Ethanol

Argus Leader:

Not long ago, investors who wanted to put money into ethanol had to do it at the gas pump.

But with a strong initial public offering this week from ethanol maker VeraSun Energy Corp., and more IPOs on the way, it looks like investors will soon have more choices.

VeraSun’s $419.8 million IPO, which raised significantly more than the company had expected on Wednesday, suggests that ethanol has morphed from a fringe energy source into the next hot investment opportunity on Wall Street. VeraSun, based in Brookings, S.D., is the country’s second-largest ethanol producer behind agricultural giant Archer Daniels Midland Co.