from www.dynamicbusiness.com – Adult entertainment expo brand Sexpo is undertaking market research and exploring options to meet regulatory compliance before an initial public offering expected in November 2010.

Sexpo has grown into a strong expo brand in Australia over the last 14 years. It is in the top 5 national shows alongside The Royal Show, Home Shows, Motor Show, & Boat Show. It is expected that an official announcement will be made tomorrow at the Brisbane Sexpo detailing plans for development into new territories such as New Zealand, Europe, and the USA.

“We are proud of our heritage but the demand and need for our show to expand around the world is very strong” says Rob Godwin General Manager of Sexpo. The investment strategy is envisaged to be completed over 3 stages; gauging interest from Sexpo patrons, investment and strategic partnerships with key industry partners, and seeking external market funding for a possible float.

The aim is to prepare the necessary disclosure documentation attached to the capital raising over the next 6 months and to have a prospectus for an offer for securities closing at the end of November 2010.

“Our parent company is Australia’s oldest and most successful adult related business with 33 years experience. Recession or boom – sex sells, and I think the combination of this successful track record, with the increased number of visitors to Sexpo, will encourage interest from potential small and large investors.”

Back story: Melbourne(ANI): Adult lifestyle exhibition, popularly known as Sexpo, could be listed on the Australian stockmarket before the end of the year.

Organisers of the exposition are looking to fund an expansion into Europe and the United States.

According to Sexpo general manager Rob Godwin, the exhibition has the potential to become one of the iconic Australian brands alongside Foster’s, Qantas and Vegemite.

‘‘It has become somewhat of a rite of passage for newly turned 18 year olds but also for couples,’’ the Age quoted him as saying.

‘‘But why we are doing this potential float is the potential for Sexpo being an Australian brand around the world.

‘‘I do want that to be, for Sexpo to be the biggest entertainment export we have, because people have sex and the world needs Sexpo,” he added.

Sexpo, now in its fourteenth year, attracted over 250,000 people to its exhibitions across Australia and in South Africa in 2009.

Additional exhibitions are planned for New Zealand and London in 2011.

‘‘We are getting a lot of demand from specific countries like New Zealand, London and America to bring our show to them but we need a capital injection to be able to realise the potential of the show,’’ said Godwin.

Organisers will estimate the interest of attendees at this year’s Sexpos – ‘‘mum and dad investors’’ as Mr Godwin puts it – in a potential listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).

Then, in following months meetings will be held with industry partners, manufacturers and exhibitors, and a prospectus will be completed and lodged by the end of November.

‘‘We are aiming to do a prospectus and float by the end of this year,’’ said Godwin.