Jan 28 - Anaplan, the U.S.-based software company that provides enterprise planning tools, is reported to be preparing a confidential filing for an initial public offering that could be submitted in the coming weeks. The move would come almost four years after private equity firm Thoma Bravo acquired Anaplan in a $10.4 billion take-private transaction.
At this stage it is not known how much capital Anaplan intends to raise or what valuation it would seek through an IPO, and the company's plans remain subject to change. Requests for comment sent to Thoma Bravo and Anaplan did not receive an immediate response.
Anaplan was a publicly traded company in 2018 before the 2022 acquisition by Thoma Bravo. The private equity firm, which focuses on software companies, currently reports more than $181 billion in assets under management. In recent months the firm has also examined public offerings for other holdings in its portfolio, including Ping Identity and Proofpoint, while having taken identity security company SailPoint public last February.
The possible confidential filing follows a pattern in which private-equity owners prepare for exits by readying IPO registration documents without making details public immediately. In this instance, however, specifics around timing, the size of any offering and the target valuation have not been disclosed publicly and could be altered as plans evolve.
Context and potential market relevance
If the confidential filing proceeds, it would represent another example of a major software vendor moving toward a public-market return after a multi-year private ownership period. The development is notable for investors tracking the software sector and private-equity activity in technology, and for market participants monitoring supply of software IPO opportunities.
The facts available at this time are limited to the reported intent to file confidentially, the prior 2018 public listing and the 2022 acquisition, the absence of disclosed capital targets or valuation, and Thoma Bravo's broader activity in exploring IPOs for other portfolio companies.