Fundraising via SME IPOs at record high

However, SME segment is grappling with lack of liquidity and lacklustre institutional participation

The year 2017 is poised to be the best year for public share sales of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as individual investors, lured by past returns, flock to pick up offers.

The SME platform has seen 63 offers mop up Rs 716 crore till July this year, higher than the amount raised in any other calendar year, and taking the number of issuances to 262. Of these, 190 firms have listed on the BSE.

Individual investors betting on such stocks have not been disappointed. Since 2012, a little more than 25 per cent of the offers have turned out to be