The government is likely to begin international roadshows starting with the US this month for the sale of its residual 29.54 per cent stake in erstwhile public sector company Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL), an official said. The government had decided to exit the zinc maker last year but the plan hit a roadblock because of the firm's owner, billionaire Anil Agarwal's Vedanta Ltd proposal. Vedanta wanted to sell its global zinc assets to HZL in a move that many analysts saw as an attempt to tap into the erstwhile state-run firm's huge cash pile.

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The government, which has a directorial position on HZL, opposed the move over valuation concerns. The Vedanta proposal expired last month and now the government is looking to move ahead with its own plan. The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) is now looking at expediting an offer-for-sale (OFS), through which the residual stake would be sold to institutional as well as public investors, the official said.

Promoter Vedanta group holds 64.92 per cent equity share of HZL, which is an integrated producer of zinc, lead and silver.

"Now that the issue (Vedanta's plan to sell its global zinc asset to HZL) is on the backburner, we will move ahead with the OFS. The stake-sale will happen in a calibrated manner," an official told PTI.

DIPAM had late last year held roadshows in Singapore, London, Abu Dhabi and Mumbai, besides virtual investor meetings in the US and Hong Kong for understanding investors' interest in HZL. "We had done roadshows earlier, but we will have to engage with investors again and make them aware of the current position of the company," the official said, adding that investors want clarity on the global asset transfer plans of the promoter.

To begin with, roadshows are being planned in the United States towards mid June, while a similar investor meet is likely in the United Kingdom. Vedanta had in January said it will sell its global zinc assets to HZL for cash consideration of USD 2,981 million. However, the government, who is the minority shareholder in HZL, opposed the move saying the deal being a related-party transaction should be a cashless asset transfer. The government had also said it will explore all legal options if Vedanta plans to move ahead with its global zinc asset sale to HZL.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had last year approved the sale of 124.79 crore shares or 29.54 per cent stake the government holds in the zinc producer.

At the current price of Rs 307 a share, the government's 29.54 per cent stake is valued at about Rs 38,000 crore. The government currently holds 29.54 per cent stake in HZL, while 5.54 per cent stake is with public shareholders. Mining mogul Anil Agarwal's Vedanta Ltd is the promoter holding 64.92 per cent stake in HZL The government had sold 40.99 per cent stake in HZL in two tranches in 2002-03 and 2003-04 for Rs 769 crore to Sterlite, which is part of the Vedanta group.

The deal had a call option which allowed Sterlite to acquire the government's 29.5 per cent stake. Subsequently, dispute over valuation led to the government rejecting the residual stake-sale offer and Vedanta initiated arbitration in 2009. Following the Supreme Court verdict, Vedanta withdrew the arbitration in 2022, and the government is now preparing for an offer-for-sale (OFS) of its 29.5 per cent stake in HZL.

 

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