CK Hutchison Holdings (HKG:0001) clarified that its board has made no formal decision regarding an initial public offering or timeline for its health and beauty retail arm, AS Watson.
In a statement to, the Hong Kong conglomerate said it "continuously explores and evaluates opportunities to enhance long-term value for shareholders," including possible transactions involving businesses within the group, and preliminary preparatory steps for such transactions.
The response follows a Financial Times report over the weekend indicating that CK Hutchison was considering delaying AS Watson's planned autumn 2026 listing in London and Hong Kong, which seeks to raise roughly $2 billion at a $30 billion valuation.