Owner of TamJai, SamGor rice noodle restaurants aims for HK$1.4 billion in Hong Kong IPO
- Tam Jai International, which owns the popular TamJai and SamGor brands, aims to fund expansion of its restaurant network at home and abroad
- Appetite for the shares will be warm, given the popularity of the restaurant chain and a recovery in the stock market, says Louis Tse of Wealthy Securities
“We want to promote the brands to overseas market,” said Daren Lau Tat-man, chairman and chief executive of Tam Jai.
Tam Jai plans to offer 335 million shares, of which 10 per cent will be for the Hong Kong public offering, with an indicative price range of HK$3.33 to HK$4.17, according to a statement on Thursday. The shares will start trading on October 7.
“Taking into account the popularity of the TamJai and SamGor brands, the response to the IPO will be not bad,” said Louis Tse Ming-kwong, managing director of Wealthy Securities.
He expected a recovery in the stock market to boost the appetite of investors too.
“The stock market in Hong Kong should become more stable, and that’s good for new IPO subscriptions,” said Tse.
Despite the disruptions, Tam Jai managed to sustain growth in its number of restaurants and generate relatively stable revenue, the company said. The number of restaurants has increased by 45.8 per cent to 156 since April of 2018.
The company’s revenue increased from HK$1.69 billion for the year ending March 31, 2020, to HK$1.79 billion for the year ending March 31, 2021. Net profit rose to HK$287.8 million from HK$190.9 million last year.
According to Euromonitor, the fast-food restaurant market in Hong Kong is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 11.8 per cent from HK$16.9 billion in 2020 to HK$29.5 billion in 2025 in terms of revenue, outpacing the casual dining market and the consumer food service industries.
In 2017, Tam Jai was acquired by Toridoll Holding, Japan’s biggest operator of noodle shops and eateries.
