EGoM defers IndianOil stake sale due to Oil Ministry opposition
10 Jan 2014 12:53 AM GMT
'It has been deferred,' Oil Minister M Veerappa Moily told reporters after the meeting of the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) here.
While Moily refused to elaborate on the reasons for the deferment, sources said his ministry had raised concerns over pricing of IOC shares. The EGoM may again meet next week, they said. The Finance Ministry is aiming to garner Rs 4,500 crore by selling 10 per cent (19.16 crore shares) of the government stake in the oil major.
At Thursday's closing price of Rs 198.95 on BSE, IOC has a market capitalisation of about Rs 48,000 crore. This m-cap is after factoring in IOC's 7.69 per cent holding in Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) worth Rs 17,9711.78 crore at the closing price.
This leaves less than Rs 30,000 crore market value that is attributable to IOC. This is less than the investment that IOC is putting in setting up a 15 million tonne refinery at Paradip in Odisha, the Oil Ministry feels. Sources said the Ministry put these views at an inter-ministerial group (IMG) of secretaries while opposing sale of 10 per cent stake in IOC. Moily on earlier occasions has said the IOC cannot be sold when the scrip is way lower than the 52-week peak of Rs 375 reached on January 18 last year. Investors at promotional roadshows in the US, the UK and Singapore questioned the timing of the stake sale as there is no clear roadmap yet to address the lingering fuel subsidy issue.
The Finance Ministry is keen on IOC stake sale to meet the fiscal's disinvestment target of Rs 40,000 crore.
While Moily refused to elaborate on the reasons for the deferment, sources said his ministry had raised concerns over pricing of IOC shares. The EGoM may again meet next week, they said. The Finance Ministry is aiming to garner Rs 4,500 crore by selling 10 per cent (19.16 crore shares) of the government stake in the oil major.
At Thursday's closing price of Rs 198.95 on BSE, IOC has a market capitalisation of about Rs 48,000 crore. This m-cap is after factoring in IOC's 7.69 per cent holding in Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) worth Rs 17,9711.78 crore at the closing price.
This leaves less than Rs 30,000 crore market value that is attributable to IOC. This is less than the investment that IOC is putting in setting up a 15 million tonne refinery at Paradip in Odisha, the Oil Ministry feels. Sources said the Ministry put these views at an inter-ministerial group (IMG) of secretaries while opposing sale of 10 per cent stake in IOC. Moily on earlier occasions has said the IOC cannot be sold when the scrip is way lower than the 52-week peak of Rs 375 reached on January 18 last year. Investors at promotional roadshows in the US, the UK and Singapore questioned the timing of the stake sale as there is no clear roadmap yet to address the lingering fuel subsidy issue.
The Finance Ministry is keen on IOC stake sale to meet the fiscal's disinvestment target of Rs 40,000 crore.
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