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ABC starts its A-share IPO road show

By Song Jingli (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-06-17 12:02

The Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) on Thursday kicked off a road show and preliminary price inquiry in Beijing for its initial public offering (IPO) on the Shanghai bourse before a planned listing on July 15, according to the bank's prospectus.

The road show, which will also go to Shanghai and Shenzhen, is set to end on June 23, the bank said in a statement released last night. A pre-road show for the bank's Hong Kong IPO already started on Monday, Southern Metropolis News said.

A road show refers to a presentation by an issuer of securities to potential buyers, with an aim of creating interest in the securities.

Special Coverage: Focus on ABC's IPO Plan Related readings:  ABC report sees 2011 book value up 19% to $91b  ABC may raise $15b from HK part of IPO  Temasek offers $300m to invest in ABC July IPO  ABC to release prospectus on June 17: sources

The final issue price will be disclosed to the public on July 8, the bank said.

ABC has been given the nod for listing in both Shanghai and Hong Kong. It will float up to 22.2 billion A shares, accounting for as much as 7 percent of the capitalization after the dual listing, according to the prospectus. It will float up to 25.4 billion H shares.

ABC's capitalization will hit 317.6 billion shares. If underwriters exercise the over-allotment option, which allows another 15 percent shares of the offering size to float, the capitalization will amount to 324.8 billion shares.

The bank will take offline subscriptions to its A-shares from July 1 to 6, and online subscriptions on July 6.

ABC is expected to raise $23 billion, the largest IPO this year in the world. ABC said all the proceeds will be used to replenish its capital.