31 Jul 2013 IVF Goes IPO
Virtus Health Ltd, an Australian in-vitro fertilization (IVF) company, made news recently by becoming the first IVF company traded on a major stock exchange.
On June 11, 2013, Virtus launched its IPO on the Australian stock market (ASX), becoming one of the few successful IPOs to hit the market in several years, opening at $6.01 per share and closing at $6.21, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
According to notes sent by UBS to institutional investors, Virtus holds about 35 per cent of Australia's $520 million assisted reproductive services market.
Virtus anticipates growing demand for its services due to factors including the growing female population, the rising age of women when they have their first pregnancy and higher social acceptance of assisted reproductive services.
Although it is exciting to hear of the historic first of an IVF company going public, it is not really surprising. As technologies improve, more potential parents become aware of the possibilities, and societal acceptance grows, the industry and the companies that support it will continue to grow.
