Govt plans 10% stake sale in HUDCO, NBCC and 3% in NTPC; may raise Rs 59 bn

The government is planning to sell up to 10 per cent stake each in real estate firms HUDCO and NBCC as also 3 per cent in NTPC through an offer for sale (OFS), which could fetch about Rs 59 billion to the exchequer.

The finance ministry will soon float Request for Proposals (RFP) to appoint merchant bankers for managing the stake sale of HUDCO and NBCC, a source said.

"The Cabinet has cleared up to 10 per cent stake sale in NBCC and HUDCO through OFS. Whether it would be sold in one go or not would be decided based on investor response," he said.

At the current market price, a sale of 10 per cent in HUDCO and NBCC could fetch about Rs 10 billion and Rs 12 billion to the exchequer. NTPC's 3 per cent OFS would fetch about Rs 3,700.

The Cabinet had already approved 10 per cent stake sale in power producer NTPC, of which 7 per cent was sold in August last year.

The source said that depending on market condition, the stake sale will happen.

With regard to state-owned HUDCO and NBCC, the ministry is keeping the companies ready to launch it as and when the time is ripe.

HUDCO and NBCC OFS will take time, could be in October-December quarter, the source said.

Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) had listed itself on the stock exchanges in May last year.

The source said one-year lock-in requirement is over and government can now go ahead with follow on offers or OFS. The IPO of HUDCO saw huge demand from investors and was subscribed nearly 80 times.

The government had last sold 15 per cent stake through an OFS in NBCC for about Rs 22 billion in October 2016.

Currently, it holds 89.81 per cent in HUDCO and 73.69 per cent NBCC. In NTPC, its stake stands at 61.71 per cent.

Shares of HUDCO were trading flat at Rs 53.15 on BSE, while that of NBCC were quoted at Rs 67.55, up 0.45 per cent. NTPC shares were trading up 0.96 per cent at Rs 152.40 on the BSE.

The share sales would help the government move further towards the Rs 80,000 crore disinvestment target of the current fiscal. It has so far raised Rs 90 billion.