Coca Cola gears up for $8 billion IPO of African bottling plant, report says

The company had said in 2021 that it planned to take CCBA public within 18 months, with a primary listing in Amsterdam and a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).

Coca-Cola is gearing up for a possible initial public offering (IPO) of its African bottling plant as soon as next year, Bloomberg News reported Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.

It could seek a valuation of more than $8 billion for the company, the report said, adding that deliberations were at an early stage and details of the offer could change.

Coca-Cola declined to comment on the news when contacted by Reuters.

Last year, the company noted during its third quarter results that it remains committed to listing Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) as a publicly traded company once market conditions become more favorable.

The company had said in 2021 that it planned to take CCBA public within 18 months, with a primary listing in Amsterdam and a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).

In 2022, Coca-Cola postponed plans for an IPO of CCBA worth an estimated $3 billion, due to market turbulence mainly resulting from the war between Russia and Ukraine, which had resulted in shaky investor confidence and a dry period for IPOs worldwide.

If listed, the division’s IPO would have been the largest on the JSE since at least 2016 and a major boost for the flagging index.

First print: April 29, 2024 | 11:36 PM IST

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