The Wella Company filed Amendment No. 2 to its Form S-1 registration statement with the SEC on November 13, 2026, in connection with a proposed initial public offering of its common stock on the New York Stock Exchange.

Key Highlights

  • IPO Registration: The Wella Company, a Delaware corporation, is registering shares of its common stock for an initial public offering, with no prior public market for the shares.
  • Proposed Exchange Listing: The company has applied to list its common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "WELA."
  • Reorganization Transactions: Prior to the offering's consummation, the company intends to undertake a series of reorganization transactions that would result in The Wella Company becoming the holding company of the business conducted by Rainbow Capital Group Limited and its consolidated subsidiaries.
  • Controlled Company Status: After the offering and Reorganization Transactions, the KKR Stockholders are expected to remain the controlling stockholders, making The Wella Company a "controlled company" within the meaning of NYSE corporate governance standards.
  • KKR Board Rights: So long as the KKR Stockholders and affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 5% of outstanding shares, the KKR Stockholders will be able to designate individuals to the board of directors under a stockholders agreement.
  • Underwriter Option: The company has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase additional shares at the IPO price to cover over-allotments, if any.
  • Key Underwriters: Goldman Sachs and Co. LLC, BofA Securities, KKR, and J.P. Morgan are listed as lead underwriters, among others.

The Wella Company's IPO Structure and Reorganization Plan

According to the filing, The Wella Company is a Delaware corporation filing this amended registration statement in connection with a proposed registered public offering of shares of its common stock. The company's principal executive offices are located at 100 Park Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10017. Krista Kubida, identified as Chief Legal Officer, is named as the agent for service of process. The registration statement carries Registration No. 333-298658.

The filing discloses that prior to the offering's completion, the company intends to carry out a series of reorganization transactions. These transactions are described as resulting in, "among other things, The Wella Company becoming the holding company of the business conducted by Rainbow Capital Group Limited and its consolidated subsidiaries." The preliminary prospectus notes that the initial public offering price range and the number of shares offered have not yet been determined, with those figures left blank in the filing. The filing states that the company expects to deliver shares to investors on or about a date in 2026 yet to be specified.

The filing identifies the registrant as a non-accelerated filer and states it is neither a smaller reporting company nor an emerging growth company. The risk factors section begins at page 25 of the prospectus, according to the table of contents included in the filing. Simpson Thacher and Bartlett LLP and Latham and Watkins LLP are listed as counsel in connection with the registration. All share counts, pricing per share, and totals for underwriting discounts and proceeds to the company remain blank in this preliminary prospectus, as the registration statement has not yet been declared effective.

What Was Disclosed

The Wella Company filed Amendment No. 2 to its S-1 registration statement on November 13, 2026, disclosing plans for an IPO on the NYSE under "WELA," preceded by reorganization transactions that would make it the holding company of Rainbow Capital Group Limited's business, with the KKR Stockholders expected to retain controlling ownership.