SHEIN aims to launch its Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) on Monday, according to a source familiar with the matter, and is targeting a listing on Sept. 1, two other sources said, slightly later than previously planned.
While Sept. 1 is the target date, the listing could happen a few days later, one of the sources said. Reuters reported last week that Shein had been aiming to list on Aug. 28.
The delay, first reported by the South China Morning Post, comes as slower growth and rising costs have dampened investor appetite for Shein. The online fast-fashion retailer was seen just a few years ago as a disruptive challenger to established retailers such as H&M and Zara, thanks to its rapid supply chain and ultralow prices.
Among cornerstone investors in the IPO is the asset management arm of UBS Group, which would be investing in Shein for the first time, according to a fourth source with direct knowledge of the matter.
Cornerstone investors agree to buy a set amount of shares before an IPO, and sign up to a lockup period of six months.
Shein is targeting a valuation of $26 billion to $27 billion, the fourth source said, down sharply from the $100-billion valuation it achieved in a private fundraising in 2022.
The company had previously sought an IPO valuation of $30 billion to $40 billion when investor meetings ahead of the IPO first kicked off.
