Pakistani business set to create history

FOR the first time in history, a Pakistani business is going public and will be listed in the United States on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the NASDAQ symbol: GPAK.

The company’s name is K-2 Private Limited and is funded and owned by the US parent Gamer Pakistan Inc.

Gamer Pakistan & K2 Private Ltd. are in the thriving and burgeoning Esports business. The company produces Pakistan’s largest national university and college tournaments broken down into geographical regions culminating in one national championship team. K-2 in affiliation with Esports Exclusive then has its teams compete against India’s top team through the rival nation’s network.

According to Forbes in America, the top ten ranked teams in the world are worth $1/4 billion US dollars each. Pakistan already has two players ranked in the top 25 in the world. Recently, the Pakistani government recognized Esports as an identifiable sport and business area for growth and sanctioned and condoned the industry.

Esport stocks on NASDAQ have experienced meteoric first day rises — or first day pops as much as 500 to 700 percent. They have not fared as well long term, however, it is a nascent and emerging industry and still in its seeming infancy.

Nearly all kids worldwide play, compete or view Esports. Esports is one of the fastest growing sports regarding participation and viewership in the history of the world.

Up until recently, the public common investor typically did not have access, nor could purchase IPO shares. These new issue shares were typically reserved for very large retail investors with accounts of $10 million or more — or institutional investors. Today, thanks to the internet and the rise of the fin-tech industry, a new company emerged called Click-IPO.

Click-IPO is a free app which any investor can download and purchase IPO shares of companies going public.

According to Statista, first-day IPO stock performance does historically show returns. IPO pops (first day performance) are not new. According to data from Jay Ritter, the average IPO pop from 1980 through 2020 was 18.4 percent (in one day).

In 2020, when 471 companies – including blank-check holding companies – went public, the average first-day IPO gain was 36 percent in one day. That broke the previous record in 2013 of 21 percent. Initial IPO returns in the United States fluctuated between 2016 and 2021, with 2020 replacing 2013 as the best year for first-day gains over the past decade. In 2021, the average first day gain after an IPO was 16 percent.

Even though the average gains for first day IPOs look exciting, it is important to note that nearly a third of all IPOs decrease in value on day one of trading. This means the stock trades lower than its offer price before the market closes. However, more than 70 percent close higher than their IPO price on day one.

Using all common stock IPOs between 2000 and 2020, there is evidence of positive average first day IPO returns of 21.11 percent as of August 9, 2022.