Toys R Us may delay an initial public offering contemplated for the first half of the year because of lackluster holiday sales, a source familiar with the situation said. The company filed for an IPO of up to $800 million. No final decision on the IPO's timing has been made, but the company and its private equity backers are discussing whether they might get a higher price if they allow the company more time to recover from weaker-than-expected Christmas sales, the source said. The decision could be tricky. More time could allow Toys R Us to show that its holiday sales were a fluke and the market share it gained from Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) and other mass market discounters is part of a broader trend. Holidays account for more than 40 percent of annual sales for retailers like Toys R Us. [ID:nN16290972]
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