EV maker Rivian prices IPO above range to raise more than $11.9 bln

Amazon-backed electric vehicle (EV) maker Rivian sold shares in its initial public offering (IPO) at $78 (about R1,176) per share, above its target range, to raise more than $11.93bn (roughly R179,980,752,000), the company said on Tuesday.

The flotation ranks among the top 10 IPOs of all time in the US, according to data from Dealogic.

Rivian priced an upsized IPO of 153 million shares at $78 per share, the company said. On Friday, Rivian had boosted its price range to $72 to $74 (about R1,086 to R1,116) per share, up from an earlier range of $57 to $62 (about R860 to R935).

The mammoth IPO follows a highly successful investor roadshow last week with Wall Street's biggest institutional investors betting on Rivian to be the next big player in a sector dominated by Tesla.

The EV market is witnessing a surge in demand globally as consumers are growing more environmentally conscious and betting on eco-friendly vehicles. Tesla produced a record number of cars in its latest quarter and is building factories all over the world.

Founded in 2009, Rivian has been investing heavily to ramp up production. It is doubling down on production of its upscale all-electric R1T pickup truck launched in September.

The EV maker had about 55,400 R1T and R1S pre-orders in the US and Canada as of October 31, according to a recent regulatory filing.

Rivian said it had started deliveries of the R1T and had recorded revenue for the three months ended September 30. The net loss for that period, however, is estimated to increase due to higher production costs.

Amazon, which recently disclosed it holds an approximately 20% stake in Rivian, has ordered 100,000 of Rivian's electric delivery vans as part of the e-commerce company's broader effort to cut its carbon footprint.

Rivian will list its shares on the Nasdaq under the symbol "RIVN" on Wednesday.

Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan are the lead underwriters for the offering.