The 10 Most Important IPOs to Watch in 2012

The initial public offering market in 2012 is likely to be much stronger than many anticipate. Despite lingering economic uncertainty and the underperformance of many of 2011's popular IPOs, this year may see some exciting activity from the more than 200 companies hoping to go public.

24/7 Wall St. has evaluated dozens of candidates to find the top IPOs to watch in 2012.

Facebook, with its expected $100 billion valuation, is just one of many potential IPO debutantes whose shares will be in high demand. A new stock exchange, a host of online media outfits, a casino powerhouse, big name retailers, and a private-equity firms are all among those looking to have successful IPOs in 2012.

Sponsored Links

You don't have to be an accredited Second Market account holder or a venture capitalist to have a stake. Investors in 2012 can invest through business development outfits like GSV Capital (GSVC), which owns shares of Facebook and Twitter, and Keating Capital. These pre-IPO funds weren't available ahead of many of the big offierings of 2011. There's even the FirstTrust US IPO Index Fund (FPX), designed to mirror the performance of the 100 biggest IPOs.

Below is a detailed review of what 24/7 Wall St. sees as the best upcoming IPOs. Included are details on the finances, backers, related entities, financial terms, the size of the offering, and even the underwriting groups.

And beyond these, there are many other potential IPO candidates waiting in the wings. Media companies Univision and Clear Channel, and energy company TXU, for example, are in the hands of private equity right now: When their owners are ready, and the market will accommodate them, the could be popular offerings. Likewise, such companies as the fashion-deal site Gilte Groupe, video game maker Rovio (best known for Angry Birds), could enter the stock market fray.

%Gallery-144617%