Bharati Shipyard expects Sebi nod for open offer soon

On a takeover battle with ABG Shipyard for acquiring control of Great Offshore, Bharati Shipyard said that it was expecting the Sebi approval for the open offer soon.

"We have 23.17 per cent stake in Great Offshore. We are expecting Sebi approval soon," Bharati Shipyard's Managing Director P C Kapoor said.

Kapoor said that Bharati Shipyard had bought the Great Offshore shares at an average price of Rs 375 a share and the total investment of Rs 322 crore has gone into buying 23.71 per cent stake in the company.

"Sebi is seeking nominal clarifications...Nothing of serious nature," he said, adding that for acquiring 20 per cent stake through the open offer, Bharati might need to dole out Rs 438 crore at its current offer price of Rs 560 a share.

Asked whether Bharati would increase the price for buying shares from the open market, Kapoor said," I don't think so".

Bharati is shy of less than three per cent stake in Great Offshore which would allow it to have a say on the latter's affairs.

Bharati has Rs 1,000 crore debt and Rs 400 crore cash on its books, which includes fixed deposits and bank balances.

The debt-equity ratio of the company currently stands at 1:1.25.