KUALA LUMPUR: Family entertainment and toys distributor Semico Capital Bhd made a strong debut on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia today, opening at 45 sen, a 20 sen or 80% premium over its initial public offering (IPO) price of 25 sen, as investor appetite remained firm for consumer-facing growth stories.
At the opening bell, 23.48 million shares were traded, following an IPO oversubscription of 28.09 times, underscoring strong demand for the group’s arcade, amusement machine and toys distribution businesses.
The stock closed at 37.5 sen, 12.5 sen or 50% above the IPO price, on volume of 132 million shares.
Semico, listed under the Consumer Products and Services sector, raised RM23.2 million from the IPO to fund expansion across its two core segments, family entertainment and toys and collectables.
Executive director and CEO Tai Lee Chuen said the listing marked a key milestone for the group, which has spent nearly two decades building its presence in Malaysia’s family entertainment ecosystem.
“We are very happy with today’s share price performance. It is what we hoped for and we believe this is a good start for the company,” Tai told reporters after the listing ceremony.
“We are confident we can continue to do better year on year as our fundamentals remain strong.”
Semico’s family entertainment segment involves the distribution of arcade and amusement machines to operators such as arcade centres, theme parks and family entertainment centres, as well as operating its own arcade outlet in Selangor. The group adopts a mix of revenue-sharing, rental and outright sales models, offering machines such as claw machines, racing games and sports games. It currently serves 77 customer stores nationwide and distributes machines from brands including Superwing, Dreamfuns and UNIS.
Tai said the arcade business remains the group’s largest profit contributor, providing earnings stability even amid changing consumer trends in collectibles.
“Whatever is happening in the art toy or collectibles space will not affect us too much. Arcade continues to be our biggest contributor,” he said, adding that the group does not rely on a single product or brand to drive growth.
Under the IPO proceeds allocation, RM8.5 million will be used to purchase 188 new arcade and amusement machines for expansion, while RM2.1 million is set aside to replace 55 older machines, many of which are over five years old and fully depreciated. The group currently operates about 650 machines nationwide.
Another RM2.5 million will be channelled towards expanding the toys and collectables segment, while RM4 million is allocated for working capital and RM1.6 million for repayment of bank borrowings.
Semico’s toys and collectables business focuses on the wholesale and distribution of items such as action figures and blind boxes. The group currently carries 68 brands, with products available at 303 customer outlets nationwide, including convenience stores, hobby shops, toy retailers, cinemas and family entertainment centres.
Tai said the group remains selective in brand partnerships and is focused on leveraging its distribution strength, rather than depending on short-term product trends.
“Our strength is in our distribution channel. Trends come and go, so we are always looking to bring in new brands and catch the next wave,” he said, while declining to name upcoming partnerships.
Head of finance Amilia Sabtu added that Malaysia remains a healthy market for family entertainment spending, providing good visibility for 2026.
“Based on our internal data, we are still growing at a healthy pace. The local market continues to show resilience,” she said.
On expansion plans, Tai said the group will prioritise organic growth within Malaysia, citing strong domestic demand. Overseas expansion is not on the immediate agenda.
“When the time is right, we will explore it, but for now our focus is on strengthening what we already have,” he said.
Semico also plans to strengthen its workforce, particularly technical teams, to support the rollout of new machines and ensure operational efficiency as its footprint expands.
Affin Hwang Investment Bank Bhd is the principal adviser, sponsor, sole placement agent and sole underwriter for the IPO.
