EQUITY FUND RAISING @ ALL TIME HIGH

Indian companies raised Rs 1,77,116 crore during 2017-18 through the equity market route, the highest amount ever raised in a financial year, says a report. IPOs and QIPs dominated the fund mobilisation route in 2017-18, the report by PRIME Database said. "2017-18 witnessed raising of Rs 1,77,116 crore through the public equity markets, 3.46 times that was raised in the preceding year," said Pranav Haldea, Managing Director, PRIME Database. During 2016-17, Rs 51,120 crore was raised through equity market route. The previous highest amount raised through equity market was Rs 86,710 crore in 2009-10, the report said. Haldea said 2017-18 was the best year ever for initial public offer (IPO) market by far, the previous high being in 2007-08 when Rs 41,323 crore was raised. The report further said 45 mainboard IPOs came to the market collectively raising Rs 82,109 crore. The overall response from the public to the mainboard IPOs of the year was also very good, it said, adding 17 IPOs received mega response of more than 10 times. 
As far as retail investors are concerned, the year witnessed very good response from them as well. Haldea said response to IPOs was further buoyed by strong listing performance. Of the 38 IPOs which got listed, 17 gave a return of over 10 per cent (based on closing price on listing date). The year also witnessed significant activity on the SME platform. There were as many as 155 SME IPOs, the highest ever, which collected a total of Rs 2,247 crore. Offer for sale through stock exchanges (OFS), which is for dilution of promoters' holdings, saw an increase from Rs 8,390 crore raised last financial year to Rs 18,438 crore raised in 2017-18. India Power Corp, Sona Koyo Steering Systems and Inox Wind OFS amounts are not finalised yet, the report said. Already-listed companies found QIP route very attractive, with 52 firms mobilising Rs 62,358 crore, the highest ever. MEP Infrastructure QIP amount was not finalised, it said. Only two companies used the IPP route, mobilising Rs 4,668 crore. Of the total amount of Rs 1,77,116 crore, the amount raised through fresh capital was only Rs 91,205 crore, the remaining Rs 85,911 crore being offer for sale, it said. In divestment space, 2017-18 was the best year ever with Rs 98,965 crore being raised by the government. In the bond market, eight issues raised Rs 4,861 crore, lower than 16 issues raising Rs 29,547 crore in 2016-17. According to Haldea, 2018-19 is likely to see more volatility in the secondary market which shall affect fund raising plans of companies as well.