Drinks maker China Resources Beverage on Tuesday applied for a HK$5.04 billion ($649.25 million) Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO), an exchange filing showed, making it the city’s largest new share sale this year.
The company, which owns the C’estbon branded purified drinking products in China, is offering 347.8 million shares at a price range of HK$13.50 to HK$14.50 apiece at the IPO.
The flotation comes amid heightened volatility in Hong Kong’s equity market following the Chinese government’s massive stimulus package aimed at reviving the mainland Chinese economy.
The IPO is a signal for the company’s aggressive market expansion ambitions amid rising competition with bigger rival Nongfu Spring, which raised about $1.1 billion in a 2020 IPO.
China Resources Beverage’s Hong Kong IPO is set to be larger than tea drinks firm Sichuan Baicha Baidao Industrial’s $330 million raising in April.
The city’s largest floatation in more than three years came in September, where Chinese electrical appliance maker Midea Group raised nearly $4 billion.
The beverage company is controlled by state-owned conglomerate China Resources Holdings.
BofA Securities, Citic Securities, Bank of China International and UBS are the IPO’s sponsors.
($1 = 7.7628 Hong Kong dollars)
Reuters
