The IPO year of Teekay LNG Partners LP is 2005
Initial public offering is a type of public offering in which shares of a company usually are sold to institutional investors that in turn, sell to the general public, on a securities exchange, for the first time.
Through IPO a privately held company transforms into a public company. Initial public offerings are mostly used by companies to raise the expansion of capital, possibly to monetize the investments of early private investors, and to become publicly traded enterprises. A company selling shares is never required to repay the capital to its public investors. After the IPO, when shares trade freely in the open market, money passes between public investors.
Although IPO offers many advantages, there are also significant disadvantages, chief among these are the costs associated with the process and the requirement to disclose certain information that could prove helpful to competitors.
The IPO process is colloquially known as going public. Details of the proposed offering are disclosed to potential purchasers in the form of a lengthy document known as a prospectus. Most companies undertake an IPO with the assistance of an investment banking firm acting in the capacity of an underwriter. Underwriters provide several services, including help with correctly assessing the value of shares.
Teekay LNG is one of the world's largest independent owners and operators of LNG carriers, providing LNG and LPG services primarily under long-term, fee-based charter contracts through its interests in 47 LNG carriers, 23 mid-size LPG carriers, and seven multi-gas carriers. The Partnership's ownership interests in these vessels range from 20 to 100 percent. In addition, the Partnership owns a 30 percent interest in a regasification terminal. Teekay LNG is a publicly-traded master limited partnership formed by Teekay Corporation as part of its strategy to expand its operations in the LNG and LPG shipping sectors.