NSE Scales Back IPO As Valuation Concerns Grow Arabian Post

(MENAFN- The Arabian Post) clearfix">National Stock Exchange of India has cut the size of its long-awaited initial public offering by more than 15 per cent, with several existing shareholders reducing planned sales after the exchange settled on a lower valuation range.

The offer will now comprise up to 126.44 million shares, down from about 148.91 million in the draft prospectus, according to the red herring prospectus dated September 10. The price band has been fixed at Rs 1,700 to Rs 1,785 a share, valuing NSE at as much as roughly Rs 4.42 trillion.

At the top of the band, the offer could raise about Rs 22,568 crore, compared with roughly Rs 26,580 crore had the original number of shares been sold at the same price. The transaction is entirely an offer for sale, meaning NSE will not receive proceeds and no fresh shares will be issued.

The revised structure follows concern among prospective investors about whether the exchange could sustain the growth rates that supported higher valuation expectations before tighter rules cooled activity in its lucrative derivatives business. An earlier marketed range of about Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,100 a share would have implied a valuation of as much as Rs 5.26 trillion.

Several large shareholders have reduced the number of shares they plan to sell. State Bank of India cut its proposed sale to about 15.97 million shares from 24.75 million, while Bank of Baroda, Indian Bank and other institutional holders also lowered their offers. SBI Capital Markets was added as a selling shareholder with nearly 8.8 million shares.

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Other investors, including Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and ICICI Lombard General Insurance, retained their proposed sale quantities. The changes reduce the stake being offered to about 5.2 per cent of NSE's equity from the 6 per cent envisaged in the draft prospectus.

The downsizing comes as investors scrutinise the exchange's dependence on derivatives activity. NSE derives a substantial share of its revenue from options trading, where volumes have weakened after the Securities and Exchange Board of India introduced measures aimed at curbing excessive speculation and reducing risks for retail participants.

Options trading volumes on the exchange fell more than 12 per cent from a year earlier in August, adding to questions about the pace of future transaction-related revenue growth. Those concerns have been balanced by NSE's strong profitability and dominant position in cash equities and derivatives.

For the quarter ended June, NSE reported a 6.7 per cent increase in net profit to about Rs 3,120 crore, while revenue rose roughly 13 per cent to Rs 4,560 crore. The figures give prospective investors a clearer view of the exchange's earnings power as they assess the lower offer price.

The public offer is scheduled to open on September 17 and close on September 21, with anchor investors expected to bid a day earlier. A listing is expected around September 24, subject to completion of the offer process and final regulatory requirements.

The timetable follows regulatory clearance that removed a key obstacle to the listing. The Securities and Exchange Board of India approved the IPO prospectus on September 4 after NSE moved to settle long-running disputes linked to allegations of unfair access to its trading systems.

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The Supreme Court also dismissed the market regulator's appeal in the co-location matter after the parties indicated that a settlement had been reached. NSE had agreed to pay about Rs 1,491 crore to resolve the case, allowing the listing process to advance without that litigation hanging over the issue.

The reduced transaction will no longer challenge Hyundai Motor India's 2024 flotation for the record as the country's largest IPO by proceeds. Hyundai raised about Rs 27,870 crore, while NSE's offer is expected to be worth about Rs 22,500 crore at the top of its announced price band.

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