Group 1 - The role of sponsors in Hong Kong IPOs is crucial as they act as "guides" and "gatekeepers," leading due diligence, drafting prospectuses, communicating with regulators, and organizing underwriting [1] - The strength, experience, and market reputation of sponsors directly impact project quality, pricing, and initial market performance [1] Group 2 - Leading Chinese securities firms dominate the Hong Kong IPO sponsorship market, particularly in small to medium-sized projects and mainland enterprises going public [2] - The top ten sponsors from January to July 2025 are: 1. CICC with 16 projects and a participation rate of 30.8% 2. CITIC Securities with 11 projects and a participation rate of 21.2% 3. Huatai International with 10 projects and a participation rate of 19.2% 4. Morgan Stanley with 8 projects and a participation rate of 15.4% 5. China Merchants International with 7 projects and a participation rate of 13.5% 6. Goldman Sachs with 6 projects and a participation rate of 11.5% 7. UBS with 4 projects and a participation rate of 7.7% 8. Haitong International, CITIC JianTou, and Jianyin International each with 3 projects and a participation rate of 5.8% [3] Group 3 - International investment banks like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America Securities, UBS, and Citigroup play key roles in large-scale, high-profile Hong Kong IPOs, leveraging their global distribution networks and institutional investor resources [4] - These international banks are often co-sponsors or global coordinators for the largest IPOs, which have seen significant fundraising amounts in recent years [4] - The ability of international banks to attract well-known cornerstone investors is a notable advantage, providing essential support for the issuance [4] - While the role of sponsors is an important factor in evaluating new stocks, it is not the sole criterion; investors must also consider the company's fundamentals, industry outlook, valuation, and overall market conditions [4]