Table of Contents
Waterstones could list in London or New York under plans being drawn up by its US private equity owner.
A source close to Elliott Advisors told the Mail that an initial public offering is an option on the table for the bookstore.
It comes after boss James Daunt, who joined Waterstones in 2011 and also runs US retailer Barnes & Noble, told the Financial Times a combined listing would be “logical”.
The decision is up to Elliott, which acquired Waterstones in 2018 and Barnes & Noble the following year.
Combined listing: Waterstones boss James Daunt (pictured) also runs US retailer Barnes & Noble
There is no imminent plan to list the companies, but it is a possible option in the future, a source close to the fund manager said.
A listing in London would be a big boost for the City, but it would be a blow to the stock market if Waterstones listed in New York.
Elliott declined to comment. Waterstones did not respond to a request for comment.
DIY INVESTMENT PLATFORMS
AJ Bell
AJ Bell
Easy investing and ready-to-use portfolios
Hargreaves Lansdown
Hargreaves Lansdown
Free Fund Trading and Investment Ideas
interactive inverter
interactive inverter
Fixed fee investing from £4.99 per month
sax
sax
Get £200 back in trading fees
Trade 212
Trade 212
Free trading and no account commission
Affiliate links: If you purchase a This is Money product you may earn a commission. These offers are chosen by our editorial team as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence.