Viveat Susan Pinto And Dev Chatterjee

Stories by Viveat Susan Pinto And Dev Chatterjee

Adani Ports to prepay Rs 5,000-crore debt

Adani Ports to prepay Rs 5,000-crore debt

Rediff.com   8 Feb 2023

A day after the promoters of Adani Group prepaid $1.1 billion loans, one of the group's listed entities - Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) - announced that it would prepay loans of up to Rs 5,000 crore by next month-end so as to improve its financial metrics. The company is targeting an earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) of around Rs 15,000 crore this financial year. This was revealed by Karan Adani, chief executive officer (CEO) and whole-time director of APSEZ, while announcing the September-December 2022 results.

Advertising slowdown likely to weigh on IPL this year

Advertising slowdown likely to weigh on IPL this year

Rediff.com   23 Jan 2023

The 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will see Disney-Star and Viacom18 competing to sell their ad space with an eye on the estimated Rs 4,000-crore advertising money.

Q3 results preview: Cement sector profits seen weak despite strong sales

Q3 results preview: Cement sector profits seen weak despite strong sales

Rediff.com   20 Jan 2023

Acceleration in demand, together with marginal price hikes of about 2-3 per cent by cement companies in the October-December quarter (third quarter, or Q3) of 2022-23, may not be enough to cushion the impact of high input costs on the bottom line, reveal Bloomberg consensus estimates for the quarter. Year-on-year (YoY) net sales growth in Q3 will come in at nearly 7 per cent, shows Bloomberg data, while bottom-line growth will show a sharp decline of 25 per cent from a year ago. The earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (Ebitda) will likely decline by nearly 5 per cent versus a year ago, shows data.

'PVR-INOX Merger In Final Stages'

'PVR-INOX Merger In Final Stages'

Rediff.com   14 Jan 2023

'We would love to have more players entering the market because that is how the business will grow.'

Why 2023 Box Office Will Be BIGGER

Why 2023 Box Office Will Be BIGGER

Rediff.com   5 Jan 2023

'The number of films released in cinemas in 2022 was closer to 1,200. It could cross 1,500 in 2023, since nearly all big stars in Hindi and regional languages have films lined up this year.'

20 years at Reliance helm: Mukesh Ambani redefines scale, business growth

20 years at Reliance helm: Mukesh Ambani redefines scale, business growth

Rediff.com   29 Dec 2022

At the 45th Annual General Meeting of Reliance Industries (RIL) in August, chairman and managing director (CMD) Mukesh Ambani described the company as an "unputdownable book" with never-ending chapters of success. "Reliance grew from strength to strength because we internalised the founder's mindset of purpose, philosophy and passion," he said. Wednesday marked the 90th birth anniversary of RIL founder Dhirubhai Ambani.

Will Southern Cinema Defeat Bollywood in 2023 Too?

Will Southern Cinema Defeat Bollywood in 2023 Too?

Rediff.com   26 Dec 2022

Calendar 2022 will go down as a year when the real star was the Next Big Idea.

Guess How Much IPL Brand Value Is!

Guess How Much IPL Brand Value Is!

Rediff.com   23 Dec 2022

The IPL brand value, according to the international brand valuation firm, touched $8.4 billion in 2022 versus $4.7 billion reported in 2021.

At $171 billion in 2022, India Inc clinches highest ever yearly M&As

At $171 billion in 2022, India Inc clinches highest ever yearly M&As

Rediff.com   19 Dec 2022

Aided by the $57.8-billion merger of HDFC Bank and HDFC, India Inc reported its highest ever mergers and acquisitions in calendar 2022 at $171 billion as against deals worth $145 billion announced last year. The acquisition by the Adani group across cement, media and ports dominated the headlines with the conglomerate making its foray into the cement sector by buying Swiss materials firm Holcim's stake in Ambuja Cements for $6.5 billion. The Adani family's additional $4-billion open offer for Ambuja did not get a response because shareholders preferred to stay invested with the new owner.

NDTV promoter firm RRPR Holding transfers 99.5% shares to Adani's VCPL

NDTV promoter firm RRPR Holding transfers 99.5% shares to Adani's VCPL

Rediff.com   29 Nov 2022

News broadcaster New Delhi Television Ltd's (NDTV's) promoter firm RRPR Holding said on Monday that it had transferred shares constituting 99.5 per cent of its equity capital to Adani group-owned Vishvapradhan Commercial (VCPL). The transaction was done on Monday, RRPR Holding said in a disclosure to the stock exchanges, in consonance with a conversion notice, dated August 23, 2022, issued by VCPL. This follows the expiry of the two-year restraint imposed by the Securities & Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on November 26, it said.

SC junks Tata Power's plea on project award to Adani

SC junks Tata Power's plea on project award to Adani

Rediff.com   24 Nov 2022

In a setback to Tata Power, the Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the company's challenge to the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission's (MERC's) decision to award a Rs 7,000-crore transmission project near Mumbai on a nomination basis to Adani Electricity. The court upheld the order by the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) in this case and directed all State Electricity Regulatory Commissions to frame guidelines on tariff determination in accordance with Section 61 of the Electricity Act and the national policy. The verdict has implications for the Mumbai power market, said Ashok Pendse, an energy expert based in the city.

Boycott calls force advertisers, celebrities to increase safeguards

Boycott calls force advertisers, celebrities to increase safeguards

Rediff.com   7 Nov 2022

American writer HP Lovecraft famously said that the oldest and strongest of fears is the fear of the unknown. For present-day advertisers and celebrities, this fear is showing up in the response they receive from social media to their brand communication. This is something AU Small Finance Bank and online food delivery platform Zomato recently experienced with their advertisements.

Zee, Sony to sell 3 Hindi channels to address CCI concerns

Zee, Sony to sell 3 Hindi channels to address CCI concerns

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2022

Sony India and Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) have agreed to sell three Hindi channels--Big Magic, Zee Action and Zee Classic--to address anti-competition concerns arising out of their proposed merger. The broadcasters submitted their proposal to the Competition Commission of India (CCI), which gave a conditional approval on October 4. On Wednesday, the CCI made public its detailed 58-page order, specifying the channels that would be dropped.

India Inc's fundraising from overseas falls sharply in Sep quarter

India Inc's fundraising from overseas falls sharply in Sep quarter

Rediff.com   14 Oct 2022

Foreign currency loans raised by Indian companies nosedived to $210 million in the September quarter (Q2), 93.3 per cent less than the year-ago period when five firms raised $3.1 billion. The Q2 amount is the lowest since December 2003 quarter when India Inc raised $191 million. Companies cited volatility in the currency markets, sharp rise in interest rates in the United States, and fund availability in India as the main reasons behind the sharp fall.

Led by HDFC twins, India sees record $124-billion M&A deals in H1FY23

Led by HDFC twins, India sees record $124-billion M&A deals in H1FY23

Rediff.com   11 Oct 2022

Fuelled by the $57.8-billion merger of HDFC twins (HDFC Ltd and HDFC Bank), M&A (merger and acquisition) transactions in India touched a record high of $124.2 billion in the first half of 2022-23. Bankers said with several transactions, including the government's stake sale in IDBI Bank and Hindustan Zinc in the pipeline, the ongoing financial year will end up as the best year for M&A activity in the country. Apart from the HDFC transaction, the $6.5-billion acquisition of Holcim stake by the Adani family and L&T's $3.2-billion acquisition of Mindtree added to the record transactions in the first half of FY23.

Ad spends likely to get double-digit boost as festive cheer returns

Ad spends likely to get double-digit boost as festive cheer returns

Rediff.com   3 Oct 2022

After losing two festive seasons to Covid-led restrictions, 2022 is seeing an uninhibited celebration of festivals. This is pushing up discretionary spend, which is attracting advertisers and brands, who are ready to capitalise on the momentum. The festive season has begun with Onam and Ganesh Chathurthi held earlier this month in Kerala and Maharashtra, respectively.

Piramal, Zurich Insurance to bid jointly for Reliance General Insurance

Piramal, Zurich Insurance to bid jointly for Reliance General Insurance

Rediff.com   26 Sep 2022

The Piramal group and Zurich Insurance have decided to jointly bid for Reliance General Insurance, a subsidiary of Reliance Capital. The groups had earlier submitted separate bids for the general insurance business of bankrupt Reliance Capital. Both Piramal and Zurich will hold 50 per cent each in the proposed special purpose vehicle (SPV).

Tatas to invest $90 bn in India in 5 years

Tatas to invest $90 bn in India in 5 years

Rediff.com   23 Sep 2022

The Tata group is planning to invest $90 billion in new industries such as mobile components plant, semiconductor, electric vehicles, batteries, renewables energy and e-commerce by 2027. The Tata group's investment in India is far higher than the $75-billion investments planned by Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries and $55-billion investment planned by the Adani group in the next five years in the country, the Economist reported recently. The investment by the Tata group is a shift in its strategy to focus more in the home markets instead of international markets where the group lost money.

Devika Bulchandani has shattered the glass ceiling for good

Devika Bulchandani has shattered the glass ceiling for good

Rediff.com   21 Sep 2022

'Devika is a people's person, who simply loves what she does. This reflects in her work; the insights she brings to the table and the way she interacts with people and clients. She has the demeanour of a good captain. Her success is well-deserved.'

Reliance Infra had filed arbitration claim of Rs 500 crore: Adani

Reliance Infra had filed arbitration claim of Rs 500 crore: Adani

Rediff.com   13 Sep 2022

The Adani group said Reliance Infrastructure, part of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, had initiated arbitration on one specific dispute under the Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) in December 2021 with a claim for just Rs 500 crore. Adani said it has filed counterclaims against the Ambani company. The Adani group firm, Adani Electricity was reacting to a Reliance Infrastructure statement of last week, which said it has filed an arbitration claim of Rs 13,400 crore against Adani Group in the Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration (MCIA). Reliance had cited a breach of a December 2017 share purchase agreement relating to the transfer of its Mumbai power distribution business to Adani Transmission.