KKR To Go Public

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts is going public through a complicated transaction in which it will merge with KKR Private Equity – its listed unit in Amsterdam – and then take its combined entity to a listing in New York.

The deal, which will raise no new capital, values the buy-out group at a discount to rival Blackstone and far below the $26 billion that KKR had estimated in securities filings last year after it first revealed plans to go public

KKR is now hoping the New York listing will value the company at $15 billon-$19 billion.