The value of Guzman y Gomez has surged past $3 billion after the Mexican-themed fast food giant debuted on the Australian share market.
But after listing on the ASX today, GYG shares have been trading at above $30 as of 1pm – an increase of about 36 per cent on what the company expected.
Guzman y Gomez’s market capitalisation has passed $3 billion as a result, up from $2.2 billion in the initial public offering (IPO) announcement.
The success will allow the restaurant chain to move forward with its plans to expand to more than 1000 stores in Australia in the next two decades.
It said last month that it planned to put $200 million of funds raised from the listing towards that expansion.
AI boom makes tech company richest in the world
It currently has 210 locations across Australia (where 185 are located), Singapore, Japan and the US.
Guzman y Gomez was established in 2006 by current co-CEO Steven Marks and fellow New Yorker Robert Hazan, with its first restaurant opening in the Sydney suburb of Newtown, in the city’s Inner West.
Marks said today that the IPO was “just the beginning” for the company.