AO.com

Pros: AO.com, which rebranded from Appliances Online last year, occupies a growing market and has a clear growth strategy with international and new categories on the horizon. Investors eager to find “the new Asos” will have their heads turned by a fast-growing online business.

Cons: AO.com is expected to record annual sales of £400m this year, making its price tag look on the heavy side.

AS Watson

Pros: The Superdrug owner, which already operates in 33 countries, has bundles of international growth potential, a strong brand and a tried-and-tested model. It is understood to be seeking funds from its prospective dual listing in Hong Kong and London to fuel its overseas growth.

Cons: Superdrug is fighting hard against Boots and the supermarkets for share in the UK with customers’ budgets for everyday health and beauty items still under pressure. The European economy is still fragile meaning conditions may not be ideal for overseas expansion.

B&M Bargains

Pros: The Liverpudlian business, which has 350 stores, still has room to grow in the UK compared to other value players such as Poundland. It also has a very experienced management team, headed by former Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy, to guide it through its expansion.

Cons: The business has not been owned long by 60% stakeholders Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and investors may view it as a quick flip.

Boohoo.com

Pros: There is appetite for online fashion stock as the etail clothing market continues to boom.

Cons: Boohoo hired Zeus to explore the option of stake sale last year but a buyer did not materialise. Although profits have risen rapidly, they remain relatively small.

Card Factory

Pros: Card Factory has a strong reputation as an efficient, low cost business which dominates its corner of the market.

Cons: The key question remains over the long-term viability of the market. The physical greetings card’s future has long been written off and could put a question mark over a potential IPO.

DFS

Pros: The homewares market has been improving and DFS has proved a robust business, reporting solid sales throughout the economic downturn.

Cons: DFS has already been a public company and may not capture the imagination of investors keen for new stock. Moreover, boss Ian Filby has been cautious on the reported improvement in the homewares market.

Fat Face

Pros: The lifestyle retailer has been turned around under the leadership of chief executive Anthony Thompson who has bred loyalty amongst its customer base.

Cons: Despite international expansion into the US on the agenda, there is no clear growth story for the retailer which has a relatively mature UK estate.

House of Fraser

Pros: The department store has a strong brand and has one UK retail’s most developed multichannel propositions.

Cons: Management has tried to sell the business to no avail and its complex structure and significant debts may complicate an IPO process.

Game

Pros: Game is the only specialist player in its market and has grown market share. It reported rocketing sales at Christmas driven by the launch of the Playstation 4 and Xbox 360 consoles.

Cons: Investors may be concerned that Game remains heavily reliant on the console and games release schedule. It will also have to prove it is best positioned to take advantage of the growth of online games.

Pets at Home

Pros: The category leader is seen as a well-run business with strong management and has a dominant position in its market.

Cons: Questions remain over how much growth remains in the UK pets market and, with the brand untested internationally, a clear growth trajectory remains an issue.

Phones4U

Pros: The phones market has consistently performed well despite the economic downturn as shoppers seek the latest smartphones.

Cons: Phones4U is battling strong competition in the market, with retailers, operators and even supermarkets all vying for a slice of the pie.

Poundland

Pros: The value market continues to boom in the UK and Poundland is widely considered the most well developed player. It has a respected management team and has proven its infrastructure can cope with expansion.

Cons: Competition for both customers and store locations remains fierce and Poundland’s roll out plans areambitious. The grocers are also reacting to its threat with specific low price deals.

Zalando

Pros: The German fashion etailer is among Europe’s largest online retailers and investors will be buoyed by rival Asos’ success. Asos’ largest shareholder and Bestseller owner Anders Holch Povlsen also holds a stake in Zalando.

Cons: Growth slowed last summer as Zalando did not expand into new markets, suggesting the etailer may have to ensure continual expansion to keep the market satisfied.