Support The Moscow Times!

Shoe Retailer Tsentrobuv Plans $800M Asian IPO

HONG KONG — Shoe retailer Tsentrobuv is planning a Hong Kong initial public offering, a deal reported to raise about $800 million, a source familiar with the matter said Friday.

The size and timing of the IPO were not finalized, the source said.

The Hong Kong Economic Journal reported that the offer could hit the market in the fourth quarter. The paper said the company has hired Morgan Stanley, BOCI, Renaissance Capital and VTB Capital to handle the IPO.

Tsentrobuv officials and underwriters were not immediately available for comment. The source declined to be named because the discussions were private.

Sources previously said Tsentrobuv planned an IPO in London in 2011 and was also considering a Hong Kong listing.

At that time, Tsentrobuv co-owner Sergei Lomakin said the company was "studying different options of attracting financing" but declined to elaborate.

A source said at the time that Tsentrobuv generated more than $500 million in revenues in 2010.

Russia's retail sector was hit hard by the economic crisis in 2008-09 and is expected to thrive as the economy recovers and its middle class grows.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

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 you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more