The Return on IPO Stocks during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia

Abstract. Conducting an initial public offering (IPO) during the COVID-19 pandemic is not easy due to the current high level of economic uncertainty. This study aims to examine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the initial return on IPO shares in Indonesia. In the study, a cross-sectional regression was applied, using a sample of 51 companies that conduct IPOs. It was found that the fear index over the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the initial return. The higher the fear index, the lower the return on IPO stocks on the first listing day. The results therefore demonstrates that the fear of COVID-19 influenced the IPO market return in Indonesia. This study extends the literature on the COVID-19 pandemic, especially on the initial return on IPOs. Practically, this research also provides insight into the issuers regarding the appropriate timing of IPOs during the crisis, particularly for investors who wish to buy IPO shares during an uncertain time. Policymakers are expected to mitigate the cases and deaths of COVID-19 in Indonesia, which may reduce investors’ fear related to COVID-19. This paper's limitation is that it only examines data from 2020, as this was the year in which COVID-19 first announced. Future research could include the short-term and long-term performance of IPOs, and also broaden the sample area to a larger region. Keywords: Initial return, IPO, COVID-19, fear index, Indonesia