Banco Santander is planning an initial public offering that could raise $3 billion, The Financial Times reported. The bank has appointed advisers to spin off its Brazilian businesses and create one of the largest publicly listed banks in Latin America’s biggest economy.
Santander is preparing to float at least 20 percent of Banco Santander Brasil within the next three months, said the newspaper citing sources close to the bank.
Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, UBS and Santander will underwrite the deal. Bank of America-Merrill Lynch will be lead coordinator.
The prospectus for the I.P.O. could come as early as September, sources said. However, terms will depend on investor interest and market performances.
A Citigroup research note published last week valued the Brazilian unit at as much as $30 billion when compared with Brazil’s leading domestic private sector banks Itaú Unibanco and Bradesco, the report noted.