Lyft in talks to hire advisor for 2019 IPO: Bloomberg

(Reuters) - U.S. ride services firm Lyft Inc is in talks with an advisor for a targeted March or April 2019 initial public offering, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

An illuminated sign appears in a Lyft ride-hailing car in Los Angeles, California, U.S. September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Helgren

In September last year, Reuters reported that the second biggest U.S. ride service company was close to hiring an IPO advisory firm in its first concrete step to become publicly listed.

Lyft has hired Class V Group LLC to work with the management on the process and plans to begin taking pitches from banks starting as early as September, Bloomberg said, citing sources. bloom.bg/2NCmGnt

Lyft and Class V Group did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment.

Lyft has, in the past, defied predictions about when it will launch its IPO.

The ride hailer had raised $600 million in its most recent funding round led by Fidelity Management in June this year, doubling its valuation to $15.1 billion in little over a year. Lyft operates in roughly the same number of U.S. cities as rival Uber, which is also planning to go public next year.

An initial public offering for Lyft would amplify Uber’s[UBER.UL] troubles. It would be an opportunistic way for the company, which was valued at $7.5 billion in its last funding round, to capitalize on its larger rival. Fresh capital for Lyft would merely compound the frontrunner’s injuries.

Reporting by Mekhla Raina in Bengaluru; Editing by Sunil Nair

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