IPO lock-in expiries worth $45 billion to open in coming months, may trigger volatility: Nuvama

NEW DELHI: Initial Public Offering (IPO) lock-in expiries worth $45 billion are scheduled to open in the coming months, with several recently listed companies set to witness the lifting of pre-listing shareholder lock-ins over the next month, according to a report by Nuvama.

The report stated that between January 6, 2026 and April 30, 2026, a total of 96 companies are slated to have their pre-listing shareholder lock-ins lifted. The $45 billion figure refers to the total value of shares whose lock-in period will end during this time. However, not all these shares are expected to come up for sale, as a sizeable portion continues to be held by promoters and promoter group entities.

A lock-in period refers to a fixed time after listing during which pre-IPO shareholders, including promoters and early investors, are restricted from selling their shares in the open market. Once this period ends, these shareholders are allowed to sell their holdings, which increases the number of shares available for trading and can lead to short-term price movements in the stock.

The analysis by Nuvama covers all shareholders, including promoters and non-promoters, and includes companies listed up to January 4, 2026. The report highlighted that investors should closely monitor lock-in expiry dates, as these events often trigger temporary volatility in share prices.

In the near term, several companies will see lock-in expiries within the next month. On January 7, lock-ins are scheduled to open for Meesho, involving 110 million shares, which account for 2 per cent of its total outstanding shares. On the same day, Aequs will see 17 million shares, or 2 per cent, coming out of lock-in, while Vidya Wires will have 9 million shares, representing 4 per cent, becoming eligible for trading.

On January 9, Nephrocare Health Services is set to witness a lock-in expiry of 2 million shares, accounting for 2 per cent of its outstanding shares. This will be followed by January 12, when CORONA Remedies will see 0.9 million shares, or 2 per cent, coming out of lock-in, and Wakefit Innovations will have 15 million shares, or 5 per cent, unlocked.

Further, on January 14, lock-in expiries are scheduled for Park Medi World involving 9 million shares, or 2 per cent, as well as Nephrocare Health Services again, with 3 million shares, or 3 per cent, becoming eligible for trading.

On January 16, ICICI Pru AMC will see 7 million shares, or 1 per cent, come out of lock-in. This will be followed by KSH International on January 19, with 3 million shares, or 4 per cent, and Gujarat Kidney & Super Speciality on January 27, with 4 million shares becoming eligible for trading.

The report noted that lock-in expiries are closely watched by market participants as they increase the supply of shares in the market. If a large number of early investors decide to sell their holdings to book profits at the same time, the sudden rise in supply can put short-term pressure on stock prices.

For retail investors, these dates are important to track as stocks may witness temporary price swings around the lock-in expiry period. (ANI)