Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, China's largest e-commerce vendor, has officially confirmed it will hold an initial public offering in the United States, the company has announced.
The decision will "make [Alibaba] a more global company and enhance the company’s transparency, as well as allow the company to continue to pursue our long-term vision and ideals," according to a company statement sent on Sunday to China Daily.
It did not specify which bourse it will choose to float its shares, or give a detailed timetable.
Alibaba said that, should circumstances permit in the future, it will work towards toward extending its public status in China’s capital market in order to share its growth with the Chinese people.
The company also expressed gratitude towards those in Hong Kong who have supported Alibaba Group, including the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, which shut the door on a potential listing last September.
"We respect the viewpoints and policies of Hong Kong and will continue to pay close attention to and support the process of innovation and development of Hong Kong," the statement added.
Hong Kong regulators rejected Alibaba's IPO because of the firm's special request to keep a shareholder structure which would have allowed a group of top managers and founders to nominate and control the company's board of directors.
The unique requirement went against the exchange's one-share-one-vote principle.
The statement puts an end to rampant rumors about Alibaba’s choice of listing venue.
For example, the firm's recent purchase of a stake in a Hong Kong-listed company prompted speculation that Alibaba might use the deal to go public.
Analysts polled by Reuters have put Alibaba's market value at around $140 billion and the value of the IPO at $15 billion. If successful, it will go public in the world's biggest listing since Facebook Inc's debut in 2012.
The announcement came just two days after micro-blogging service Sina Weibo filed to raise $500 million via a US IPO. Alibaba holds 18 percent of Sina Weibo's shares.
【新闻快讯】
阿里巴巴集团16日宣布，启动在美国的上市事宜。
阿里巴巴集团表示，启动在美IPO为使公司更加透明、国际化，进一步实现阿里巴巴的长期愿景和理想。
作为中国最大的电子商务集团，自旗下子公司于2012年私有化以来，阿里巴巴集团谋求整体IPO的举动一直备受关注。
此前有机构预计，阿里巴巴上市有可能成为美国近年来最大规模的IPO，估值在千亿美元左右。
去年10月，阿里巴巴集团曾公开回应关于其ＩＰＯ的热议，集团CEO陆兆禧当时宣布，阿里巴巴决定不选择在香港上市。
以下为阿里巴巴公告全文：
阿里巴巴今天决定启动在美国的上市事宜，以使公司更加透明、国际化，进一步实现阿里巴巴的长期愿景和理想。未来条件允许，我们将积极参与回归国内资本市场，与国内投资者共同分享公司的成长。
感谢香港各界人士对阿里巴巴的关心和支持。我们尊重香港现时的相关政策和出发点，并将会一如既往地关注、参与并支持香港的创新和发展。
阿里巴巴集团
2014年3月16日
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