AFP –
TOKYO – Standard Japanese messaging app Line said Friday it was still
considering plans for an initial public present, after a report said it had deferred
the sale for a second year in a row.
Line’s
owner, South Korean Internet firm Never, was preparing an IPO for the company
in 2014, but reportedly postponed it to focus on the messaging app s growth.
It was
later reported that Line shares could start trading in Japan — and possibly New
York — as early as this seasonal in a deal that could value it at more than $8
billion.
But
the Wall Street Journal on Thursday cited anonymous sources as saying that Line
had delayed the strategy again until at least next year.
Responding
to the report, Tokyo-based Line said it was still mulling a deal.
“Our
company has never cancelled plans for an IPO — we re still in the analysis
procedure,” a spokeswoman told AFP.
“As
far as the timing is concerned, we will look at the situation with worldwide marketplaces
and our firm s own performance in deciding when to go ahead with a sale.”
The 2014
sale plan was put off due to dissimilarities between Line and its parent
company over details of the listing, local media said.
More recently, global A marketplaces have been hit by a trend of
volatility over fears about a slowdown in China and the impact on the world budget.
Line,
a must-have app for Japanese smartphone owners, lets users make free calls,
send instant messages, and post photos or short videos, along with a crowd of
other paid-services. It combines attributes from Facebook, Skype and WhatsApp.
The
app has a strong attendance in Asian markets such as Thailand, Taiwan and
Indonesia, as well as some Spanish-speaking areas, including Spain and Mexico.
Line
has been looking to increase in bigger markets, such as the US, but has not
been able to make important headway.
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