A new fund offer (NFO) is an initial public offering (IPO) of fund shares issued by an investment company to investors. This offering is the first introduction of a new fund on the stock market and is typically marketed, though less so than an IPO. NFOs are used by investment companies to attract potential investors and raise capital for the fund. Generally, NFOs target select groups of investors, ranging from institutional investors to private clients; however, individual investors can participate in an NFO as well.

The most beneficial aspect of an NFO is that it provides an investor the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a fund and reap the potential returns early on. However, this can also be a disadvantage as NFOs lack a track record, so investors must use due diligence when deciding whether to invest in an NFO. It is important for investors to check an NFO's expense ratio and research the investment company to gain insight into their previous fund launches.

Investors should also take into consideration when the new fund will become operational and begin distributing funds. Most NFOs operate on a soft launch and wait until sufficient funds are collected from investors before the fund becomes live. Investors should pay attention to the fund launch timeline to ensure that the money invested is available for trading soon after the offering.

There are various ways for investors to keep track of fund offerings, such as following the press releases of investment management companies and checking news outlets devoted to latest fund news. Finally, investors must be sure to review the prospectus before investing in an NFO to ensure they fully understand the terms and conditions of the offering. By doing research, investors can make educated decisions when deciding whether to invest in an NFO.