The annual market survey from PricewaterhouseCoopers finds that Canadian initial public offerings reached record levels in 2002, driven by the boom in income trusts.

The survey shows that a total of 69 IPOs (excluding structured products) were successfully brought to market in 2002 for a total value of $5.8 billion. In 2001, 46 IPOs (excluding structured products) were successfully placed at a total worth of $2.1 billion.

“A quiet but powerful trend upwards that we identified earlier this year in our regular six-month survey of IPO activity has continued, unabated, through the balance of the year,” said Eric Slavens, IPO Services leader for PwC in Canada. “By the end of December, the IPO market hit record levels in both the number of Initial Public Offerings and in total IPO value. This seems to have gone unnoticed by many business watchers; however, the totals by year-end were truly impressive.”

The survey does not contain statistics for structured products because those differ from other IPOs in that they do not represent new equity raised for operating companies. As a result, beginning with the 2002 report, the number and value of structured products are separated from other issues in the totals for IPO activity. The information presented for 2001 has been adjusted to reflect this change.

Slavens noted, “Income trusts dominated IPO activity in 2002. They represented over 86% of IPO value. It’s also interesting to note that income trusts were placed in every sector of the market except Life Sciences and Forestry. As a result, they brought broad strength back to the whole range of IPO activity. That is good news for those sectors that have struggled over the past two years to renew investor interest and confidence.”

The five top offerings in 2002 were SFK Pulp Fund ($414.8 million), TSX Group Inc. ($341.6 million), Bell Nordiq Income Fund ($324.4 million), InnVest Real Estate Investment Trust ($300 million) and Boralex Power Income Fund ($250 million). These companies represented activity in five different market sectors, and four were income trusts.

The hottest market sector for IPOs in 2002 was Products with 22 offerings successfully placed for a total value of $2.8 billion. That was up substantially from 2001 in which five Products IPOs came to market for a total value of $798.7 million. The top two IPOs in the Products sector were SFK Pulp Fund and The Consumers’ Waterheater Income Fund ($250). The Technology & Media sector saw a considerable rebound in 2002, driven by telecommunications and entertainment companies. Six IPOs were completed worth $498.4 million, compared to the seven IPOs placed in 2001 worth $26 million. Bell Nordiq Income Fund and Gateway Casinos Income Fund ($105.7 million) were the largest IPOs in the sector.

Resource sectors also showed substantial gains last year. In Mining, 15 initial offerings were completed worth $265.2 million. That was up from 10 offerings in 2001 worth $5.9 million. Noranda Income Fund at $225.0 million was the top Mining offering.

The Oil & Gas sector recorded nine IPOs worth a total of $88.8 million, compared to 2001 in which eight offerings were placed for a total value of $22.4 million. Harvest Energy Trust ($30 million) led Oil & Gas IPOs.

“IPO activity is a forerunner for the broader economy,” Slavens noted. “Understanding IPO activity provides important context for the markets.”