flotation
n.the process of starting to sell a company's shares on the stock market for the first time. It can also mean the act of floating or staying on top of a liquid.
n.the process of offering a company's shares for sale on a public stock exchange to raise capital. In a physical sense, refers to the act or state of remaining buoyant on the surface of a fluid.
“The company's flotation on the stock market was a huge success.”
“After years of private ownership, the tech startup announced its flotation to attract international investors and fund expansion.”
“The success of the initial public flotation depends heavily on market sentiment and the perceived long-term stability of the firm's projected revenue streams.”
Uncountable when referring to the general state of buoyancy; countable when referring to the specific financial event of a company going public.
“If you know you will be hiking in high-risk water zones, you may consider an inflatable personal flotation device.”
“Shein also considered a £50bn flotation in London but faced similar questions about its supply chain from campaigners, MPs and investors.”
From float + -ation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.