Buyout group Apollo prepares bottle maker Verallia for possible 4b-euro IPO: sources

Frankfurt

BUYOUT group Apollo is preparing French glass bottle maker Verallia for a stock market listing later this year, in what could become one of the largest French initial public offerings of the year, people close to the matter said.

The private equity firm, which is working with Lazard as its IPO advisor, has asked banks to pitch in coming days for roles in organising the flotation, which could value Verallia at more than four billion euros (S$6.1 billion), they said.

While so-called global coordinators are expected to be mandated later this month or in May, the IPO of Saint-Gobain's former glass bottle unit, in which Apollo bought a controlling stake in 2015, may take place in September or later, they said.

Apollo and Lazard declined to comment.

France has seen few IPOs recently and some deals, such as that of logis-tics firm Gefco, have been pulled due to wobbly market conditions. Tourism group Club Med's parent chose Hong Kong for its listing.

Among the few other large French companies which may seek a stock market listing this year is state-owned lottery firm Francaise des Jeux, a stake in which could be sold under a law published last year.

Verallia is expected to post core earnings (Ebitda) of roughly 550 million euros this year and could be valued at between seven and eight times that in a potential IPO, the sources said.

Peers such as Vetropack, Owens-Illinois or Vidrala trade in a wide range of 2.7 to 9.4 times Ebitda.

Apollo bought the majority of Verallia in a 2015 deal valuing the business at 2.95 billion euros. It made 16 billion glass bottles and jars last year and is the main supplier of bottles for France's champagne and cognac industries.

In 2018, the company - which employs nearly 10,000 people - generated 544 million euros in adjusted Ebitda on sales of 2.4 billion.

Earlier this month, Verallia announed the early repayment of some of its debt, citing solid cash flow generation, pushing its net debt down to 1.7 billion euros.

Verallia, which traces its roots back to the Vauxrot glassworks founded in 1827, counts Pernod Ricard, champagne house Dom Perignon and chocolate spreads maker Nutella among its clients. REUTERS