Chinese TV producer Linmon Media hopes that third time is lucky as it files an application for an IPO in Hong Kong.
Chinese TV producer Linmon Media has filed an application for an initial public offering in Hong Kong. It is the third time that the eight-year-old company has sought a stock market flotation. The heavily-redacted draft prospectus, sponsored by Morgan Stanley and CICC, does not reveal how much fresh capital the company aims to raise, nor the company’s anticipated valuation. The timetable for IPO is also not disclosed. Linmon previously sought a listing on the mainland China A-share market and had a prior attempt at listing in Hong Kong late last year. Both applications were abandoned. The company was founded back in 2014 by former SMG head of film Zhou Yuan, and co-founders Su Xiao, Chen Fei and Xu Xiao’ou. Now it claims to be the fourth largest TV producer in China in what is a highly fragmented market, and a market share of just 2.9%. Its recent shows include “A Love for Separation,” “A Little Reunion,” “A Little Dilemma,” “Nothing but Thirty,” and “Twenty Your Life On” focus on popular contemporary topics such as family life, education, and female empowerment. Licensing these to broadcasters, streamers and third-party distributors make up the majority of its business, though it is also involved in content marketing and film distribution.
