Ping An’s fintech unit, OneConnect leans towards New York over Hong Kong for IPO, say people familiar
- While Hong Kong took the global IPO crown last year, its new listings were the worst performers versus those on other leading bourses
Ping An Insurance Group’s OneConnect financial technology unit is leaning toward picking New York over Hong Kong for its initial public offering (IPO) in the hope of achieving a higher valuation, three people with direct knowledge of the matter said.
Ping An Insurance, China’s biggest insurer by market value, had been planning a Hong Kong IPO of the unit since the beginning of the year in a deal that could raise up to US$1 billion.
The insurer is now seeking to list OneConnect in New York as early as September, said one of the people, who were not authorised to speak to media and so declined to be identified.
Ping An declined to comment.
While Hong Kong took the global IPO crown last year for the most money raised in stock market flotation, its new listings were the worst performers versus those on other leading bourses.
Just six of the biggest 20 IPOs in Hong Kong that had begun trading in 2018 were above their offer prices a month after debut, according to Dealogic data, compared with 16 on the NYSE and 10 on Nasdaq.