Adani rides out storm as investors rally behind $2.5bln share sale

BENGALURU: Gautam Adani's $2.5 billion share sale was fully subscribed on Tuesday as investors pumped funds into his flagship Adani Enterprises Ltd despite a scathing report by a short-seller that pummelled stocks in the Indian billionaire's group. The follow-on public offering (FPO) is critical for Adani, not just because it will help cut the group's debt, but because its success will be seen as a mark of investor confidence as he faces one of his biggest business and reputational challenges. COMMENTARY VINIT BOLINJKAR, HEAD OF RESEARCH, VENTURA SECURITIES, MUMBAI "The fact that the FPO has got fully subscribed reinforces the faith of institutional buyers. We believe that the successful completion of the FPO means that retail participation will return once the sanity prevails around the volatility in the stock. "The FPO is a step in the right direction, given the fact that interest rates are expected to move up and infusing equity into the business will help fund part of the growth as well as repay some part of the debt which has been the equity stroke capital raising plans of the company." IPEK OZKARDESKAYA, SENIOR MARKET ANALYST, SWISSQUOTE BANK, SWITZERLAND "News that Abu Dhabi International is backing Adani by investing $400 million is the trigger of the jump we see in FPO. Adani had lost near $70 billion in market value since the allegations were out, so it looks like the latest news from Abu Dhabi International helped investors give Adani the benefit of the doubt." SAURABH JAIN, ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT, RESEARCH, SMC GLOBAL SECURITIES, NEW DELHI "With the issue getting subscribed, I feel that it only shows that investors repose their faith and confidence in the Adani Group and that they do believe in its growth story. With the money coming in, the company will continue to be on a growth path, with the concerns left behind." ARUN KEJRIWAL, FOUNDER OF KEJRIWAL RESEARCH AND INVESTMENT SERVICES, MUMBAI "The subscription happening within the three-day period, in the backdrop of Hindenburg's report, is quite noteworthy. The only tinge of disappointment is that retail subscription did not come through. That was their focus area considering the fact that there was a difference between the market price and the floor price of the FPO. It seems that retail investors did not consider the fact that there is more to rates than just the price." LEONARD LAW, SENIOR CREDIT ANALYST, LUCROR ANALYTICS, SINGAPORE "Investors would view the successful completion of the FPO as a welcome relief as it implies that the company still has the support of institutional investors. The FPO would help to enlarge Adani Enterprises' public float (thereby partly addressing the issue over the promoters' concentrated shareholding), as well as reduce leverage for the company and improve investor sentiment for the wider group. "That said, it would be helpful to know the identities of the subscribers, given concerns over investments by offshore shell companies." RUCHIT JAIN, LEAD RESEARCH ANALYST AT 5PAISA.COM, MUMBAI "It seems good that the fear which was overdone is finally settled. This should bring confidence back in the Adani group stocks and broader markets too." (Reporting by Bansari Mayur Kamdar, Ankika Biswas and Rama Venkat in Bangalore, and Anshuman Daga in Singapore; Editing by Savio D'Souza)

Adani rides out storm as investors rally behind $2.5bln share sale

DISCOVER MORE

ADX welcomes Emirates NBD Capital as a custodian amid post trading service enhancements

Union Coop distributes 22% cash dividends and 5% returns on shareholder purchases

India's NSE rolls back 6% hike in transaction charges on equity cash, derivatives

Mideast Stocks: UAE equities extend losses on ex-dividend stocks, bearish mood

Ongoing banking worries mean no respite for world stocks

Sri Lankan shares end higher as financial, consumer discretionary stocks rise

Stocks gain anew as small rate hikes loom: Philippines

Abu Dhabi's ADNOC gears up for June listing of marine & logistics unit - sources

UAE exchange firm Al Ansari upsizes IPO on strong investor demand

Dubai's Emirates expands training fleet with $4.3mln aircraft order

2 African development banks invest $16bln in oil, gas projects

GCC central banks track US Fed move; hike key rates by 25bps

UAE's Presight AI to debut on Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange next week

UAE exchange firm Al Ansari upsizes IPO on strong investor demand

Presight AI’s IPO records 136-times oversubscription

Abu Dhabi’s IHC says picked up 15% in Presight AI’s IPO

Al Ansari Financial Services aims to raise $210mln in IPO

MENA-focused HyperPay to expand in Saudi Arabia through IPO

LATEST VIDEO

VIDEO: LSE-listing will facilitate more funding opportunities for us, Dar Global CEO

ZAWYA COVERAGE

Will gold face more downside or upside after Fed's rate hike?

Kenya signs $250mln deal with UK to boost food production

PODCAST: IFC is ready to back governments privatisation plans with capital

UAE's Presight AI to debut on Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange next week

Ramadan in Dubai: Iftar cannon to be fired at world's richest horse race

DP World and Delhi Capitals announce long-term partnership

Dubai records over $264.30mln in realty transactions Friday

Dubai logs over $2.34bln in weeklong real estate transactions

ADX welcomes Emirates NBD Capital as a custodian amid post trading service enhancements

THE BRI REPORT

China is reshaping the Belt and Road Initiative ahead of a post-pandemic era

DISCOVER MORE

LATEST VIDEO

ZAWYA NEWSLETTERS

ZAWYA COVERAGE