Indus Towers plans to raise up to Rs 2,000 crore through debentures

Mobile tower operator Indus Towers is planning to raise up to Rs 2,000 crore through debentures to support business operations.

Market sources said maturities of these bonds were between two to three years. The company is likely to visit markets ahead of the repo rate decision by the Reserve Bank of India’s monetary policy Committee (MPC) on December 7.

The debentures carry “AA+” rating from ICRA and CRISIL. The rating factors in leadership position in the telecom tower industry, pan-Indian presence, its robust financial profile, and strong operational metrics. Indus had 185,447 towers in its portfolio and 335,791 tenants as on March 31.

The company’s operating margin remains healthy despite the pressure on the tenancy ratio owing to the consolidation in the end-user industry. Moreover, it has a healthy leverage profile with low net debt levels with estimated net gearing of 0.89 times as on March 31.

Its liquidity remains strong with a steady cash flow from operations and healthy cash balances of more than Rs 2,632 crore as on March 31, along with strong financial flexibility.