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Japan, Tokyo governments target $4.7 bln appraisal for Tokyo Metro in IPO, sources state

Japan's nationwide and Tokyo federal governments are seeking a 700 billion yen ($ 4.7 billion). valuation for Tokyo Metro as they prepare to note the subway. operator as early as Octoberend, three sources stated, in what. would be the country's biggest IPO in approximately six years.

The two governments, which own 100% of Tokyo City, plan to. set up a meeting of brokerages within a week for a rundown on. the IPO and anticipate to receive approval for the listing from the. Tokyo Stock Exchange as soon as mid-September, the sources stated.

With half the business to be sold, the preliminary public. offering (IPO) could raise 350 billion yen at that assessment,. which would surpass the size of Kokusai Electric's IPO. last year and end up being the largest since SoftBank Group. listed its wireless system in 2018.

The Tokyo federal government said the timing of the sale is being. gone over with the national federal government and is not decided. The. finance ministry did not respond to requests for remark. Tokyo. City said it would not talk about progress on the listing. Japan Exchange Group, which runs the Tokyo Stock. Exchange, stated it can not talk about specific business.

The IPO follows the listing of other train operators,. including Kyushu Railway (JR Kyushu) in 2016. Tokyo. Metro runs 195 kilometres (120 miles) of lines carrying 6.5. million guests daily.

Tokyo Metro's history go back to 1920 with the. facility of the Tokyo Underground Train Company. 7. years later on, it opened Japan's first train line, in between the. Asakusa and Ueno districts of Tokyo.

The company, whose business includes realty and retail,. reported net earnings jumped by two-thirds to 46 billion yen in. the fiscal year ended March 2024 as financial activity. rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The central government, which owns 53.4% of Tokyo Metro,. strategies to use the funds raised to pay back restoration bonds. released following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The Tokyo. federal government holds the staying 46.6% of the subway operator.

Nomura, Mizuho and Goldman Sachs are the joint international. planners for the listing.

(source: Reuters)