A sign of Kokusai Electric is pictured in Tokyo, Japan, September 7, 2023. REUTERS/Miho Uranaka/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights
TOKYO, Oct 25 (Reuters) – Kokusai Electric (6525.T) shares jumped 29% in their Tokyo market debut on Wednesday after private equity firm KKR sold shares in the chip equipment maker for $724 million in Japan’s largest initial public offering (IPO) in five years.
The stock opened at 2,116 yen and climbed to a high of 2,371 yen, valuing the company at 546.3 billion yen ($3.65 billion), as investors grabbed shares following the rare IPO of a key chip tool manufacturer.
Kokusai had priced its shares at 1,840 yen in the largest Tokyo listing since telco SoftBank Corp went public in 2018, providing a partial exit for KKR, which has cut its stake to 47.7% from 73.2% without overallotment.
“The market for chip related stocks outside of AI is weak so some were wondering what would happen,” said Tomoichiro Kubota, analyst at Matsui Securities.
“In the end the company had a good start,” he said.
Chip tool makers have suffered from a downturn in the market for electronics such as smartphones and PCs, with early euphoria over advances in generative artificial intelligence also cooling.
While Kokusai is exposed to slumping demand for memory chips, that market is expected to rebound, and the tool maker will also able to expand in other segments, said Kazuyoshi Saito, an analyst at Iwai Cosmo Securities.
