Euronext said today it aims to raise between €880m and €1.158 billion in an initial public offering which would value the European financial markets operator at up to €1.75 billion.
Euronext's parent Intercontinental Exchange will offer up to 60.15% of the capital of the company in the IPO, or 42,108,230 shares, expected to be priced at between €19-25 a share.
A group of institutional investors, which include French banks BNP Paribas and SocGen, Dutch firm ABN Amro, Belgian government investment vehicle SFPI, European clearing house Euroclear, and a unit of Portugal's Banco BPI will take a 33.36% stake in the market operator at a 4% discount to the IPO price.
In addition, a number of institutional investors have committed to purchase 2% of the shares in the IPO, said Euronext.
The group operates equity, fixed income and derivatives markets in Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels and Lisbon, and has recently received approval to operate as a full exchange by Britain's financial regulator.
IntercontinentalExchange acquired NYSE Euronext in a $11 billion deal last year, and the US exchange group committed to spinning off Euronext.
European regulators approved ICE's takeover of NYSE Euronext on condition it kept a 25% stake in Euronext for three years, or found appropriate investors to replace it.
Chief Executive Dominique Cerutti told reporters on a conference calls that he planned for a 65% free float, with 10% reserved for sale to retail investors.
The cornerstone investors holding about 1% each are French utility GDF Suez and KBC Bank.
