Smart ring maker Oura delays US IPO as autumn market jitters deepen

Oura, the smart ring manufacturer, has pushed back its planned U.S. initial public offering (IPO) as market uncertainty deepens, according to a statement released on September 29. The delay comes amid rising bond yields and higher interest rates, which are causing investors to become more cautious. The IPO market has faced challenges following a robust start to the year, with investors questioning whether the AI trade is overdone, coupled with geopolitical tensions and the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes.

The U.S. IPO market experienced a setback after a strong beginning to the year, as investors grappled with concerns surrounding the AI trade, the Federal Reserve's interest-rate hikes, and geopolitical turmoil. Oura, a consumer technology firm, had marketed 50 million shares in the offering, with a price range of U.S.$40 to U.S.$44 apiece.

At the upper limit of the range, the company expected to raise $2.2 billion at a fully diluted valuation of $15.62 billion. The IPO was anticipated to take place later in the day and commence trading on Nasdaq the following day, September 30.

Founded over a decade ago in Finland, Oura achieved a valuation of about U.S.$11 billion in a late-stage funding round in 2025. IPOs generally necessitate stable investor interest and favorable market conditions to attain the desired valuations. According to Lukas Muhlbauer, a research associate at Ipox, higher rates are making investors more selective, particularly concerning growth valuations.

Despite this, Muhlbauer suggested that the IPO window is not entirely closed, citing Anthropic's upcoming IPO as a potential counterexample.

The Oura IPO would have marked the first significant fall market offering since the customary summer hiatus, with analysts viewing Oura's debut as a crucial test of investor appetite for high-growth companies. Earlier in September, Holtec, a nuclear services company, suspended its planned U.S. IPO due to heightened scrutiny of substantial capital investments in AI-related sectors.

Oura's CEO, Tom Hale, expressed optimism, stating that the company aims to deliver an extraordinary IPO for its employees and investors and is prepared to adapt to upcoming opportunities.

Reports suggested that the offering was approximately four times oversubscribed, indicating a solid level of demand. However, the demand may not be overwhelming for a well-known consumer brand. Oura has contributed to popularizing smart rings, which track various health metrics such as heart health, activity, and sleep. The company reported strong response to the launch of its flagship Oura Ring 5, increasing its paid members on the platform to 5.7 million.

Smart rings occupy a niche between traditional fitness trackers and smartwatches, providing personalized health insights through a compact, screen-free design that can be worn continuously and boasts a longer battery life.