Shares in CVC jump on market debut

(Sharecast News) - Shares in CVC Capital Partners sparked on Friday, as trading got underway in the European private equity firm. The offer price was set at €14, giving CVC a market debut of €14bn. But strong demand for the market debut saw trading on Euronext Amsterdam get underway at €17.34.

The initial public offering was multiple times oversubscribed and is on course to be one of Europe's biggest this year.

CVC, which has around €186bn in assets under management, said it expected to receive gross proceeds of €250m from the market debut, based on the offer price.

Founded in the 1990s by a group of former Citibank executives, CVC has since grown to become of Europe's largest private equity firms.

It has invested in a range of companies and organisations, from luxury watchmaker Breitling to Spanish football league La Liga.

As well as issuing new shares, existing shareholders - including sovereign wealth funds CIC and Kuwait Investment Authority as well as co-founder Donald Mackenzie - are selling down their stakes.

Proceeds from the IPO will be used to fund further growth, including acquisitions.