After the Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) offering several years ago, we heard lots of buzz for a return of the glory days for IPOs. Lately, we've finally seen things perk up, and there are some great companies newly coming to the market.
Why the change? You can point to the powerful trends in technology, such as the surge in online advertising, globalization, and online video. And there are the new disruptive technologies gaining traction, such as on-demand software, Web 2.0, networking innovations, and even advances in semiconductors.
I also think the dot-com nuclear winter has been a big help. Many of the CEOs I have talked to stress that they want to build sustainable businesses that are profitable. For them, IPOs aren't about getting a quick flip.
Just this week, we've seen a variety of solid companies launch their IPOs, and investors are buying up the shares. Take a look at comScore (Nasdaq: SCOR). This firm is a trusted source for online marketing intelligence and ramped its revenues 31% last year to $66.3 million. It's profitable, and it's likely to continue to grow for some time, because of the boom in online advertising and e-commerce.
Another standout offering was from Data Domain (Nasdaq: DDUP). The company is capitalizing on a major shift in data storage from tape-based to disk-based technologies. Last year, its revenues surged more than fivefold to $46.4 million.
Keep in mind that tech IPOs are risky and often attract lots of competition. That's inevitable. But the IPO market is where you have the possibility of finding the next Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) or Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL). So for Foolish investors, it's probably a good time to keep an eye on this portion of the market.
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Microsoft is a Motley Fool Inside Value recommendation.
Fool contributor Tom Taulli, author of The Complete M&A Handbook, does not own shares mentioned in this article. He is currently ranked 1,831 out of more than 31,000 rated investors in Motley Fool CAPS.
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