Tech IPO hype gets drowned out on Wall Street by prospect of $1 trillion in debt sales

Core Viewpoint - The current focus in tech capital markets is on debt financing rather than equity, driven by significant capital expenditures for AI development among major tech companies [1][3]. Group 1: Debt Financing Trends - The four major tech companies—Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft—are expected to spend nearly $700 billion in 2023 on capital expenditures and finance leases to support AI initiatives [2]. - UBS projects that global tech and AI-related debt issuance, which more than doubled to $710 billion last year, could rise to $990 billion by 2026 [4]. - Morgan Stanley anticipates a $1.5 trillion financing gap for AI development, primarily to be filled by debt as companies move away from self-funding [4]. Group 2: Major Corporate Debt Issuances - Oracle plans to raise between $45 billion and $50 billion in 2023, having already sold $25 billion in high-grade debt [6]. - Alphabet has increased its bond offering to over $30 billion, following a previous $25 billion debt sale [6]. - Amazon has filed for a mixed shelf registration to potentially raise both debt and equity, while Meta is exploring external financing options to enhance cash flow [7]. Group 3: Market Dynamics and Investor Sentiment - The corporate debt market has seen a "monumental" increase, with significant sales from companies like Oracle and Alphabet [5]. - Despite the high demand for tech bonds, there are concerns about the sustainability of this debt influx, as it may lead to higher yields and costs for other borrowers [21][22]. - The concentration of tech companies in corporate bond indexes raises concerns about market stability, with tech now comprising about 9% of investment-grade corporate debt indexes [19]. Group 4: IPO Market Outlook - There have been no notable IPO filings from U.S. tech companies in 2023, with attention focused on potential public offerings from SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic [9][11]. - Analysts expect around 120 IPOs this year, raising approximately $160 billion, a significant increase from the previous year [11]. - The current market conditions are not favorable for venture-backed startups, with volatility and geopolitical concerns keeping many on the sidelines [12].