China's big-data company Aurora makes Nasdaq debut

NEW YORK - China's mobile big data solutions platform Aurora Mobile Limited debuted on the Nasdaq stock exchange on Thursday, trading under the ticker symbol of "JG."

Aurora priced its initial public offering (IPO) of 9,060,000 American Depositary Shares (ADSs) at $8.50 per ADS for a total offering size of $77 million, assuming the underwriters do not exercise their option to purchase additional ADSs. Three ADSs represent two Class A common shares.

The underwriters have been granted an option, exercisable within 30 days from the date of the final prospectus, to purchase up to 1,359,000 additional ADSs from the Company and the selling shareholders at the IPO price less the underwriting discount.

Aurora said that the proceeds from the IPO will mainly be used to invest in technology, infrastructure and research and development capabilities as well as the balance for general corporate purposes.

Shares of Aurora started trading at $9.00 per share, up 5.88 percent from its IPO price, and rose 3.53 percent to $8.80 per share at the close.

"By listing on the Nasdaq, Aurora hopes to further enhance brand awareness and attract more talents to better grasp business opportunities of China's fast-growing big data industry," Weidong Luo, co-founder and Chief Executive Office of Aurora told Xinhua after the opening bell.

Founded in 2011, the Guangdong, China-based company posted revenues of $20.2 million in the three months ended March 31, 2018, with a net loss of $3.5 million in the same period, Aurora said in its prospectus.

Goldman Sachs (Asia) LLC, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc are acting as joint bookrunners for the IPO.