JULY 22 – Universal Music Group’s (UMG) – which is the world’s biggest music group and owner of the record labels behind mega stars Taylor Swift, Drake and Lady Gaga – has filed to sell its shares in the US.
The company, which is already listed in the Netherlands, has a stock market valuation there of almost €50bn ($43.3bn; $58.5bn).
The music powerhouse’s line-up of international superstars also includes Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande and Harry Styles.
The move comes as two major US share indexes – the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite – closed at fresh record highs on Monday as share markets continue to rebound after a brief slump over concerns triggered by President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.
UMG said in its statement that it has filed a confidential statement with the US financial markets regulator, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The potential public offering remains subject to review by the SEC, it added.
The company did not reveal the size of the planned US offering or how much it could raise.
Confidential filings allow firms to keep information private while engaging with regulators and assessing investor appetite for a share sale before disclosing details publicly.
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman’s hedge fund Pershing Square, which is one of the biggest shareholders of UMG, has previously pushed the firm to list in the US.
In January, Mr Ackman posted on X that a listing in the US would push up UMG’s value.
“We also believe the US listing will greatly improve trading liquidity for the shares,” he said.
The global music conglomerate owns major record labels, including Motown Records, which was home to Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson.
It also owns Capitol Music Group, which counts the Beatles and Katy Perry amongst its artists.
In 2024, UMG was involved in a dispute with TikTok over royalties.
The row saw UMG’s music being muted or removed from the social media platform until both firms reached an agreement in May that year.
