THE WHAT? KKR-backed Wella Company has filed for an initial public offering in the US after returning to profit and increasing annual revenue to US$2.94 billion.
THE DETAILS Wella reported net income of US$2.7 million on revenue of US$2.94 billion for the year ended June 30, 2026, compared with a US$44.6 million loss on US$2.69 billion of revenue a year earlier. The beauty group owns hair and nail brands including Wella, Clairol and OPI, alongside professional hair tools and accessories. IPO proceeds are expected to be used partly to repay debt and cover tax costs associated with a restructuring. Wella plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker WELA.
THE WHY? The IPO would return one of the global professional beauty industry’s largest hair and nail businesses to the public markets, while providing KKR with a potential route to monetise its investment following its acquisition of Wella from Coty.
Source: Bloomberg
