Underwriting Group
An underwriting group is a syndicate of banks and investment houses that are responsible for offering securities for sale to the public markets. Essentially, the underwriting group is responsible for the securities underwriting process. The process includes structuring the offering and marketing the securities, in addition to the sale of the securities, and can ultimately affect the success of the offering.
Because an underwriting group is a group of related banks and investment houses, the group typically assigns various tasks to individual members. For example, one member may focus on the sale of the securities, while another may focus on the financial analysis of the company or its securities in order to determine the correct offering price. In addition, one or more members may be responsible for developing and executing the marketing plan.
The underwriting group will often take an active role in the structure of the offering, such as deciding the size and type of securities to be offered and the details associated with the offering. In some cases, the underwriting group may have input into the terms and conditions of the offering as well.
Once the underwriting group has agreed upon the details of the offering, it will begin to actively promote and market the securities. This may include advertise in the financial press or through a broker, setting up roadshows, or other methods designed to generate interest in the offering. After the securities are sold, the underwriting group will provide pricing, settlement, and distribution services to ensure that buyers receive their securities.
The underwriting group is compensated for its services with an underwriting fee. This fee is paid in cash, and is typically a percent of the total amount of money raised from the offering. The size of the fee is based on the amount of work involved with the offering and the risk associated with it.
The primary benefit of having an underwriting group is that it provides investors and issuers with more certainty in the offering process. The underwriting group can provide due diligence services for the offering, ensuring that investors have a thorough understanding of the security and its associated risks. Additionally, the underwriting group can provide pricing advice, helping to ensure that investors receive proper compensation for their investment.
Although it is possible to do a public securities offering without an underwriting group, it is typically not advisable. The underwriting group provides the issuer and the security with an added layer of protection that can improve the success of the offering. For example, the underwriting group can help ensure that the offering is properly structured and managed in order to minimize the risk of failure and maximize the return on investment.