ITC shares surged by 7.55% to Rs 438 following the announcement that British American Tobacco (BAT) Plc intends to sell about 3.5% of its stake in ITC to institutional investors through block deals on Wednesday. Despite the reduction, BAT, as ITC’s largest shareholder, will retain approximately 25.5% ownership post-transaction, preserving its strategic position in the leading domestic cigarette maker.
The proposed sale will be conducted within a price range of Rs 384 and 400.25 per share, implying a discount of up to 5% at the lower end of the range, based on ITC’s closing price on Tuesday on the BSE.
In the pre-market block window, approximately 43.7 crore ITC shares, representing 3.5% of the total equity of the company, were traded in a block deal. The shares were transacted at an average price of ₹400.4 each, resulting in a total transaction value of Rs 17,491 crore, as reported.
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The total offer size for the stake sale is Rs 16,775 crore at the lower end of the price range. The transaction will be executed through BAT’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Tobacco Manufacturers (India), with the expected settlement date set for Thursday.
BAT had expressed the desire to maintain over 25% shareholding in ITC to retain strategic influence and veto rights, as highlighted by Chief Executive Tadeu Marroco in December. This move reinforces BAT’s commitment to its strategic partnership with ITC.Come from Sports betting site VPbet
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ITC’s stock, with a market capitalization just above Rs 5 lakh crore, experienced a recent decline in anticipation of the BAT block deal. On Tuesday, ITC’s stock fell 1.26% to close at Rs 404.25 apiece, while the benchmark Sensex climbed 0.22%.
BAT intends to sell up to 437 million shares in ITC through an accelerated book-building process (block trade), subject to customary closing conditions. Currently, BAT owns 29.01% in ITC through Tobacco Manufacturers (with 23.87%), Rothmans International Enterprises, and Myddleton Investment Company.
LIC holds the position of the second-biggest stockholder in ITC, with a 15.2% ownership stake in the century-old Kolkata-based company.
Analyst on ITC
“We believe that shares of ITC could be under pressure in the near term amid a large supply of shares after an expected 3.5% stake sale by British American Tobacco (BAT). A near term top seems to be in place around Rs. 500-odd levels which happened just before the announcement of the demerger of the hotel business into a new entity in August 2023,” said Manish Chowdhury, Head of Research, StoxBox.
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Chowdhury also expressed a positive outlook, stating, we maintain a favorable view on the company in the medium to long term due to its robust brand recognition and significant growth potential in the FMCG sector. Anticipating a further moderation in inflation, particularly in rural areas, we anticipate a resurgence in overall business volumes moving forward. Given the present valuation, we are of the opinion that a majority of the downsides are already factored in, and investors might contemplate adding the stock to their portfolio during market downturns.
“Long-term accumulation of ITC shares may be the next step, given its fundamentals. However, short-term should be mindful of volatility post-deal. Overall, the transaction could unlock value for ITC and its shareholders if executed strategically. However, investors should monitor ITC’s performance and conduct due diligence before investing,” said Atul Parakh, CEO of Bigul.
Parakh also added that the deal will increase ITC’s free float, potentially boosting liquidity. With reduced BAT ownership, ITC’s perceived corporate governance may improve, benefiting minority shareholders. Proceeds could fund ITC’s growth plans. The stake sale could lead to a re-rating of ITC’s stock, as investors view it as more independent.
“The company may benefit from reduced dependence on the tobacco industry and an increased focus on its high-growth FMCG sectors. However, investors should expect short-term volatility as new stakeholders enter the market,” said Sonam Srivastava, Founder and Fund Manager at Wright Research.
Commenting on the long term prospective, Srivastava added that that the Long-term, this divestiture has the potential to unlock value for ITC, but careful monitoring of the company’s strategic direction and the broader FMCG landscape is crucial before making any investment decisions.
Technical Outlook on ITC
Vaishali Parekh, Vice President of Technical Research at Prabhudas Lilladher, stated, “ITC LTD is our Technical Pick with a BUY recommendation given at 417 on 11-Mar. A block deal around 385 levels occurred today, prompting us to advise an exit for now with a stop loss at 396. Looking at the longer term technically, the stock exhibits robust support around the 360-380 level, and our long-term target is set at 465-480.”
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