Russian farming company Valinor said Tuesday that it is considering an initial public offering of $200 million to $300 million on the Warsaw Stock Exchange to fund land acquisitions and invest in production.
Valinor controls 358,000 hectares of land in the fertile "black earth" regions of Russia and Ukraine. It mostly cultivates cereals and oilseeds, and last year its harvest totaled 1.2 million tons.
Bookrunners for the IPO are Deutsche Bank and Troika Dialog, and the offering will include new shares and existing shares being sold by Valinor parent Valers Management.
Alexander Lavriyenko, head of Valers' Ukrainian subsidiary, said the listing would amount to 40 percent of the company's shares.
A source with knowledge of the listing details said Valinor planned to start the IPO roadshow on July 4 and set pricing in the second half of July.
Another source said Valinor's net debt was more than $220 million, or higher than twice 2010 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.