The initial public offering (IPO) of Ravi Jaipuria-controlled Varun Beverages Ltd that is seeking a market valuation of up to Rs 8,000 crore ($1.2 billion) in its public issue was covered 34% on the first day.
Institutional investors led the show, bidding for around 88% of the shares reserved for them, while almost a fourth of high net-worth individuals and corporate investors’ portion was covered on day 1.
Retail investors portion had a slow start with just over 11% of the shares reserved for them being picked.
The firm, the largest bottler of Pepsi in India, had earlier raised Rs 27 crore ($49 million) from a clutch of anchor investors on Tuesday.
The anchor investors include a bunch of mutual funds besides foreign portfolio investors and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), the sovereign fund representing the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The firm aims to raise up to Rs 667.5 crore ($100 million) through a fresh issue of 15 million shares. In addition, there is an offer for sale of around 10 million shares by the promoters that could fetch them up to Rs 445 crore.
The anchor investors picked shares at the upper end of the Rs 440-445 a share price band.
Varun Beverages had filed its draft red herring prospectus in June and got regulatory approval for the issue last month.
Kotak Mahindra Capital, Axis Capital, CLSA and YES Securities are the bankers to the issue.
The firm counts AION Global, the special situation investment firm jointly run by Apollo Global and ICICI Venture, and Standard Chartered Private Equity as investors. StanChart PE originally invested in 2011 while AION Global came in last year. AION Global bought some securities held by StanChart PE and pumped in Rs 300 crore afresh through subscription to non-convertible debentures in the company.
Both PE firms are retaining their stake. After the issue, StanChart PE will have a 7.5% stake in the firm while AION will hold 4%.
Varun Beverages is one of the largest franchisees in the world (outside the US) of carbonated as well as non-carbonated beverages sold under brands owned by PepsiCo. It produces and distributes products such as Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Seven-Up, Mirinda Orange, Mirinda Lemon, Mountain Dew, Tropicana Slice, Nimbooz as well as packaged drinking water under the brand Aquafina. In addition, it has the franchise for Ole brand of PepsiCo products in Sri Lanka.
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