Cement companies witnessed speculative support from investors through FY23 amid hopes of a rebound. After capex announcements in the FY24 Budget, there was further interest due to expectations that government expenditure would boost earnings, besides a generic macro-recovery. Cement earnings were under pressure in FY22 and FY23 due to high raw material and fuel costs; muted demand prevented them passing on the higher cost.
At a time when there is a growing number of edtech companies laying off employees in a bid to conserve cash and focus on profitability amid a funding winter, Ronnie Screwvala-led upGrad is expanding its facilities and hiring talent. The company plans to hire over 1400 team members between November 2022 and March 2023 in India and at offices outside the country. upGrad has also signed new leases in the past few months for 335,000 sq ft of space across four cities -- Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune and Noida.
'I believe that as we produce more, our cost will come down further. We will maintain our competitiveness.'
Before resigning as an auditor of an Adani Group firm, Deloitte had sought an independent external examination of allegations made by a US short-seller but the company said the allegations had no effect on financial statements and the reasons cited for quitting were not convincing to warrant such a move. In a 163-page filing with stock exchanges relating to Deloitte Haskins & Sells LLP's resignation, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) said that in meetings with its leadership, Deloitte indicated concern over a lack of a wider audit role as auditors of other listed Adani companies. However, the firm conveyed to the auditor that it was not within its remit to recommend such appointments as other entities are "completely independent".
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.
Without naming Adani group specifically, the capital markets watchdog said in a statement that unusual price movement in the stocks of a business conglomerate has been observed in the past week.
The new entrants comprise Asian Paints, Britannia, Titan, Nestl, Bajaj Finance and Bajaj Finserv.
As per Sebi's regulations, the proposed deal as such need approval from majority of public shareholders in the two listed companies -- ACC and Ambuja Cements-- as the transaction involves their promoters.
Gujarat Ambuja Cement and Holcim on Thursday announced the completion of financial closure of Rs 3,540 crore (Rs 35.40 billion) for Ambuja Cement India.
The cement industry continues to present a puzzle to investors.
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.
Nestle India has tied up with five cement manufacturing units.
Hemendra Kothari, the former chairman of DSP Merrill Lynch, is set to acquire Ambuja Cements' stake in ING Vysya Life Insurance for around Rs 190 crore.
Mr Adani has a fight on his hands. It is not a fight to the death, asserts T N Ninan.
Holcim Ltd, the world's second largest cement producer, has made a $800 million bid to acquire Associated Cement Company Ltd, India's largest cement manufacturer.
Swiss cement maker Holcim, which had made an open offer to pick up 36.20 per cent shares of ACC, would also buy out the stakeholding of US-based AIG and GIC of Singapore in Ambuja Cement India Limited
The first quarter earnings season will dictate the trend in the equity markets in this holiday-shortened week amid absence of major macroeconomic drivers, say analysts. Besides, lacklustre global markets may increase volatility in the market, they added. Equity markets would remain closed on Wednesday for Bakri-Id.
Days after completing a $6.5 billion acquisition of Ambuja Cements and ACC, billionaire Gautam Adani said his group has planned to double cement manufacturing capacity and become the most profitable manufacturer in the country. He saw a multifold rise in cement demand in India on the back of record-breaking economic growth and the government's infrastructure creation push, which will give significant margin expansion. In a speech made at an event to mark the completion of the acquisition on September 17, the Adani Group founder and chairman said the ports-to-energy conglomerate has in a single stroke become the second largest cement manufacturer in the country.
Ajit Mishra, vice president, Research, Religare Broking, answers your stock market queries.
Domestic equity markets are likely to see volatility in a range-bound trade this week amid geopolitical worries and growing expectations of a sharp hike in interest rates, analysts said. Global trends, inflation data and the last batch of quarterly earnings will drive the markets this week, they said. Besides, the rupee movement, FII investment pattern and Brent crude trends would also be watched by investors.
All nine Adani stocks saw a rise in their share price in H1FY23, ranging from 6.1% in case of Adani Ports to 102% in case of Adani Power.
In the context of market integrity, the IRAI and RBI should go over the minutes of the LIC and SBI board meetings when the decisions to invest in Adani equity or debt were taken, notes Jaimini Bhagwati, former World Bank treasury professional.
Amid a political furore over a meltdown in the Adani group shares, stock market data shows it is not only the plunge now but the sharp surge of the past also drew regulatory attention and enhanced surveillance. Adani group stocks have taken a huge beating on the bourses, losing billions of dollars in market value, after US-based activist short-seller Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation at the Gautam Adani-led group. The Adani group has dismissed the charges as lies, saying it complies with all laws and disclosure requirements.
Gujarat Ambuja Cements Ltd allotted 1400 shares on exercise of the stock options by the employees.
Among the many exits from the billionaire's club in 2022 are D Uday Kumar Reddy of Tanla Solutions (net worth down 66 per cent), Sushil Kanubhai Shah of Metropolis Healthcare (down 65.7 per cent), Vijay Shekhar Sharma of One97 Communications (down 66 per cent), and C K Birla (down 43.4 per cent).
The BSE Sensex on Friday surged more than 6 percent to record highs while the rupee strengthened to an 11-month high against the dollar as the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies were set to sweep the country's elections with a clear majority.
Gautam Adani was the world's third and Asia's richest man a month back but a damning report by a US firm triggered a massive sell-off in shares of his apples-to-airport group, plunging his own wealth by $80 billion and the tycoon slipping to No.30 on the world billionaire index. Adani's sprawling conglomerate, which spans from sea ports to airports, edible oil and commodities, energy, cement and data centres, is under attack by US short-seller Hindenburg Research, which successfully deflated electric-vehicle maker Nikola Motors in 2020. Hindenburg, which held short positions in unidentified shares of Adani Group firms through its US-traded debt and offshore derivatives, on January 24 accused the conglomerate of "brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud" and using a number of offshore shell companies to inflate stock prices.
Gautam Adani on Tuesday said his ports-to-energy conglomerate never slowed or stopped investing in the country as the group's success is based on its alignment with the India growth story. Speaking at the annual shareholder meeting of the group companies, he said the previously announced $70 billion investment in new energy business will help turn India from being a net importer of oil and gas to an exporter of clean energy. "Never have we walked away from investing in India, never have we slowed our investments," he said. "We believe our scale, our diversified business, and our track record of performance positions us very strongly to continue to perform well in a variety of market conditions."
SFIO, the investigation arm of the Corporate Affairs Ministry, has been ordered to probe alleged fraud in 83 companies in the last four years, Parliament was informed on Thursday.
10 companies and industry body penalised for cartelisation, likely to take legal recourse.
Gujarat Ambuja Cements Ltd's board will meet on January 29, 2003 to consider quarterly/ half-yearly unaudited financial results for the quarter/half year ended December 31, 2002.
Ajit Mishra, vice president, Research, Religare Broking, answers your queries.
The sample, however, is still small as it includes only six of the 30 Sensex companies - Infosys, Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank, TCS, ITC and Bajaj Auto - that have declared results so far.
Ajit Mishra, vice president, Research, Religare Broking, answers your queries.
Too many thorny issues, parent Holcim will take up matter later.
The transaction value has not been disclosed, but the stake sold is valued at Rs 185 crore (Rs 1.85 billion) at on Thursday's close of Rs 153.65.
Most of the Indian businesses of overseas multinational companies seem to perform better than their parent entities, with many recording good performance in the first three months of 2009.
Cement major Gujarat Ambuja Cements Ltd on Monday said Holderind Investments Ltd (Holcim Mauritius) has 14.8 per cent stake in the company.
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