IMS opens IPO at $20 per share

DANBURY, Conn. — IMS Health Holdings on Thursday announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 65 million shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $20 per share, including 52 million shares to be sold by IMS Health and 13 million shares to be sold by selling shareholders. In addition, the selling shareholders have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 9.75 million shares of common stock at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.  

IMS Health expects to use substantially all of the net proceeds from the shares offered by it to repay existing long-term debt. IMS Health will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling shareholders.

The offering is expected to close on April 9, 2014, subject to customary closing conditions. The shares are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange on April 4, 2014 under the ticker symbol “IMS.”