National Vision Holdings, a discount optical retailer and eye care provider LBO'ed by KKR, filed on Friday with the SEC to raise up to $100 million in an initial public offering. However, the deal size is likely a placeholder. This is the first public filing from a non-emerging growth company to take advantage of the SEC's new rule allowing large companies to file confidentially.
National Vision was taken private by Berkshire Partners in 2005 in for approximately $104 million and was subsequently acquired by KKR & Co. in 2014 for just over $1 billion.
The Duluth, GA-based company was founded in 1990 and booked $1.3 billion in sales for the 12 months ended July 1, 2017. It plans to list on the Nasdaq under the symbol EYE. National Vision Holdings filed confidentially on July 10, 2017. KKR is the sole bookrunner on the deal. No pricing terms were disclosed.
