Nvidia-Backed Firmus Said to Cut $5B Australian IPO Pricing as Investors Balk

What happened

Firmus had planned to raise about $5 billion in what would have been Australia's second-largest IPO in nearly three decades, behind only Telstra's roughly $10 billion float in 1997. Reuters cited a person familiar with the matter saying final details were still being settled on Thursday, with the company and its advisers contemplating cutting both the deal size and the per-share price. Firmus did not respond to Reuters' request for comment.

Construction services provider Maas Group (MGH.AX), which owns 3.2% of Firmus, fell as much as 30% intraday and closed down 22.4%, cutting about A$517 million ($360 million) from its market value and prompting questions from the Australian Securities Exchange.

Key facts

1. Pricing cut: : local media reports say the offer price could drop from A$11 to A$8.25 per share, with the deal size shrinking too
2. Shareholder shares: : Maas Group, a 3.2% holder, fell as much as 30% intraday and closed down 22.4%, losing about A$517 million in market value
3. Investor concerns: : rich valuation, ability to execute on ambitious growth plans, hefty debt pile; overseas demand softer than expected
4. Scale: : at $5 billion it would have been Australia's second-largest IPO in nearly 30 years