Tuesday, June 26, 2007

UTI Bank puts off $600m GDR

UTI Bank, a mid-sized private sector bank, has deferred its $600 million global depository receipts (GDR) issue as well as the simultaneous preferential offer to its promoters.

The bank said the decision to put off capital raising plans was taken in order to provide promoter shareholders - Specified Undertaking of Unit Trust of India (SUUTI), Life Insurance Corporation and General Insurance Corporation - more time to take a call on subscribing to the preferential offer.

SUUTI is the largest shareholder in UTI Bank with 27.43 per cent stake. LIC owns 10.38 per cent of the bank’s equity and GIC 2.38 per cent.

In a statement released after the bank’s extraordinary general meeting (EGM) here today, UTI Bank said the special resolutions on raising capital have been deferred “to provide promoter shareholders further time for consultation” on the preferential share offer.

The shareholders would again meet on July 13 to consider the plans to raise capital. The shareholders, however, passed a resolution increasing the bank’s authorised capital to Rs 500 crore from Rs 300 crore.

Banking sources said LIC, which bid in the recently concluded ICICI Bank’s follow-on equity offer for shares worth about Rs 4,000 crore, has asked for more time to arrange for funds as it was currently experiencing a “tight liquidity” situation.

SUUTI, which has already obtained the government’s permission, also needs to arrange for funds to subscribe to its portion of the preferential offer.

Read more in The Business Standard article.

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