Aramark Worldwide Corp., known for running the food concessions at many sports venues, kicks off a wild and crazy IPO calendar this week. As many as 11 companies figure to debut over the next several days.

On Monday, Aramark sold 30 million shares at $23 per share, at the high end of the estimated price range of $20 to $23. Aramark raised $690 million in the offering, which was led by Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan. Trading on the stock commences today.

Management at the concessions operator plans to use more than half of the net proceeds to buy back up to 10 percent of the company’s outstanding stock from existing stockholders and from the company-run 401(k) plans. Aramark will also use the proceeds to pay down debt.

In fiscal 2001, Aramark earned $176.5 million on $7.8 billion in revenues. No word on whether the IPO will impact the price of weenies sold at professional sporting events.

Meanwhile, executives at network security provider Netscreen Technologies Inc., which is slated to go public on Wednesday, said they upped the planned offering to 10 million shares from 8 million. Netscreen managers also said the shares may go for between $12 and $14 apiece, up from a prior range of $9 to $11.

As a result, the company figures to raise $120 million to $140 million — compared with the $80 million or so Netscreen would have fetched under the original terms. Company management plans to use the net proceeds for general corporate purposes and working capital, as well as for possible investments in or acquisitions of businesses, products, or technologies. Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, UBS Warburg, and Wachovia Securities are leading the underwriting.

While the IPO schedule is a busy one this week, one company actually pulled a planned offering on Monday. Management at Iasis Healthcare Corp., which owns or operates acute-care hospitals in Utah, Arizona, Florida, and Texas, said on Monday it was shelving the company’s planned $213.6 million IPO. The company was expected to offer 13.35 million shares at between $14 and $16 a share, led by Merrill Lynch and Salomon Smith Barney. Executives at Iasis did not provide a reason for the withdrawal.

Record Convertibles Year Continues

While the IPO market is just now starting to show signs of a turnaround, the investment-grade bond and convertible markets have already set one-year records.

In the convertibles market:

• Cinergy Inc. plans later this week to raise $250 million from a sale of a 3-year mandatory convertible.

The company plans to sell 5 million units of Income PRIDES (Preferred Redeemable Increased Dividend Equity Securities), each with a $50 value and consisting of senior notes and purchase contracts to buy Cinergy shares.

The Cinergy PRIDES are expected to carry a 9.25 to 9.75 percent dividend and be convertible into company shares at an 18 to 22 percent premium over the shares’ price.

The “mandatory” structure of the instrument requires investors to convert into Cinergy common stock in 3 years — whether they want to or not.

• Managers at Fiat said on Monday they plan to raise $2.2 billion from the sale of 5-year senior notes exchangeable into about 32 million shares of General Motors Corp. The sale is expected to take place on Tuesday morning, according to published reports. Fiat will issue the notes and guarantee them. The automaker plans to refinance and pay down existing debt, diversify its institutional funding sources, and lengthen the average tenor of its debt.

The convertible notes are expected to carry a 2.75 percent to 3.5 percent coupon and be convertible into GM shares at a 38.14 percent premium over the shares’ Monday closing price. The private placement is being led by Merrill Lynch and Schroeder Salomon Smith Barney.

• Evergreen Resources Inc. plans to raise $100 million from the private placement of 20-year senior bonds convertible into Evergreen stock. Evergreen management plans to use the net proceeds to pay down borrowings under the company’s credit facility.

In other financing news:

• Alcoa Inc. filed a shelf registration to sell up to $5 billion in debt securities, preferred and common stock, warrants, contracts, and units. The aluminum company will use the proceeds for general corporate purposes, including debt repayment, working capital, capital spending, stock buybacks, and acquisitions.

• Verizon Wireless plans to issue $2.5 billion of 2-year floating-rate notes and 5-year fixed-rate notes, led by J.P. Morgan and Salomon Smith Barney.

• Construction and mining equipment maker Terex Corp. filed a shelf registration to sell up to $300 million in debt securities and common and preferred stock. It is also selling warrants, rights, purchase contracts, and units. The company will use the net proceeds for general corporate purposes, including capital expenditures, working capital, repayment or reduction of debt, and the financing of acquisitions.

In Brief

• The Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates on Tuesday — the 11th rate cute this year. Key short-term interest rates are currently at 2 percent.

• The global customer relationship management (CRM) market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 19.9 percent, from $13.45 billion in 2001 to $27.76 billion in 2005, according to the Aberdeen Group, an IT consulting company.

• The U.S. life insurance industry’s direct exposure to the Enron collapse was approximately $3.9 billion at year-end 2000, according to Moody’s Investors Service. This works out to less than 2 percent of the consolidated statutory capital base of Moody’s rated U.S. life insurance universe. “Moody’s believes that this exposure will have limited credit implications for its rated U.S. life insurance companies,” the credit rating agency said in a press release.