“Finally, you’re in control of your money,” promises Nubank. The Brazilian-based company is the largest fintech institution in Latin America, but its reach expands as far as Berlin, Germany. Operating completely digitally with no physical headquarters, the neobank has a list of investors that includes Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK-A) investment fund, which took a $500 million position earlier this year. Now, as this year winds to a close, Wall Street is bracing for the Nubank IPO (initial public offering). Indeed, this could be the last in a long line of exciting debuts that investors have seen this year.
What to Know About the NuBank IPO
There’s plenty that investors should be keeping in mind as markets prepare for the Nubank IPO. Let’s discuss the specifics.
As of tomorrow, Nubank will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NU. However, it doesn’t stop there. Additionally, Nubank will be trading on Brazil’s San Paolo Exchange. In late November, the company updated the price range to between $8 and $9 per share. Assuming that the price stays at $9, the IPO will raise roughly $2,859,497,856. It’s worth nothing, though, that this price range is a downgrade from where it previously stood, between $10 and $11.
InvestorPlace’s William White recently reported that the company claims to have a commitment from “certain investors to purchase an aggregate amount of at least $1.3 billion of Class A shares in the IPO.” While the term “certain investors” carries ominous undertones, it may just be an unconventional choice of wording. The offering will also include a 30-day option from underwriters that will allow for the purchase an additional 28,571,429 shares set at the IPO price point. As of now, the company is valued at slightly over $40 billion, also a downgrade from its original valuation of $55 billion.
Founded in 2013, Nubank was built by three entrepreneurs, David Velez of Colombia, Edward Wible of the United States and Cristina Junqueira of Brazil.
What Can We Expect?
As of Sept. 30, the neobank reported an active user count that totaled 48 million. As the company operates primarily in Latin America, where many lean toward an unbanked lifestyle, that statistic is impressive.
That said, the aforementioned decrease in Nubank’s valuation certainly raised some questions — and not without reason. While some have made arguments that it is indicative of a diminishing market or troubling sector, the fact that Warren Buffett maintains his position in the company shouldn’t be discounted.
It’s also worth noting that this season has brought some highly impressive IPOs, such as electric vehicle (EV) producer Rivian (NASDAQ:RIVN), which rocked Wall Street in the best way possible in its debut. By comparison, most of the IPOs that followed haven’t looked so good. But that certainly doesn’t mean they don’t have the potential to take off.
The Nubank IPO is happening a time when markets are still reeling in reaction to the omicron variant. Plus, there still may be darker days ahead. However, if that proves to be the case, completely digital banking institutions like Nubank could certainly stand to benefit. Even at the current lowered valuation, its IPO is worth watching.
On the date of publication, Samuel O’Brient did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
