Raise, fold, and repeat: Promoters play a tense Q4 hand, shows data

A quarter of split bets from Max Financial, Ashok Leyland, Aster DM, and GMR Airports

Max Financial Services, Ashok Leyland, Easy Trip Planners, and Kalyan Jewellers India topped the list for increased promoter share pledging in the January-March 2024-25 quarter, according to a Kotak Institutional Equities (KIE) report.

 

In contrast, Aster DM Healthcare, GMR Airports, and Swan Energy recorded declines in pledged promoter shares.

 

Overall, pledged promoter holdings edged up to 0.86 per cent from 0.84 per cent in the October-December 2024-25 quarter, with 69 companies maintaining some degree of promoter pledging. The total pledged value stood at ₹1.57 trillion, equivalent to just 0.43 per cent of the BSE 500’s market capitalisation.

 

Within the Nifty 50, IndusInd Bank (50.9 per cent), Apollo Hospitals (13.5 per cent), JSW Steel (13.4 per cent), and Asian Paints (9.3 per cent) had the largest promoter pledges.

 

The KIE report stressed that share pledging, commonly employed by promoters to secure funds for personal or business use, does not necessarily signal financial strain, as lenders often require promoter shares as collateral.