Parent company of Bi-Lo, Winn Dixie going public

Southeastern Grocers, parent company of Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie supermarkets, has filed a registration statement on a proposed initial public offering.

The shares are expected to be offered by Southeastern Grocers, and the number of shares to be offered and the price range for the offering have not yet been determined.

Citigroup, Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank Securities will act as representatives of the underwriters for the offering, and, together with William Blair and Wells Fargo Securities, will act as joint book-running managers for the offering.

The move will make Winn-Dixie part of a public company, again — the Southeastern grocer had become private following the announcement of its acquisition by Bi-Lo in December, 2011.

Revenues raised from the IPO may be used to rejuvenate a pair of recent Bi-Lo acquisitions, though Southeastern Grocers did not issue a comment regarding how any raised capital would be used.

In March, the parent company of the Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie supermarket chains bought three chains (165 stores) from Belgium-based Delhaize Group, including the Sweetbay, Harveys and Reid's banners, for $265 million.

And earlier this month, Bi-Lo Holdings acquired 22 Piggly Wiggly stores across South Carolina and coastal Georgia.