad and Waldorf Astoria. Hilton’s empire now consists of 4,000 hotels offering nearly 672,000 rooms across 90 different countries.
It all adds up in the end. Hilton is on track to generate nearly $6.4 billion in revenue this year. Things will continue to check out as long as guests continue to check in.
The promise: Offers customizable, themed portfolios of up to 30 stocks.
Price: Free
Available on: Website, iPhone
Motif lets you invest in a very narrow sector — say, clean tech or companies tied to the housing rebound — using one of 90 themed portfolios. The site requires a $250 minimum and charges a commission of $9.95 per portfolio.
You wouldn’t want to use Motif for your retirement fund, but it’s a fun way to invest your mad money if you play the market. The service could also be a good introduction to investing for novices, says MIT finance professor Andrew Lo.
Motif Investing
The promise: Puts your investment data on a single dashboard and recommends ways to optimize your portfolio.
Price: Free
Available on: Website, iPhone, Android
This site-and-app combo syncs with more than 90 brokerages to track your 401(k), IRA, and stock market investments.
You can also see charts breaking down your asset allocation and risk level.
What really sets SigFig apart from other investing tools, though, is that the service checks your portfolio weekly for hidden fees, overcharges, and underperforming funds, and suggests alternatives.
SigFig
The promise: Tracks and analyzes your investment, bank, and credit card accounts. App allows you to make payments and transfers.
Price: Free
Available on: Website, iPhone, Android
Best for investing and budget
By combining money management tools with a full listing of your investment accounts, Personal Capital provides a broad financial picture in a single application, says Jim Breune, editor of NetBanker.com, which covers online financial tools.
Personal Capital offers fee-based financial advice, but you don’t need to buy in to use its website and mobile app.
Personal Capital
Follow your investments in real time with an app.
Mobile offerings vary by brokerage (Fidelity’s version is still the most downloaded), but most also let you check news and quotes, says Brett DiDonato of OnlineBrokerRev.com.
Your broker's app
Price: Free
Available on: iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone
A treasure trove of financial info. Track your investments in real time or use interactive charts to get more detailed data about their performance.
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