Anthropic IPO stands alone as AI market jitters sideline others
SPY•Anthropic is pressing ahead with a planned IPO in the middle of next month, with investor marketing expected to begin the week of November 9. The once-robust fall technology IPO calendar has dwindled as AI infrastructure and data center companies delay or shelve listings amid rising rates and market volatility.
1. Anthropic presses ahead
Anthropic plans to hold its initial public offering in the middle of next month and could make its prospectus public as early as late October, people familiar with the matter said. The plans and dates remain subject to change. The company is expected to begin marketing shares to prospective investors during the week of November 9.
2. Other listings delayed
Switch and Nscale have pushed their IPO plans to later this year, while SoftBank-backed SB Energy has postponed its listing. South Korean AI chip startup Elice shelved its plans, and Blackstone-backed AirTrunk REIT and Nvidia-backed Firmus have pulled or paused offerings. Nscale's delay was partly driven by the need to address comments from SEC staff, one person said.
3. Valuations under pressure
Anthropic's potential valuation is believed to be $1.5 trillion. Other AI infrastructure and data center companies have faced rising interest rates, market volatility and questions about the sustainability of AI spending. A person familiar with Oura's recent IPO said it attracted little participation from long-only investors, raising concerns about institutional demand for new listings.
