Krishna Kant And Sachin P Mampatta

Stories by Krishna Kant And Sachin P Mampatta

As markets turn volatile, investors look to the stars for guidance

As markets turn volatile, investors look to the stars for guidance

Rediff.com   17 Apr 2020

The spread of COVID-19 and the accompanying mayhem caused the S&P BSE Sensex to drop over 38.5 per cent from its all-time high of 42,273.9 to a low of 25,981.2 on March 23. Those in the astrology and even numerology segments received more calls than before during the time.

India Inc more vulnerable now than in recession of 2008

India Inc more vulnerable now than in recession of 2008

Rediff.com   14 Apr 2020

Profitability and cash reserves have halved since the global financial crisis.

Family-owned businesses lose Rs 22 trillion in m-cap in FY20

Family-owned businesses lose Rs 22 trillion in m-cap in FY20

Rediff.com   1 Apr 2020

The combined market capitalisation of the top 873 family-owned companies was down 26.3 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 61.8 trillion at the end of trading on Tuesday. It had grown 6 per cent in FY19 and nearly 20 per cent in FY18.

Shutdown puts Rs 15-trillion debt at risk

Shutdown puts Rs 15-trillion debt at risk

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2020

Some of the top indebted companies likely to face financial headwinds in the coming quarters include NTPC, PowerGrid, Tata Steel, Adani Power, JSW Steel, UPL, and Steel Authority of India. Together these 201 companies owed Rs 14.9 trillion to their lenders at the end of September 30, 2019, up 4.1 per cent year-on-year (YoY) during the first half of FY20.

GDP likely to fall to 30-year low, fear analysts

GDP likely to fall to 30-year low, fear analysts

Rediff.com   27 Mar 2020

In the manufacturing sector, output is expected to decline by about 70 per cent as only food-processing, and drugs and pharma industries are allowed to operate while other segments, such as engineering and metals, have shut operations.

Rana Kapoor: The banker who said 'YES' to a chosen few

Rana Kapoor: The banker who said 'YES' to a chosen few

Rediff.com   19 Mar 2020

The bank was worth over Rs 80,000 crore as recently as September 2017. The lender had grown at breakneck speed, helped perhaps by Rana Kapoor's reputation as a banker, willing to aggressively write checks.

COVID-19: Mumbai, Delhi see decline in traffic congestion

COVID-19: Mumbai, Delhi see decline in traffic congestion

Rediff.com   18 Mar 2020

Mumbai saw an average 46 per cent decline in congestion during the morning rush hour on Tuesday. New Delhi's data also showed an average 34 per cent decline in congestion during morning.

With SC's strict order, is it all over for Voda-Idea?

With SC's strict order, is it all over for Voda-Idea?

Rediff.com   15 Feb 2020

Vodafone Idea's net worth (or shareholders' equity) was down 73 per cent year-on-year to around Rs 17,600 crore at the end of the December 2019 quarter after the company reported a net loss of around Rs 6,400 crore during the quarter. Cumulatively, the company has lost nearly Rs 45,000 crore in the last four quarters, eroding its net worth to its lowest level in three-year. Analysts said a such a low level of net worth, coupled with continuing losses in operations, ruled out the possibility of the company getting fresh loans from lenders to fund its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues of Rs 54,000 crore.

New tax norms to hit dividends received from foreign arms

New tax norms to hit dividends received from foreign arms

Rediff.com   12 Feb 2020

Dividend distribution tax in FY20 would only be applicable after deducting Rs 70 received from the foreign subsidiary, meaning 20.56 per cent DDT would be paid only on Rs 30.

Post Budget, companies likely to change dividend tax policy

Post Budget, companies likely to change dividend tax policy

Rediff.com   10 Feb 2020

An analysis of S&P BSE 500 companies suggests that promoters of Indian private-sector companies in particular could end up paying at least 20 per cent more as additional tax on the same dividend income.

Sebi probe reports cast shadow on Jhunjhunwala's holdings

Sebi probe reports cast shadow on Jhunjhunwala's holdings

Rediff.com   29 Jan 2020

Reports suggested that stock market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), is looking into the allegations of insider trading in the shares of Aptech, a computer training company in which Jhunjhunwala is a promoter. An email sent to Jhunjhunwala on the allegations did not immediately receive a response.

Falling sales add a new worry to corporates: Rising inventory

Falling sales add a new worry to corporates: Rising inventory

Rediff.com   26 Jan 2020

Net sales growth for the quarter ended December (Q3FY20) was 4.5 per cent on a year-on-year (YoY) basis for companies that have declared their results so far, compared to an 8.4 per cent rise in the first half of the financial year. This indicates that there could be a further rise in days' sales of inventory.

Rupee one of the worst performers among its Asian peers

Rupee one of the worst performers among its Asian peers

Rediff.com   23 Jan 2020

The Indian rupee is down nearly 2 per cent against the US dollar since the beginning of January 2019. Experts attribute the Indian rupee's relatively poor performance to a sharper-than-expected fall in economic growth in India.

FMCG stocks lose sheen, valuation declines to 11-year low

FMCG stocks lose sheen, valuation declines to 11-year low

Rediff.com   16 Jan 2020

The country's top FMCG stocks, such as Hindustan Unilever, ITC, Nestl, Britannia, Godrej Consumer Products, and Dabur, among others, are currently trading at around 41x their trailing 12-month earnings, down from their peak P/E multiple of around 48x at the end of December 2018.

Airtel launches $2-bn share sale to pay AGR dues

Airtel launches $2-bn share sale to pay AGR dues

Rediff.com   9 Jan 2020

This is the biggest equity-raising exercise by an Indian corporate within a financial year. The fundraising - led by Citibank, Goldman, Kotak and Axis Capital as bankers - will see participation by foreign and domestic institutional investors.

Rich list shrinks, but top 10 add $40 billion to wealth

Rich list shrinks, but top 10 add $40 billion to wealth

Rediff.com   26 Dec 2019

Richest 10 account for 41% of promoter wealth, up from 33% in December 2018, says Krishna Kant.

As benchmark indices scale fresh peak, Sensex valuation nears 20-year high

As benchmark indices scale fresh peak, Sensex valuation nears 20-year high

Rediff.com   24 Dec 2019

The Sensex is on course to ending calendar year (CY) 2019 at a price-earnings (P/E) multiple of 29x, the highest in 25 years. Current valuations are, however, lower than those seen in the early 1990s. The Sensex has risen close to 14 per cent in the last 12 months, while the index underlying EPS dropped 6.7 per cent during the period.

Companies with worst corporate governance scores

Companies with worst corporate governance scores

Rediff.com   19 Dec 2019

Recently listed companies scored 54, compared to 58 for the BSE100 firms and 61 for entities in the Sensex pack. The report noted that issues remain in IPO companies in which there seems to be a need to institutionalise governance practices.

CSR spends and the menace of ghost beneficiaries

CSR spends and the menace of ghost beneficiaries

Rediff.com   16 Dec 2019

Ghost beneficiaries aren't the only kind of issue companies face during a period of unprecedented CSR spending, touching nearly Rs 12,000 crore in 2018-19. Frauds related to procurement, construction, and end-use of funds have had companies engaging forensic auditors to keep tabs on how money is spent, revealed conversations with those involved in such investigations. Firms are also increasingly strengthening their own capabilities to better implement their programmes.

CSR spend by listed companies highest-ever in FY19

CSR spend by listed companies highest-ever in FY19

Rediff.com   13 Dec 2019

The biggest spend (Rs 4,406 crore) was for Schedule VII (II), which involves "promoting education, including special education and employment enhancing vocation skills, especially among children, women, elderly and the differently abled and livelihood enhancement projects". The FY19 spend was 17.2 per cent higher than Rs 1,0128.3 crore spent during the previous year.