ABN Amro could IPO by end of 2015

ABN Amro, the Dutch bank whose 2007 acquisition by Royal Bank of Scotland was a final catalyst of the global banking crisis, could seal its stock market comeback by the end of 2015.

Parts of ABN were rescued in a €22bn bail-out in 2008 by the Dutch government, whose NL Financial Investments vehicle, which manages stakes in bailed-out financial institutions, has said it could launch an initial public offering as early as the fourth quarter of this year, given suitable market conditions.

Based on previous comments, the Dutch government is expected to float off an initial 30% stake and then sell off the remaining shares in coming years, much as the UK government has done with Lloyds and RBS.

NLFI has calculated ABN is currently worth about €15bn, a fraction of the €70bn paid by the consortium of Belgian rival Fortis, RBS, and Spain’s Banco Santander in 2007.