U.K. Vapor Maker Supreme Raises GBP68 Million In IPO

In its initial public stock offering, Supreme, a maker of fast-moving consumer goods such as vaping brand 88Vape, announced the pricing for its initial public offering in London, joining a rush to market early in the new year.

Supreme is listing on AIM and expects to start trading today.

Supreme said it has placed 5.0 million shares at 134 pence each to raise GBP67.5 million. Of this, GBP60.0 million is for selling shareholders, and GBP7.5 million from new shares for the company, which it said will be used to pay off debt, according to Alliance News. The selling shareholders include Sandy Chadha, the founder and chief executive officer, who will retain a 56.8 percent stake, leaving a 43 percent free float.

Supreme will have a GBP156.1 million market capitalisation at its IPO price. Supreme’s IPO is part of a flurry of new listing activity in London early in the 2021. These have been headlined by large-size floats by bootmaker Dr Martens and card seller Moonpig. Also planning IPOs are miner Cornish Metals Inc, investment fund Cordiant Digital Infrastructure Ltd, and life sciences company 4basebio UK Societas.

Not yet confirmed for London, but potentially biggest by far, is food delivery firm Deliveroo, which is expected to have a market cap of more than $7 billion. Deliveroo also is considering a New York listing, according to media reports.

Supreme supplies products across five target categories: batteries, lighting, vaping, sports nutrition & wellness, and branded household consumer goods. In addition to brands it owns, such as 88Vape, Supreme licenses major battery brands Duracell, Energizer and Eveready. Its customers include Fraser Group PLC’s Sports Direct, motor supplies chain Halfords Group PLC, and grocers Asda and Iceland.

Supreme recording adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of GBP16.2 million on revenue of GBP92.3 million in the financial year that ended March 31 last year. In the six months to September 30 last year, Ebitda was GBP8.4 million on revenue of GBP56.3 million.

The company said it plans to pay dividends at a rate of 50 percent of net profit. “I am deeply proud of the business we have developed and believe our flotation on AIM will provide Supreme with the tools with which to capitalise on a number of exciting growth opportunities,” said CEO Chadha. “We have created a profitable business of significant scale, underpinned by a platform which provides a seamless route to market for a number of leading brands and product categories.”