MUMBAI: Investors' darling Reliance Industries today announced issue of bonus shares after a 12 year-hiatus, a move that analysts expect would
The company founded by Dhirubhai Ambani, credited for drawing retail investors to stock markets in the 1970s, recommended an issue of one bonus share for every share held by shareholders and would help unlock value.
The shares fell 1.57 per cent to Rs 2,099 on the Bombay Stock Exchange, but is expected to jump after the unscheduled announcement.
The board has also approved a dividend of Rs 13 per fully paid-up equity share of Rs 10 of the company to the shareholders, Reliance Industries CFO Alok Agarwal said.
Analysts said that the surprise announcement of a bonus issue by RIL, will definitely act as trigger for the market tomorrow.
"This comes as a big surprise to the shareholders of Reliance Industries and would propel investor sentiment. The scrip, which has been under-performing for the past few days, is likely to open strong. It is a move by RIL to win back ivestor confidence," SMC Global Vice President Rajesh Jain said.
The last time Reliance Industries announced a bonus issue was in October 1997.
"Both the bonus shares and dividend will accrue to the shareholders of RPL," RIL CFO Agarwal said.
Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services Research Head Alex Mathew said, "The company had last announced a bonus issue way back in 1997, so this is good move in the interest of investors. However, after an initial surge some profit booking may come into the stock later in the day."
The bonus issue could help regain flagging investor confidence in the scrip.
RIL scrip has been on a downslide since October one and has plunged over four per cent to Rs 2,099 today from Rs 2,201 on September 30.
Reliance Power, part of the other Reliance group led by Anil Ambani, had announced a 3:5 bonus issue in February 2008 after its disappointing debut at the bourses.
"The proposal for bonus and dividend continue RIL's tradition of awarding shareholders on a sustained basis. If we look at our track record since we listed in 1978, our shareholders have got 25 per cent compounded return over these 31 years since it became a public company," Agarwal said.
"The announcement can act as a trigger point for the stock (RIL) which was mired in controversy. RIL management is convinced that it can serve the investor interest and so it is thinking about increasing the equity share capital. It can hold up the momentum and the counter can outperform the Sensex in the coming days," Unicon Financial CEO G Nagpal said.
8 Oct 2009, 0623 hrs IST
Stay invested for long term, advise some brokers; exit on big upmove, say others. Strong cash flow will help RIL to service equity| RIL Stock Quote | KG-D6 facility
8 Oct 2009, 0537 hrs IST
The move is seen as an attempt to reward shareholders on the completion of the new refinery and commencement of gas production at KG basin.
8 Oct 2009, 0623 hrs IST, | |||||||
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| MUMBAI: Reliance Industries (RIL) shares are seen rising 3% in early trade on Thursday, following the announcement of a 1:1 bonus share But many brokers are advising their clients to cash in on big upmoves, if any, as the stock is likely to perform in line with the market in the near term. RIL shares closed at Rs 2,099 on Wednesday, down 1.6% over the previous close. “The stock may see some resistance around Rs 2,300 and above, as investors are likely to book profits,” says Gurudatta Dhanokar technical analyst & derivatives strategist, Almondz Global Securities. “The immediate short-term support levels stand at Rs 2,050 and Rs 2,000,” he said. Mr Dhanokar advises traders to go long on the October futures in case the stock price falls below Rs 2,080 in the next few days. Over the past one month, RIL shares have risen nearly 5%, in line with the benchmark 30-share Sensex. The stock has the highest weightage — at close to 23% — in both the Sensex and the 50-share Nifty. “There are no positive surprises expected on the earnings front. So probably, the generous bonus issue could be a way to assuage investors,” said an official at an institutional brokerage who did not wish to be named. Some brokers say the trend in RIL shares would also depend on the overall sentiment. Till some years ago, the trend in RIL shares would often set the tone for the rest of the market. But with India’s stock market now more closely integrated with its global peers, that is no longer the case. In case the sluggishness in global markets persists on Thursday, gains in Reliance shares could be limited. “In case the market is stable, we could see the RIL stock rising to Rs 2,200 early on in the session,” says Manish Shah, technical analyst, Centrum Broking. “Investors can buy the stock as long as it is available below Rs 2,150 for a short-term target of Rs 2,300,” he says. For many of the old-timers in the market, the latest bonus issue is one more reason to stay invested in the stock. “It (the bonus) is good for retail investors,” says Kisan R Choksey chairman, Kisan Ratilal Choksey Shares & Securities. “The company has recently merged a large company with small equity and there are positive developments on gas findings. Investors should continue to hold the stock, as bonus is an added attraction for medium-, and long-term investors,” he adds. The market is expected to see a positive opening for Reliance Industries. The stock is poised to touch the Rs 2,200-mark on Thursday, given the market is stable. Reliance has been trading between Rs 2,100-2,210 for the past couple of weeks. At the same time, we are expecting the market to traded firm on Thursday. | |||||||
Experts say RIL's 1:1 bonus a mere sentiment booster
Reliance Industries has informed BSE that the Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting held on October 07, 2009, inter alia, has recommended, subject to the approval of the shareholders, issue of Bonus shares in the ratio of one equity share of Rs 10/- each fully paid up for every one equity share of Rs 10/- each of the company.
Further, the Board has declared a dividend of Rs 13 (Rupees thirteen only) per fully paid-up equity share of Rs 10/- each.
Reliance Industries declared its audited FY09 results, including Reliance Petroleum's (RPL) numbers. The company's consolidated net profit was at Rs 15,296 crore versus Rs 19,523 crore. Its consolidated net sales were at Rs 1.51 lakh crore versus Rs 1.37 lakh crore.
Reliance Industries bonus history
| Year | Ratio |
| 1997 | 1:1 |
| 1983 | 3:5 |
| 1980 | 3:5 |
“We are maintaining our target of Rs 2050 for the year and we will review it after the Q2 earnings and also what happens with the ongoing case.”
After 12 years, RIL announces 1:1 bonus
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In a Diwali gift for its shareholders, the Reliance Industries (RIL) board today recommended one bonus share for every share held and a dividend of Rs 13 a share.
The dividend will result in a payment of Rs 2,219 crore, inclusive of taxes of Rs 322 crore. Both the bonus shares and dividend will accrue to the shareholders of Reliance Petroleum (RPL), which has been amalgamated recently with the company. RIL has issued its shares to the RPL shareholders on Monday.
Reliance shares fell 1.57 per cent to Rs 2,099 on the Bombay Stock Exchange, declining for the fourth straight day. The free-share announcement was made after the stock markets closed.
“The proposal for bonus and dividend continues Reliance’s tradition of rewarding shareholders on a sustained basis,” a company statement said.
Since its listing in 1978, the total returns to RIL shareholders are 25 per cent compounded. Since the demerger, RIL has created value of Rs 2,47,000 crore in market capitalisation and shareholders have earned 40 per cent compounded return, the statement added.
Chirayush Bakshi, vice-president, Emkay, said, “After the bonus share issue, servicing equity will be difficult. From next year onwards, RIL’s future cash outflow will be higher because of the enhanced equity base. However, the bonus and dividend will excite investors, especially during the financial crisis, and the share price is expected to rise 20 to 25 per cent in a short period.”
Amitabh Chakraborty, president, Religare Securities, told Bloomberg that the management may be trying to neutralise the negative perception that came from the recent sale of treasury stocks. The sale gave out the perception that the current share prices have reached a cap.
Others said the move might have been prompted by the ongoing war between the two Ambani brothers and Mukesh Ambani may be trying to win the confidence of RIL’s three million shareholders.
The company also released restated results for 2008-09 to reflect the absorption of RPL effective from April 1, 2008.
Corresponding period figures have been restated, wherever necessary, but the numbers are not comparable because of the absorption of Reliance Petroleum in the year, the company said.
The consolidated net profit stood at Rs 15,296 crore for the year ended March 31, 2009, while total income was Rs 153,138 crore. The company had registered a net profit of Rs 15,324 crore (from ordinary activities) in the FY08, the company stated in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.
On a standalone basis, RIL's audited net profit stood at Rs 15,637 crore for 2008-09 against Rs 15,261 crore in the previous year. The company's standalone net turnover was Rs 143,907 crore in the last fiscal, while it was Rs 134,338 crore in 2007-08. The comapny has spent Rs 102,288 crore towards buying raw materials including crude. Thus, the expenditure stood at Rs 123,359 crore.
The company said that it has recognised Rs 370 crore towards liabilities on account of corporate guarantee issues on behalf of a subsidiary, being an exceptional item. In the previous year, exceptional item of Rs 4,733 crore represent gains primarily arising out of transactions concerning Reliance Petroleum shares| RIL stock rises in grey market, GDRs gain too |
Grey market — or dabba trading — for equities became active in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi and Maharashtra immediately after the country’s top private sector company, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), announced a 1:1 bonus issue and a 130 per cent dividend.
, the Global Depository Receipts (GDRs) of the company rose 5.5 per cent after the announcement, from $89.90 at around 15.22 hours to $94.80 at 17.59 hours, indicating that the stock could move up when it opens for trading in India on Thursday.
Those traders who would want to ride a likely RIL rally after the bonus and dividend announcement and believe that the stock would witness a gap-up opening on the exchanges on Thursday, were buying the share in the grey market on Wednesday.
As a result of this demand, RIL shares were quoting at a premium of Rs 150 to Rs 200 on its Tuesday’s closing price of Rs 2,099 on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), grey market sources said. Following this, the key domestic benchmark index — Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the contract of which are traded in the futures market — was quoting at a premium of nearly 80 points from its closing of 4,985 on Wednesday. However, the futures index of Nifty listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange, which closes at 6 pm, stood at 4,990 level.
RIL has the highest weight of around 16 per cent in the 30-share Sensex and 10.88 per cent in the 50-share Nifty. However, some company analysts — who did not want to be named — are of the view that the stock could remain volatile in the coming days once the Supreme Court hearing starts this month on the gas dispute between RIL and Reliance Natural Resources Ltd.
Also, RIL is sitting on treasury stock of over Rs 10,000 crore, which Mukesh Ambani is likely to sell in the next 12 to 18 months, said analysts.
The turnover in the grey market could easily cross Rs 50 crore on Wednesday, said sources. The last time the grey market had become active was when the Congress party won the elections in April this year and the results were announced on a Saturday, when markets are closed. The turnover in this market had crossed Rs 500 crore then and the benchmarks had hit the 20 per cent upper circuit when markets opened for trading officially on Monday.
Dabba trades are not executed on the stock exchange, but done in the books of dabba operators who are a cartel of stockbrokers. Punters take positions in this market as the settlement is done in cash and the margin requirement is not more than 10 per cent. Currently, operators running their books include prominent Mumbai-based market players and a few brokers from Gujarat and Rajasthan.
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