Software firm Visma may delay plans for London listing - report

(Sharecast News) - Private equity-backed software firm Visma may reportedly delay plans for a London listing following the recent selloff in the sector. According to the Financial Times, which cited people familiar with the matter, Visma - owned by British buyout firm Hg - has been considering listing in the UK as soon as the first half of this year.

However, it might now push back an IPO into the latter half of 2026, sources told the FT, adding that the soonest a listing could take place would be in the second quarter.

One person close to Visma said it and Hg did not want to rush into any decision given the private equity firm's long-term ownership.

Visma's plans have been complicated by a selloff of software stocks this week given fears over how the rise of AI groups will affect their businesses.

One person familiar with the process told the FT it was a difficult market for Visma to list into, but that preparations continued to proceed with the listing when the time was right.

Hg has owned Visma, which provides small to medium-sized businesses with accounting and payroll software, since 2006 when it took the company private at a valuation of about £380m. It has repeatedly reinvested in Visma through its newer funds and cashed out some of its holdings through sales to external backers.

Hg owns about 70% of Visma with its co-investors, with the remainder held by groups including Singapore's GIC and US private equity group TPG.

Visma previously considered pursuing an IPO in 2023 but instead opted for a private share sale to investors including Jane Street and Altaroc in a transaction that valued the company at €19bn.