Shein to hold roadshows ahead of planned London IPO, sources say

Shein is set to hold informal investor meetings in the coming weeks for its planned London initial public offering (IPO), three sources with knowledge of the matter said, pushing ahead with preparations as it awaits British regulatory approval.

The China-founded online retailer plans to hold informal roadshows mainly across Europe, one of the sources said, during which an IPO-bound company fields large investors' questions and tests their investment appetite.

The sources declined to be identified as they were not authorised to speak to the media.

A spokesperson for Singapore-headquartered Shein declined to comment. The company laid off 17 employees in Singapore on Sept 25 though it said it would continue to grow its operations in the Republic.

Shein confidentially filed papers with Britain's markets regulator in early June, kicking off the process for a potential London listing later in the year, Reuters reported in June, citing sources.

The company, valued at US$66 billion (S$85.6 billion) in 2023 during a fund-raising round, began considering a London IPO earlier in 2024 after its initial New York plan came unstuck following opposition from US lawmakers.