NIQ Global Eyes $7.26 Billion Valuation in US IPO, Led by Advent International and KKR

Consumer intelligence company NIQ Global is targeting a $7.26 billion valuation in its US IPO, aiming to raise $1.2 billion by offering 50 million shares priced between $20 and $24. The IPO market is expected to pick up over the next fortnight, with companies looking to go public before the annual August lull. NIQ operates in 90 countries and caters to 23,000 companies, including Coca-Cola and Walmart.

Consumer intelligence company NIQ Global is targeting a valuation of $7.26 billion in its upcoming U.S. initial public offering (IPO), aiming to raise $1.2 billion by offering 50 million shares priced between $20 and $24 [1]. The IPO is expected to take place as part of a broader trend of private equity-backed companies returning to the U.S. market with high levels of debt [2].

NIQ Global operates in 90 countries and caters to 23,000 companies, including major brands such as Coca-Cola and Walmart. The company, previously known as NielsenIQ, was acquired by Advent International and former TransUnion CEO Jim Peck in 2021 for $2.7 billion [3]. Under Peck's leadership, NIQ has been preparing for its IPO, focusing on reducing its debt load.

The IPO market is expected to pick up over the next fortnight, with companies looking to go public before the annual August lull. NIQ's IPO is being led by a consortium of major financial institutions, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, UBS, Barclays, and Royal Bank of Canada [4].

The company's Q1 2023 financial results show a net loss of $73.7 million on revenue of $966 million, indicating a challenging period. However, NIQ's debt profile is significant, with a total debt of $4.3 billion and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of $740.7 million last year. The IPO proceeds will be used to reduce this debt, aiming to lower leverage ratios to more acceptable levels for public market investors [4].

Advent International will still own more than 52% of NIQ after the IPO, assuming the underwriters exercise an option to buy up to an additional 7.5 million shares from the private-equity firm, while minority investor KKR would own around 10% [3]. The company plans to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NIQ.

References:
[1] https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2025-07-14/advent-backed-niq-global-targets-up-to-7-1-billion-valuation-in-us-ipo
[2] https://ng.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/niq-global-set-to-launch-1-billionplus-us-ipo-next-week--bloomberg-93CH-2004236
[3] https://www.morningstar.com/news/dow-jones/202507143072/niq-global-intelligence-market-cap-could-top-7-billion-in-ipo
[4] https://www.ainvest.com/news/niq-global-set-launch-1-billion-ipo-week-2507-62/