Paradox Interactive goes to the stock exchange
Games studio Paradox Interactive going public, can Di Digital reveal. The listing will take place before mid-year. "We want to let more owners both among the staff and the players," said the CEO and main owner Fredrik Wester.
Paradox Interactive is one of Sweden's fastest growing game developer.CEO Fredrik Wester, who owns just over 39 percent of the company, has previously stubbornly avoided the questions about IPO despite market pressure has been great. But now he confirms that the company launched an IPO process.
"The important thing is to get the owners who are long term and want to be part of our journey," he says.
Other major owners of Paradox is the investment company Spiltan and financier Peter Lindell, principal owner of the venture capital firm Rite Internet Ventures.
Avanza will keep the listing process, but the prospect is still not yet confirmed.
"We have a fun and different way to do this spreading of ownership on. The process will take take place in the traditional way. Exactly how do we talk about when all the details are clear, "said Chairman Hakan Sjunnesson.
The company's employees and fans of the game world will thus be prioritized. But the door is not closed for institutional investors.
"We expect that they too will be interested. No one is excluded, "says HĂĄkan Sjunnesson as via private company owns more than 4 percent of Paradox Interactive.
The reason for listing is that the company needs capital.
"We have cash in the bank and we would need banking assistance for buying it is also no problem. But a note of course gives access to the capital market, we would like to make acquisitions. Currently, we have no such immediate plans ", said Fredrik Wester.
At the recent spread of ownership two years ago invested financier Peter Lindell nearly 84 million in a combination of rights issue and purchase of shares valued Paradox Interactive to 500 million.
"We have not yet confirmed how much of that will be sold out now, it's a small part of everyone's possession. But clearly the company is worth much more today, "says HĂĄkan Sjunnesson.
The investment company Spiltan has previously valued its holdings of 37 percent of Paradox Interactive to between 480 and 813 million. It would give an overall value of the company at 1.3-2.2 billion.
Paradox recently published its financial statements for 2015, which showed record sales. Net sales were SEK 604 million and profit before tax rushed to 242 million. The figures were slightly doped since the company postponed some game launches in 2015.
Fredrik Wester do not want to give any detailed forecast for the next few years.
"It is always difficult because it depends on how the market looks like, what games we can release and what other games are launched. But the plan is to grow aggressively over the next four years. "
He sees three elements that can be developed further in the company. In addition to PC games, which are sold mainly via Steam, the company aims to go into games for consoles and step into the mobile gaming world for real.
"We've said it a long time and now it's time to go in there."
Paradox released five new games in the last year and a number of so-called expansions to existing games. This year the company come up with several games, including a strategy game in space "Stellaris" and World War strategy game "Hearts of Iron IV".
"We have spent considerable resources in both games and had a strategy to make them more elaborate in order to be able to become big sellers," said Fredrik Wester.
Last year, Paradox Interactive a mega hit with 'Cities: Skylines, "which was sold in the first month, a million copies.
Last fall, the company was bought roleplaying White Wolf Publishing. The idea is to produce board games, books and ultimately new PC games on the trademarks of White Wolf's briefcase.
Fredrik Wester tone now down expansion plans for Asia.
"We are for a number of discussions but has no partner ready for the market," he says.