CHINESE autonomous driving firm Horizon Robotics has priced its shares at the top of its range to raise HK$5.4 billion (S$913.4 million) according to a term sheet seen by Reuters, making it the biggest Hong Kong initial public offering this year.
The company sold 1.355 billion shares in a price range of HK$3.73 to HK$3.99 each, according to the company’s filings.
Horizon Robotics declined to comment on its IPO pricing.
The retail portion of the deal was covered 34 times, according to a source with direct knowledge, indicating renewed enthusiasm from retail investors for Hong Kong IPOs.
At the set price, the IPO is the largest in Hong Kong in 2024, eclipsing China Resources Beverage which on Oct 18 finalised its US$650 million new share sale. It is also the largest tech sector IPO in Hong Kong since SenseTime Group raised US$740 million in late 2021.
The two deals have given dealmakers renewed hope Hong Kong’s IPO market could be showing signs of activity after a near two-year slump.
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Before Horizon Robotics and China Resources Beverage, IPO volumes had hit a two decade low, according to Dealogic data. The two IPOs beginning book building last week meant Hong Kong recorded its busiest week for IPO activity in two years.
The top 10 largest orders among institutional investors to buy stock would be allocated about 75 per cent of that tranche of the deal, the source added. The source could not be named discussing confidential information.
Four cornerstone investors, led by Alisoft China and Baidu, subscribed for US$219.8 million worth of Horizon Robotics shares in the IPO, according to regulatory filings.
Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and China Securities International led the deal, the filings showed. REUTERS
