Kotak Mahindra Bank acquires BSS Microfinance

Kotak Mahindra Bank has announced its execution binding share purchase agreement to acquire 99.49 percent of equity shares of BSS Microfinance Private Limited (BSS), a Non-Banking Finance Company, classified as a NBFC-MFI, from existing shareholders subject to regulatory and other approvals, including Reserve Bank of India.

The acquisition has been approved by the Board of Directors of Kotak Mahindra Bank and is for an aggregate all-cash consideration of Rs. 139.2 crore.

As of June 30, 2016, BSS has a net-worth of approximately Rs. 73 crore and microfinance loans of Rs. 483 crore in its books. It will be a subsidiary of Kotak after receiving regulatory and other approvals.

BSS has a commercially established model in the microfinance segment. This acquisition gives Kotak access to BSS's growing customer base which currently stands at over 2,17,000 and network of 78 branches (as of June 30, 2016).

This acquisition offers Kotak a deeper reach in the low income segment, and also increases the access of BSS's customer base to Kotak's wide array of products and services.

Further, BSS's loan book also qualifies for Priority Sector Lending (PSL). Kotak and the BSS team will leverage their combined experience to scale up the existing platform.

"Financial inclusion is one of the imperatives of our country, and this acquisition is a testimony of our commitment to cater to the needs of weaker sections of society in a commercially viable manner. The capabilities and processes required for this customer segment are unique, and cannot be created easily or organically in a short span. BSS is of the right size, culturally compatible with Kotak, and has proven its processes and value systems over a decade," said Commercial Banking Kotak Mahindra Bank, Narayan SA, President.

"We will leverage BSS's deep presence in the segment and related experience to ensure that customers' need are served best and consistent with the past culture," added Narayan.

"Our institution has an excellent team, with good systems and processes. Until now, we have been hobbled with constraints of equity capital. The deal not only helps us overcome this constraint but also allows us to offer savings products in conjunction with Kotak Mahindra Bank, once the deal is consummated. We will now be able to expand, and provide better products and services to both existing and new clients across the country. I am excited about the prospect that we can now play a more meaningful role to alleviate poverty in our country, much better than we have done so far," said Dr. Ramesh Bellamkonda, Promoter, Chairman and MD, BSS Microfinance Pvt. Ltd.

Kotak is renowned for its employee orientation and retention of talent. It appreciates the culture of BSS and capabilities of its 728 employees, which will be leveraged for the next phase of growth. For Kotak - Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP and M2i Consulting undertook the financial and business due diligence review, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas was the legal advisor, and Kotak Mahindra Capital Company was the investment banker.