(Nov 4): WeRide Inc is set to raise HK$2.39 billion (US$308 million) from its Hong Kong share sale, according to people familiar with the matter, as it joins a slate of US-listed Chinese firms seeking a second listing in one of the world’s busiest markets.
The Guangzhou-based autonomous-driving company is telling prospective investors it plans to price its listing at HK$27.10 a share, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information isn’t public. WeRide is selling about 88 million shares and had set a maximum price of HK$35 each, its prospectus showed.
The planned pricing represents a discount of almost 4% to WeRide’s Monday close on the Nasdaq of US$10.90. One American depositary share is equal to three ordinary shares.
WeRide declined to comment on the pricing, but said it remains focused on executing its business strategy and delivering value to stakeholders.
WeRide is due to list in Hong Kong on Thursday, Nov 6, the same day as New York-listed Chinese rival Pony AI Inc, which raised HK$6.7 billion. Both companies went public last year in the US, where delisting threats have been brewing, boosting the appeal of Hong Kong as another venue.
China International Capital Corp and Morgan Stanley are joint sponsors of the WeRide offering, and JPMorgan Chase & Co is also arranging the deal.
See also: Alphabet sells US$25b of corporate bonds in US, Europe
Driverless push
WeRide and Pony AI’s parallel offerings underscore China’s ambitions, with Beijing setting a policy goal for the country to become the world’s leader in driverless vehicles by 2035.
WeRide plans to use the proceeds from the offering for purposes including developing its autonomous-driving technology, scaling up its robotaxi commercialisation and ride-hailing services and further expanding overseas.
See also: Driverless tech firm Pony AI raises US$863m in Hong Kong listing
The share sale has attracted investors including Uber Technologies Inc and Grab Holdings Ltd, Singapore’s Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd and automotive supplier Robert Bosch GmbH, people familiar with the matter have said.
WeRide’s American depositary shares have fallen 30% since their October 2024 debut in New York, giving the firm a market capitalisation of US$3.4 billion.
Uploaded by Tham Yek Lee
