Wella Company files for US IPO after returning to profit under KKR ownership
Key takeaways
- Wella Company has filed for a US IPO as KKR seeks to capitalize on investor interest in beauty brands.
- The hair and nail care company has returned to profitability, reporting US$2.94 billion in revenue in FY26 and US$62.3 million in net income.
- Wella’s public offering follows KKR’s acquisition of the company from Coty and continued expansion of its global beauty portfolio.
Wella Company has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) in the US. The move comes after the nail and hair care company backed by investment firm KKR returned to profit and increased its annual revenue to US$2.94 billion.
By taking Wella public, KKR is positioning Wella to capitalize on improving investor appetite. The move follows KKR’s continued investment in Wella over the years, after the company initially purchased a 60% stake of the brand from Coty in 2020 for US$4.3 billion, including debt.
KKR completed its acquisition of Wella by buying Coty’s remaining 25.8% stake in the brand in December. The terms of the transaction gave Coty US$750 million in upfront cash consideration.
Wella reported over a 9% increase in revenue for the financial year ended June 30, 2026, cashing the fiscal year at US$2.94 billion. Net income also returned to profit with US$62.3 million, up from a US$8.7 million loss in 2025.
Earlier this year, sources told Reuters that the company had been working with investment banks such as Bank of America and Goldman Sachs for the public listing.
At the time, experts familiar with the matter reportedly placed Wella’s potential valuation at higher than the US$4.3 billion KKR paid for the global beauty company.
Wella’s portfolio includes brands such as OPI, Clairol, Sebastian Professional, Good Hair Day, and Nioxin, operating in over 100 countries.
According to Reuters, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America Securities, KKR, and J.P. Morgan are among the underwriters to the offering.
