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IPO Lock-up Expiry

Nydar's IPO lockup widget tracks when insiders can start selling shares after an IPO — expiry dates, float expansion events, and historical price impact patterns

What Is Nydar's IPO Lock-up Expiry Widget?

Nydar's IPO Lock-up Expiry widget tracks upcoming dates when insider selling restrictions lift on recently listed companies. Each entry shows the expiry date, days remaining, lock-up duration, price change from IPO, and a colour-coded urgency badge (Imminent, Upcoming, or Expired). After an IPO, company insiders are typically prohibited from selling their shares for a set period — usually 90 to 180 days. When that lock-up expires, a wave of new supply can hit the market.

Nydar's lock-up tracker surfaces stocks approaching their lock-up expiry so you can anticipate potential selling pressure. Stocks often drop 10-20% on or around expiry day as insiders take profits, making this one of the more predictable catalysts in equity markets.

Academic references: Field, L.C. & Hanka, G. (2001). "The Expiration of IPO Share Lockups." The Journal of Finance, 56(2), 471-500. Bradley, D.J. et al. (2001). "Venture Capital and IPO Lockup Expiration." Journal of Financial Research, 24(4), 465-493. Brav, A. & Gompers, P.A. (2003). "The Role of Lockups in Initial Public Offerings." The Review of Financial Studies, 16(1), 1-29.

What Are IPO Lock-ups?

When a company goes public, its underwriters impose a lock-up agreement on insiders — founders, early employees, venture capital firms, and pre-IPO investors. This agreement prevents them from selling shares for a fixed period after the IPO date, typically 180 days (roughly six months).

The purpose is straightforward: prevent a rush of insider selling that would tank the stock price immediately after listing. Without lock-ups, early investors who bought in at pennies on the dollar could dump shares on day one, destroying confidence in the new public company. Nydar tracks these restrictions so you know exactly when the selling window opens.

Lock-up periods vary. Some are as short as 90 days; others extend to 365 days. Nydar shows the lock-up duration for each entry so you can gauge how long insiders have been waiting to sell.

Reading the Data

Each entry in Nydar's lock-up widget represents one stock with an upcoming or recent lock-up expiration. The entries are colour-coded by urgency and show key details at a glance.

Days Until Expiry

Nydar shows this in the top-right of each entry. This is your countdown — the fewer the days, the closer the potential supply shock. Stocks within 7 days of expiry deserve the most attention.

Price Change from IPO

Nydar displays how far the current price has moved from the IPO price. A stock trading +150% above its IPO price has insiders sitting on massive gains — they are far more likely to sell at expiry. A stock trading below IPO price may see less selling pressure because insiders would be locking in losses.

Expiry Date and Lock-up Duration

Nydar's bottom row shows the exact expiry date and the lock-up duration in days. Standard 180-day lock-ups are most common. Shorter lock-ups (90 days) can catch the market off guard because they expire sooner than expected.

Status Badges

Nydar assigns each entry a status badge indicating how close the lock-up expiry is. These badges make it easy to scan for the most time-sensitive opportunities.

Imminent

Nydar flags these entries in red — the lock-up expires within days. Selling pressure could begin at any time. This is the highest-risk period for long holders and the window short sellers typically target.

Upcoming

The expiry is approaching within weeks. Time to research the company, check insider ownership percentages, and decide whether to adjust your position or set alerts.

Expired

The lock-up has already ended. Insider selling may still be ongoing — insiders don't always sell on day one. Monitor SEC Form 4 filings for actual insider transactions.

How to Use It for Trading

1

Scan Nydar for imminent expirations with large gains

The most dangerous combination in Nydar's lock-up widget is an "Imminent" badge paired with a large positive percentage from IPO. Insiders with +100% unrealised gains have strong motivation to sell, and the supply shock can be significant.

2

Avoid going long ahead of expiry

If you're considering a long position in a recently-IPO'd stock, check Nydar's lock-up calendar first. Buying two weeks before a major unlock is fighting against a known supply catalyst.

3

Consider the dip-buy after expiry

If a fundamentally strong company drops 15% on lock-up expiry, the selling pressure is temporary. Once insiders finish liquidating, the overhang is gone. Nydar traders specifically target post-expiry dips as buying opportunities.

4

Cross-reference with technical levels

Combine Nydar's lock-up data with the chart widget. If a stock is already sitting on weak support and has a lock-up expiring, the odds of a breakdown increase. Conversely, a stock holding above strong support through expiry suggests insider selling was absorbed by demand.

Important Considerations

Not all insiders sell. Lock-up expiry permits selling — it doesn't require it. Founders and executives with long-term conviction often hold through the unlock. Cross-reference with Nydar's insider trades widget and recent SEC filings for context.

The market front-runs lock-ups. Institutional investors track the same expiry dates. Selling pressure can begin days or weeks before the actual unlock as traders position for the expected drop. By expiry day, much of the move may already be priced in.

Staggered lock-ups exist. Some IPOs have multiple lock-up tranches expiring at different dates. The first unlock might release 20% of insider shares while the larger tranche follows months later. Nydar's widget shows the primary expiry date — check the company's prospectus for the full schedule.

Early release is possible. Underwriters can waive lock-up restrictions early, particularly if the stock is performing well and the company wants to allow a secondary offering. This can blindside traders who were counting on the expiry date Nydar displays.

Nydar's Data Sources

Nydar sources lock-up expiry data from IPO prospectus filings, SEC documents, and financial data providers. Nydar's widget cross-references expiry dates with current market prices to calculate the percentage change from IPO price.

IPO Filings

Lock-up terms extracted from S-1 prospectus and underwriting agreements.

Market Data

Real-time prices to calculate performance vs IPO price.

SEC Filings

Form 4 insider transaction reports confirm actual selling activity.

How It Compares to Other Nydar Widgets

FeatureIPO Lock-upIPO CalendarEarningsShort InterestStock Info
Primary FocusInsider selling restrictionsNew IPO listingsQuarterly resultsShort seller activityCompany fundamentals
Event TypeScheduled supply unlockNew share issuanceFinancial disclosureMarket positioningStatic fundamentals
Supply ImpactFloat expansionNew float creationIndirect via guidanceBorrowed share demandShares outstanding
Time HorizonDays to weeksDay of listingQuarterlyBimonthly updatesOngoing
Best Used ForAvoiding supply shocksDay-one IPO tradesEarnings playsSqueeze setupsDue diligence
Data SourceS-1 prospectus filingsExchange listingsCompany filingsExchange reportsFinancial data feeds
Cross-Reference WithChart, Short InterestLock-up ExpiryOptions Flow, ChartCost to BorrowDilution, Earnings

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Last reviewed: March 2026