Amidst heightened market volatility and muted investor sentiment, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has announced one-time relaxations for initial public offering (IPO) timelines and minimum public shareholding requirements, providing relief to numerous companies.
Some large companies said the measure would broaden and deepen the equity cult in the country, but feel that a blanket 25 per cent minimum public shareholding norm should not be applied indiscriminately to all companies. The ministry had floated the paper on February 1 and asked for public comments by the month-end. The minimum public shareholding limit now is 10 per cent.
Stock market regulator Sebi's board on Friday cleared significant reforms, focusing on IPO regulations, simplified entry for foreign investors, and a new framework for anchor investors in public issues.
Only 2.5 per cent of the equity in Jio Platforms will be offloaded through the OFS route -- meant for secondary share sale.
ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company has set a price band of Rs 2,061- Rs 2,165 per share for its Rs 10,600-crore initial public offering (IPO) that will open on Friday. At the upper end of the band, the country's largest asset manager will command a valuation of Rs 1.07 trillion.
Open offers this calendar year, following attempts at acquisition and takeover, came in at more than two a week. There were 121 such open offers to acquire additional shares following a substantial acquisition or change of control, shows the data compiled by primedatabase.com.
'Raising the entire amount in one go may not be prudent, given the market dynamics.'
Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) may require at least five more years to comply with the minimum public shareholding of 25 per cent beyond the current exempted timeline of 2027. Formal communication in this regard had been shared recently with the finance ministry, underlining LIC's roadmap, plans of further dilution of stake, current norms around public float, and challenges ahead, a government source familiar with the matter said. "Going forward, we will have to take a call, along with Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India) and the Department of Economic Affairs on the roadmap for minimum public shareholding (MPS).
Promoters' ownership in private listed companies declined to an eight-year low of 40.58 per cent as of June 30, 2025, following a net share sale worth Rs 54,732 crore during the quarter, according to data from primeinfobase.com, an initiative of PRIME Database Group.
The finance ministry is in favour of extending the August deadline for public sector banks (PSBs) as well as insurance companies to increase their minimum public shareholding (MPS) to the mandated 25 per cent, said a senior government official. "The election results will determine the course of action. "Most likely, those who did not receive an extension to meet the minimum shareholding norm will be granted one," the senior government official said.
Stock exchanges NSE and BSE have freezed shares of promoters of Baba Ramdev-led Patanjali group firm Patanjali Foods, but the company said the decision will not have any impact on its functioning. Patanjali Foods Ltd, erstwhile Ruchi Soya Industries, on Thursday said the freezing of its promoters' shareholding in the company "will not have any impact" on its financial position and functioning of the company. On Thursday, Patanjali Foods Ltd (PFL) informed that leading bourses BSE and NSE had frozen shares of its 21 promoter entities, including Patanjali Ayurved for failing to meet minimum public shareholding norms.
Reliance holds 67.03% of Jio Platforms Limited and the public listing would provide an exit to many investors.
Billionaire Gautam Adani's group on Monday announced its exit from FMCG joint venture Adani Wilmar by selling its entire stake to the Singaporean partner and in the open market for an estimated over $2 billion in a first major deal since the US bribery indictment. In a statement, Adani Enterprises Ltd -- which held 43.94 per cent stake in Fortune brand cooking oil, wheat flour and other food product maker Adani Wilmar Ltd -- said it will sell 31.06 per cent stake to Wilmar International. About 13 per cent will be sold in the open market to meet minimum public shareholding requirements.
As per norms these companies should have minimum public float of 10 per cent by August.
'It has remained around 38 per cent over the past four to five quarters.'
Stock exchanges' levy of penalties, ranging from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 12 lakh, on public-sector undertakings (PSUs) for lapses in board composition for the 2024-25 October-December quarter has brought forth issues of governance. Last month, 16 PSUs requested bourses to waive these penalties, arguing that these lapses were neither due to negligence nor within their control, as the appointment of directors is managed by the government.
Promoters of India's top private listed companies have cut their stakes sharply since 2021, taking advantage of elevated valuations and reshaping ownership dynamics in the market. Holdings of promoters in the top 200 privately owned listed firms declined nearly 600 basis points (bps) to 37 per cent at the end of FY25, from 43 per cent in FY21.
Sebi has directed promoters of all listed private sector companies to ensure they comply with minimum public holding of 25 per cent by June 2013.
The Centre is unlikely to reduce its shareholding in Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) for at least 2 years following the insurer's listing because such a move could affect returns for investors participating in the mega initial public offering (IPO). The government's stance was communicated to prospective investors during roadshows after many of them sought clarity on the Centre's plan for lowering its shareholding in the insurer to meet the minimum public shareholding norms. To this, the Centre maintained its stand that it would not look at any equity dilution in the insurer for at least two years to avoid downward pressure on LIC's shares.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Wednesday announced a slew of measures to ease the compliance burden in the stock markets ecosystem, encourage more companies to list on the bourses after reverse flipping to India, and facilitate greater foreign fund flows into government bonds.
Adani Group on Friday raised Rs 4,850 crore from the sale of 13.5 per cent of its stake in Fortune oil maker Adani Wilmar as part of a strategy to exit non-core activities to focus on main infrastructure business. The conglomerate, which last month announced its exit from Adani Wilmar by selling the bulk of its stake to a joint venture partner, had on Thursday announced sale of 17.54 crore shares (13.50 per cent equity) in the company on January 10 (to non-retail investors) and on January 13 (to retail investors) at a floor or minimum price of Rs 275 apiece.
In a bid to ease compliance towards companies planning public offers (IPOs), the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has notified norms that open more avenues to meet the minimum promoters' contribution (MPC). The market regulator has permitted promoter group entities and non-individual shareholders to contribute to the mandated promoters' contribution in the case of a shortfall without being identified as a promoter.
The regulator is also expected to update its board about two high-profile corporate cases -- one involving refund of investors' money by Sahara group and the other about Reliance Industries' appeal against its decision on settlement of cases through consent mechanism.
Tells finance ministry to allow companies a five-year timeframe
'If a charitable or religious trust sells a capital asset -- such as land, buildings, shares -- and makes a capital gain, it can avoid paying tax on that gain if it reinvests the proceeds in another capital asset for its charitable purposes.'
Only a fifth of foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) in breach of the market regulator-specified thresholds may need to provide enhanced disclosure on ultimate beneficiaries, thanks to exemptions being provided, according to people in the know. The ultimate beneficial ownership (UBO) disclosures, for FPIs with over 50 per cent holding in a single corporate group or over Rs 25,000 crore exposure to Indian assets, will be required from February 1. But, depending on their category, FPIs will have 10-30 working days to submit these granular details.
Markets regulator Sebi has notified a stricter regulatory framework for small and medium enterprise (SME) IPOs by introducing a profitability requirement and capping a 20 per cent limit on offer-for-sale (OFS). The reforms aim to provide SMEs with a sound track record an opportunity to raise funds from the public while protecting investor interests. This move follows a rise in SME issues, which has driven significant investor participation.
The Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) has stayed the ban imposed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Samir Jain, vice-chairman and managing director of Bennett, Coleman & Co (BCCL), his wife Meera Jain, and six others. BCCL owns news media organisations The Times of India, and The Economic Times. Last month, the regulator had refrained Jain from accessing the securities market for allegedly violating minimum public shareholding (MPS) norms in PNB Finance and Industries (PNBFIL) and Camac Commercial Company (CCIL), which are listed on the Calcutta Stock Exchange.
Dividends paid by central public-sector enterprises (CPSEs) in 2024-25 are set to be the highest ever, with the government receiving 69,873 crore so far. A government official said he was hopeful the receipts would touch 70,000 crore in the last week of the financial year.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has proposed sweeping changes to the rights issue framework to enhance its attractiveness, aiming to make it the preferred route for additional fundraising by listed companies. Among the changes proposed by the market regulator are reducing the timeline to first 20 days and then to just three days, allowing shareholders to renounce their rights entitlement to investors of their choice, and eliminating the requirement to appoint an investment banker or file a draft letter of offer.
From the 30-share pack, 24 companies fell, with Yes Bank emerging as the top loser, dropping 8.36 per cent, followed by NTPC, M&M and Vedanta.
'We are in a position to start due diligence and private data room access shortly.'
For deals to be investor-friendly in India, review of merger and acquisition law is a prerequisite.
Easier dilution norms for mega initial public offerings (IPOs) have come into effect. Companies with post-listing market capitalisation (m-cap) of more than Rs 1 trillion will not be required to dilute a minimum of 10 per cent. The move to relax dilution norms is seen as a precursor to Life Insurance Corporation's IPO. The central government has said companies with an m-cap exceeding Rs 1 trillion will have to dilute Rs 5,000 crore and at least 5 per cent of their m-cap. Experts said the earlier framework discouraged large companies from listing since they were forced to offload a large volume of shares during the time of their IPO.
Bank CFOs may meet next week to discuss minimum public shareholding and takeover rule issues.
Taking action against promoters of Gillette India for non-compliance to minimum public holding norms, Sebi on Friday ordered freezing all corporate benefits arising out of their stake in the company.
Sebi also ordered freezing the voting rights and corporate benefits of promoters of these companies.
To bring down promoter stake to comply with minimum public shareholding rules.
'It is difficult to write business internationally, without an 'A-' rating. It becomes more expensive.'
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