
Hong Kong Stock Exchange
The successful Muyuan listing demonstrates renewed confidence of mainland firms in Hong Kong, bolstering the city’s capital‑raising pipeline, while the capital infusion supports modernization of China’s pork sector amid price pressures.
Hong Kong’s equity market has been clawing back from a multi‑year slump, driven by a series of regulatory tweaks that speed up listing approvals and broaden eligibility for mainland companies. Since early 2024 the exchange has attracted a handful of high‑profile offerings, including smart‑device maker Longcheer and snack retailer Busy Ming, signaling that the city’s once‑dormant IPO pipeline is reactivating. The Muyuan Foods listing, priced at the top of its range, adds the most sizable raise of the year and underscores the effectiveness of the new policy framework.
The pork sector in China faces a paradox of oversupply and muted consumer demand, which has squeezed margins and forced producers to seek efficiency gains. Muyuan’s capital plan targets advanced breeding research, precision nutrition, and bio‑security upgrades, positioning the firm at the forefront of smart farming initiatives that can lower production costs and stabilize output quality. By earmarking funds for overseas expansion, the company also aims to diversify its supply chain and tap into higher‑margin markets, a strategy that could mitigate domestic price volatility and support longer‑term profitability despite the projected 2025 profit dip.
Investors are watching the Muyuan deal as a barometer for cross‑border capital flows, with cornerstone participation from regional agribusiness giants underscoring the appeal of Hong Kong as a financing hub. The strong subscription levels suggest that institutional appetite for large‑scale, technology‑driven agrifood listings remains robust, even as broader market sentiment recovers. If the momentum sustains, we can expect a pipeline of similar offerings, reinforcing Hong Kong’s role in channeling mainland innovation to global investors and potentially stabilizing the city’s IPO revenues.
Muyuan Foods Raises About HKD 10.7 billion in Hong Kong Share Sale
Muyuan Foods, one of China’s largest hog breeders and already listed in Shenzhen, raised about HKD 10.7 billion (USD 1.4 billion) in gross proceeds after pricing its Hong Kong share sale at the top of the range, adding to indications that the city’s IPO market is showing signs of recovery.
The company sold 273.95 million H shares at a final offer price of HKD 39 (USD 5) per share, according to its allotment results announcement. Net proceeds totaled about HKD 10.47 billion (USD 1.3 billion) after listing expenses. Shares began trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on February 6.
Demand was firm across both tranches. After the deal launched on January 29, the Hong Kong public offering was subscribed 5.88 times, while the international tranche was covered 8.62 times. Cornerstone investors accounted for roughly half of the offering, led by Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Foods and Singapore’s Wilmar International, alongside Sinochem Hong Kong, Fidelity‑linked FIL Investment Management, and other global institutions.
Muyuan said the proceeds will be used primarily for R&D in breeding, smart farming, nutrition management, and biosecurity, as well as overseas expansion and supply chain upgrades. The listing comes as China’s pork industry continues to face oversupply and subdued consumption, conditions that have pressured hog prices and compressed margins across the sector.
The company said it expects full‑year profit in 2025 to decline 12.2 %–17.8 % year on year. Revenue for the nine months ended September rose 15.5 % to RMB 111.8 billion (USD 15.7 billion).
The offer also comes amid a broader repositioning of Hong Kong’s capital markets. Over the past year, the exchange has worked to pull itself out of an IPO slowdown by fine‑tuning regulations, accelerating approvals, and renewing outreach to mainland Chinese companies, an effort that is beginning to translate into activity.
Muyuan’s debut adds to a recent slate of listings, including smart‑device maker Longcheer and bulk‑snack retailer Busy Ming.
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