Boots owner Walgreens considering a £7bn UK listing of the high street chain after efforts to sell the business failed last year.
The UK retailer’s management is understood to be pushing its US parent company towards an IPO.
The move would mean the cosmetics company returns to the London Stock Exchange after 16 years.
According to Bloomberg, an IPO would value the retailer at roughly £7bn, returning it to the FTSE 100.
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Alliance Boots was previously listed before being bought by private equity firm KKR in 2007.
Talks are thought to be at an early stage and there is no guarantee of a listing or sale.
The news comes after Boots offloaded its pension scheme to Legal & General under a £4.8bn deal.
The deal was said to be a precursor to its owner reinitiating a sale of Boots after its abandoned process last year when bids did not meet Walgreens’ price expectations.
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1 Comment. Leave new
Public markets are like public toilets. I rate Boots, but we must wonder why the company is not desirable for private equity yet worthy of putting in the hands of the little people. Personally, I NEVER EVER touch IPOs. Each to there own.