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Issuer lock-up

Define issuer lock-up, reconcile its inputs and test its effect before approving or documenting the transaction position.

Quick answer

Issuer lock-up is a defined transaction concept used to structure, assess, document or monitor a decision in capital markets. In the recorded glossary contexts, teams use it to prepare, price, allocate and complete a securities issuance under the applicable market rules.

Use the worked example

Meaning and transaction use

The first source provides an institutional framework relevant to capital markets. This page applies that framework to issuer lock-up without treating the source as a universal contractual definition. [S1]

The second source supplies additional transaction or disclosure context. Its examples remain source-specific and require reconciliation to the actual facts and governing documents. [S2]

Proposed review method: record how issuer lock-up is defined in capital-markets investment, capital-markets issuance; identify the owner, source inputs, decision rule, approval, dependencies and monitoring evidence; then reconcile the same definition across the model, committee paper and transaction documents.

Worked example

Illustrative issuer lock-up review calculation only. All figures are hypothetical.

Scroll the table horizontally to view all columns.

MeasureCalculationResult
Pre-money valueGiven40.0m
New primary investmentGiven10.0m
Post-money value40.0 + 10.050.0m
New-investor ownership10.0 / 50.020.0%

The illustrative investment produces a 50.0m post-money value and 20.0% ownership before other dilution.

Proposed transaction review process

Define the decision

State the decision involving issuer lock-up, the relevant contexts and the required approval.

Reconcile evidence

Tie every material input to a dated source, owner and definition.

Test scenarios

Run the base case and the relevant downside, timing and counterparty cases.

Document and monitor

Reflect the approved position in the transaction record and monitor conditions through execution.

Evidence checklist

Governing documents

Executed or proposed terms that define issuer lock-up, including amendments and schedules.

Financial evidence

Reconciled historical data, forecast inputs, calculations and sensitivity outputs.

Diligence record

Source documents, specialist advice, open issues and responsible owners.

Decision record

Options considered, approval, conditions, implementation steps and monitoring dates.

Decision framework

SituationProposed action
Definitions differReconcile the model, committee paper and governing documents before approval.
Evidence is incompleteHold the conclusion and request the missing source record.
The downside case failsResize, restructure, mitigate or decline the proposed position.
Terms or facts changeRefresh the analysis, approvals and execution record.

Common errors to check

  • Using an undefined label or inherited assumption as evidence.
  • Applying another transaction's percentage, threshold or timetable without support.
  • Ignoring downside timing, liquidity, counterparty or implementation effects.
  • Leaving the approved position inconsistent across models, papers and documents.

Build the issuer lock-up decision file

Bring the governing documents, reconciled inputs, assumptions and decision questions to a structured transaction review.

Discuss the transaction

Primary references and editorial scope

  1. SEC: Exempt Offerings
    Issuer capital-raising routes and offering considerations. Reference checked 18 September 2026.
  2. NYSE: The IPO process
    IPO preparation, execution and market-entry stages. Reference checked 18 September 2026.
Editorial qualification

General capital markets education using public sources. Figures are hypothetical. The actual treatment of issuer lock-up depends on the facts, executed documents, jurisdiction and qualified legal, tax, accounting, regulatory or technical advice.

General business information. Obtain advice appropriate to the legal, tax, accounting and financing facts. No offer, lender commitment or transaction outcome is represented. All worked examples use expressly assumed figures. Editorial draft date: 17 September 2026.

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