Public Exits

AMC Entertainment Inc., a Kansas City-based movie theater chain, has filed for a $750 million IPO. Shareholders include JPMorgan Partners (20.78%), Apollo Management (20.78%), Bain Capital (15.09%), The Carlyle Group (15.09%) and Spectrum Equity Investors (9.76%).

Allegiant Travel Co., a Las Vegas–based operator of a low-cost passenger airline with leisure destinations like Las Vegas and Orlando, priced 5 million common shares at $18 per share ($15-$17 forecast), for an IPO take of $90 million. It is trading on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol ALGT. Merrill Lynch served as lead underwriter. Allegiant raised $39.5 million last year from ComVest Investment Partners, Irelandia II and company CEO Maurice Gallagher.

Biofuel Energy Corp., a Denver-based ethanol producer, has filed for a $300 million IPO. It plans to trade on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol BIOF, with JPMorgan, Citigroup and A.G. Edwards serving as co-lead underwriters. Shareholders include Greenlight Capital, Third Point Partners and Cargill Inc. The company initially plans to construct five large dry-mill ethanol plants on corn-belt sites where Cargill has a strong local presence and, in most cases, adjacent to grain storage facilities owned by or affiliated with them.

Claymont Steel Holdings Inc. (f.k.a. CitiSteel), a Claymont, Del.-based non-union maker of custom discrete steel plate, has set its proposed IPO terms to 6.25 million common shares being offered at between $15 and $17 per share. It plans to trade on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol PLTE, with Jefferies & Co. serving as lead underwriter. H.I.G. Capital holds a 99.3% pre-IPO position.

CompBenefits Corp., a Roswell, Ga.-based provider of dental and vision benefit plans, has filed for a $150 million IPO. It plans to trade on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol CBEN, with Goldman Sachs and Banc of America Securities serving as co-lead underwriters. Shareholders include TA Associates (24.05% pre-IPO stake), GTCR (19.25%), Nautic Partners (11.49%) and Wolverine Investment (10.42%).

Dayton Superior Corp., a Dayton, Ohio-based concrete forming and shoring rental company, has set its proposed IPO terms to 7.85 million common shares being offered at between $13 and $15 per share. It plans to trade on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol DSUP, with Robert W. Baird & Co. serving as lead underwriter. Odyssey Investment Partners is the company’s majority shareholder.

Obagi Medical Products Inc., a Long Beach, Calif.-based pharma company focused on the aesthetic and therapeutic skin health markets, has set its proposed IPO terms to 5.35 million common shares being offered at between $13 and $15 per share. It plans to trade on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol OMPI, with JPMorgan serving as lead underwriter. Stonginton Partners is the company’s majority shareholder.

Pegas Nonwovens, a Czech artificial fabrics maker, plans to raise up to €264 million via an IPO in both Prague and Warsaw. Pamplona Capital Partners is the company’s majority shareholder, while ING is serving as lead underwriter.

Salamander Energy PLC, a U.K.-based upstream oil and gas exploration and production company focused on Southeast Asia, has raised $200 million via an IPO on the London Stock Exchange. It has a market capitalization of $405 million. Salamander raised $22.6 million in VC funding from 3i Group in Sept. 2005, in exchange for a 15% ownership position.

Saratoga Partners is planning to sell 1.75 million shares of Koppers Holdings Inc. (NYSE: KOP) in a secondary public offering. Saratoga still will own approximately 20% of Koppers’ outstanding shares.

Solarfun Power Holdings Co. Ltd., a China-based manufacturer of photovoltaic cells and modules, has filed for a $186.3 million IPO. It plans to sell 12 million American depository shares at between $11.50 and $13.50 per share, and to trade on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol SOLF. Goldman Sachs (Asia) is serving as lead underwriter. Shareholders include Citigroup Venture Capital, Hony Capital, LC Fund III and Good Energies Investments Ltd.

Symrise AG, a German maker of flood flavorings, has priced a €1.4 billion IPO in Frankfurt. It is the year’s largest IPO in Germany. EQT Partners held a 52% pre-IPO position, and now holds 20.7% of share capital (or 15.9%, if the over-allotment option is exercised in full).