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Bookbuilding for regional broadcaster MBC’s IPO got underway with a bang on Thursday as bankers took orders in the first hour sufficient to cover 100% of the offering. The subscription period runs through Tuesday, 6 December, Bloomberg reports. MBC announced plans to go public two weeks ago.
The IPO values the company at as much as SAR 8.1 bn: The advisors on the transaction said they expect to price the offering atSAR 23-25per share (pdf), valuing the company at as much as SAR 8.1 bn, according to Enterprise calculations. This range is meant to guide the bid offers made by institutional advisors. That would put the value of the IPO at up to SAR 831 mn. Bankers are expected to give word on the price of the offer shares on 12 December.
Institutional investors will have until 6 December to place orders, according to a Tadawul filing. The institutional tranche of the sale will account for at least 90% of shares on offer, while no more than 10% will be allocated to individual investors. Individual investors will be able to place orders between 14 December and 18 December, according to the prospectus (pdf).
What’s on offer? Some 33.25 mn ordinary shares are up for grabs, good for a 10% stake in the company after it had issued the new shares and upped its share capital through a capital increase, the disclosure reads. The company is owned by the state’s Istedamah with a 60% stake, while founder and chairman Waleed Al Ibrahim holds the balance. Fully 90% of the offer shares in the Reg-S-compliant transaction are earmarked for institutional investors.
Who’s selling? Istedamah will be selling shares equivalent to a 6% stake in the company and will remain the majority shareholder post-execution with a 54% stake. Al Ibrahim is selling the equivalent of a 4% stake. The company’s CEO had earlier told reporters that Al Ibrahim would not be selling.
Check out our previous coverage herefor a rundown on use of proceeds and KPIs for MBC.
ADVISORS-Our friends at HSBC are quarterbacking the transaction as leader manager, whileJP Morgan, and SNB Capital are on board along with HSBC as joint financial advisors as well as joint bookrunners and underwriters, according to the prospectus (pdf). GIB Capital is serving as financial advisor to substantial shareholders. Arab National Bank, Banque Saudi Fransi, Riyad Bank and Saudi National Bank have been named as receiving banks, while AS&H and Clifford Chance are legal counsel. EY is acting as auditor, while PwC is financial due diligence advisor and market consultant, and Brunswick is running media.
