London-listed YouGov plays down US listing speculation

investmentweek.co.uk:

Shakespeare said the company, which floated in London in 2005 and is valued at more than £1bn, said the US market was more supportive and a “natural base” for YouGov.

Stephan Shakespeare, who co-founded the pollster and data analytics firm alongside former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi in 2000 and sits as chair after stepping down as CEO this month, told the FT the group could move its primary listing to the US or establish a secondary listing.

Shakespeare said the company, which floated in London in 2005 and is valued at more than £1bn, said the US market was more supportive and a «natural base» for YouGov.

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He also said the group had previously been too small to consider moving to the US market, but the acquisition of the consumer panel business of GfK for €315m this year had made the move more viable.

«Until recently, we have been too small. With the recent acquisition, that has increased our size by 50% overnight. I do feel that we could be introduced to a bigger market, [which] would be helpful,» he told the newspaper.

However, YouGov said in a statement today (14 August): «The board routinely considers all its listing options, including a premium listing on the LSE. No decision has been made and a US listing is not being considered in the near term.»

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The move would have been the latest blow to the London Stock Exchange, which has seen a string of departures this year as companies flee from cheap valuations towards the deeper investor pool the US market offers.

At the start of March, British chip-maker Arm opted for a New York listing and building materials