IPO WATCH: TDC, Gjensidige Set Price Ranges As Deal Pace Slows
November 25 2010 - 12:01PM
Dow Jones News
Danish telecoms operator TDC A/S (TDC.KO) Thursday set the price
range for a secondary share sale and concurrent share buyback,
while Norwegian insurer Gjensidige Forsikring ASA set a range on
its initial public offering valuing it at up to NOK32 billion ($5.3
billion).
TDC said NTC, the private equity consortium that bought it five
years ago, is offering up to 241.5 million existing shares,
including an overallotment, at 47-56 Danish kroner ($8.40-$10) a
share. At the same time, TDC is offering to spend DKK9 billion
($1.6 billion) to buy back existing shares.
The private equity firms hold 88% of TDC and there is a 12% free
float among minority holders. After the transaction, Chief
Executive Henrik Poulsen said the free float will rise to 40%-45%
and that NTC won't sell any of its remaining shares for at least
180 days.
In Norway, investors can buy shares in Gjensidige from the
foundation that owns it at a price of NOK54 to NOK64 apiece.
Between 25%-40% of the company's stock will be owned by retail and
institutional investors and employees after the offer, the company
said.
Both transactions will price around Dec. 9, as the IPO market
winds down for the year.
Bankers on Thursday said the focus is now on next year's
business, though additional block sales of existing shares by large
holders are expected in the coming weeks. These kinds of
transactions have far outpaced IPO volume in recent months, as
selling shareholders have taken advantage of rising stock markets
to place deals.
More rights issues are also expected to be announced. The result
of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA's (BBVA) EUR5 billion capital
increase to buy 24.9% of Turkey's Garanti Bankasi AS (GAREN.F.IS)
is expected to be released by Friday, a person working on the
transaction said.
Other completed business this week included a GBP270 million IPO
by the John Laing Infrastructure Fund, a vehicle set up to buy an
initial portfolio from John Laing Group of 19 operational, global
infrastructure public/private partnership projects.
JLIF is the second infrastructure fund to be listed in London
this year following GCP Infrastructure Investments Ltd. (GCP.LN),
as investors seek to capitalize on a surge in part private-part
public projects that are a useful tool for governments trying to
cut deficits.
Another, existing investment vehicle, Burford Capital Ltd.
(BUR.LN), on Wednesday said it raised an additional $175 million to
put toward its strategy of financing commercial litigation.
The company had floated in October 2009 with GBP80 million
($126.5 million).
Two further offerings in London's alternative investments sector
are due to be completed next month. BH Credit Catalysts Ltd., run
by Brevan Howard Asset Management LLP, will invest in a single
credit hedge fund strategy focused on distressed debt and expects
to join the main market on Dec. 14.
CQS Diversified Fund Ltd., a vehicle investing in several hedge
funds run by London's CQS, expects to join the main market a day
later, on Dec. 15.
-By Margot Patrick, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0)20 7842 9451;
margot.patrick@dowjones.com
(Marietta Cauchi contributed to this article.)
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