We're in the final stretch of 2011, and I say good riddance! The market has been so volatile, I've exhausted my supply of Pepto Bismol. This up-and-down nature of the market is really evident when you examine initial public offering (IPO) deals. It's been cold, hot, cold and hot again. But I'm still convinced that it brings opportunities for investors to make money.

Indeed, the sharp market drop in August and September led many companies to quash their IPO plans in October. A robust market rebound in October led these companies to scramble to the IPO gate, causing November to have 13 IPOs — highest number this year. Not surprisingly, renewed market weakness in November will likely close the window for IPOs in December. We'll probably have to wait until at least early 2012 before any major new IPOs hit the tape.

But you can still profit from the recent IPO rush by playing the "quiet-period bounce." Analysts who work at the firms that helped conduct an IPO must refrain from making any comments for 25 business days after the stock is priced. Considering less than 15% of all analyst recommendations are a "sell," you can count on subsequent reports that will gush about a newly-public company's growth prospects.

Positive Wall Street coverage can help spark a flagging IPO back to life. The key is to focus on stocks that haven't already taken off and are still trading near or below their IPO price.