Jefferson Capital, the consumer debt buyer backed by private equity firm JC Flowers, soared 26.7% in its Nasdaq debut on Thursday, achieving a market valuation of $1.2bn in a strong signal of renewed investor appetite for PE-backed IPOs, according to a report by Reuters.

The Minneapolis-based company raised $150m through the sale of 10 million shares priced at $15 each, opening at $19. The listing marks a significant liquidity event for JC Flowers, which acquired Jefferson Capital in 2018.

The IPO comes amid a selective rebound in US listings, favouring high-growth, fundamentally strong issuers. Jefferson’s 2024 revenue rose 34.1% year-on-year to $433.3m, underlining the company’s steady performance since 2019.

Jefferson operates across the US, Canada, UK, and Latin America, providing debt recovery solutions for banks and consumer lenders.