Led by Kbank, which is making another bid to list on the KOSPI this week, retail investors can subscribe to offerings from corporations such as ESteem and AXBIS.
The biggest focus is Kbank, Korea's first internet-only bank. The retail subscription for Kbank, which began on the 20th, ends on the 23rd. The offering price was set at 8,300 won, the lower end of the indicative range, seen as market-friendly, with the total offering amount at 498 billion won.
Kbank plans to use the funds raised in this offering for entry into the small-business (SME) market, strengthening technological competitiveness, and new digital asset businesses. Kbank, which posted standalone 2024 revenue of 1.2258 trillion won and operating profit of 133 billion won, will debut on the KOSPI on Mar. 5. The underwriters are NH Investment & Securities, Samsung Securities, and Shinhan Investment & Securities.
ESteem, which operates model management and content production, will take subscriptions on the 23rd and 24th. ESteem recorded a high 1,335-to-1 competition rate in bookbuilding and set the offering price at 8,500 won, the top of the indicated band.
Backed by strong influencer intellectual property (IP) such as Jang Yoon-ju and Han Hye-jin, ESteem is expanding its brand marketing business and plans to use the proceeds for investments in K-fashion brands and establishing a New York branch. The underwriter is Korea Investment & Securities Co., and the expected listing date is Mar. 6.
During the same period, AXBIS, a high-power laser solutions company, will also open subscriptions. AXBIS, which has the intelligent laser platform "Vision Scan" that integrates AI and Robotics technologies, posted a 1,124-to-1 bookbuilding competition rate and set the offering price at 11,500 won. Mirae Asset Securities is the underwriter, and the company is targeting a KOSDAQ listing on Mar. 9.
In addition, this week Kanaph Therapeutics, an innovative drug development company (23–27), and IMBiologics, a developer of autoimmune disease therapies (27–Mar. 6), will conduct bookbuilding for institutional investors, keeping the bio IPO momentum going.