The number of initial public offerings (IPOs) has exploded from just over 200 in 1990 to more than 600 in 1997, peaking at nearly 900 in 1996. Of the approximately $340 billion raised on Nasdaq through IPOs since 1970, more than 58 percent was raised between 1993 and 1998 (see Exhibit I.1). Despite the initial performance of IPOs, many companies fizzle during the first three years after going public, significantly underperforming the market in both profits and share price (see Exhibit I.2). Bucking this trend is a fair number of highly successful companies, including such legendary performers as Yahoo!, Lucent Technologies, and Amazon.com. The contrast between the winners and the losers inspired Ernst & Young to undertake an ambitious research project called “Managing the Success of the IPO Transformation Process,” which was aimed at identifying the keys to successful IPOs. The results of our study were so illuminating that we decided to incorporate the findings into this book, The Ernst & Young Guide to the IPO Value Journey.