Warner Music Group Files For IPO (Again)

UPDATE: Warner Music Group (WMG) has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering that will take the third-largest music group public again

Warner Music Group first went public in 2005 and then became a private company again in 2011 when Len Blavatnik’s Access Industries bought the company for $3.3 billion.

Why now?

WMG is just the latest music company to refinance or cash out as the shift to streaming generates revenue at a level that the industry has not seen in more than a decade. Late last year, Tencent Music acquired a 10% equity stake in Universal Music Group for $3.4 billion.

According to a statement from the company:

“The shares of common stock to be sold in this offering are proposed to be sold by certain of Warner Music Group’s stockholders.  The number of shares of common stock to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined.”

Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC will represent WMG to investors.

The third-largest major label group, WMG labels include Asylum, Atlantic, Big Beat, Canvasback, Elektra, Erato, First Night, Fueled by Ramen, Nonesuch, Parlophone, Reprise, Rhino, Roadrunner, Sire, Spinnin’, Warner Records, Warner Classics and Warner Music Nashville.  WMG’s music publishing arm, Warner Chappell Music, has a catalog of more than 1.4 million copyrights.

WMG also includes ADA, the independent artist and label services company, as well as Songkick the live music app, EMP the merchandise e-tailer, and UPROXX the youth culture destination.