Investors on Monday short circuited Anil Ambani group's maiden IPO at the stock markets, with Reliance Power slipping 32 per cent or Rs 175 a share from the listing price to close at Rs 372.50 while the billionaire's other group companies also lost up to a fifth of their value.
In a day of market meltdown that saw the benchmark Sensitive Index plummeting 834 points, ADAG group firms lost a total of over $12 billion or Rs 50,000 crore (Rs 500 billion) after Anil rang the customary opening bell at Bombay Stock Exchange to announce listing of Reliance Power through IPO, the first one since he parted ways with elder brother Mukesh in 2005.
The IPO, which generated a whopping demand of Rs 7,50,000 crore (Rs 7500 billion) to make it the biggest ever maiden offer in India's capital market history, left investors disappointed.
The scrip had commanded a premium of up to Rs 550 per share in the grey market ahead of listing. Listing at Rs 547.8, a premium of 21 per cent over the issue price of Rs 450, Reliance Power slipped into the red within a minute and thus lost its position from the coveted group of top ten valuable entities on the market.
During the day, his other company Reliance Energy and Reliance Communications were the top two losers among Sensex blue chips, shedding Rs 380.95 and Rs 55.70 per share respectively.
At the close of trading, market capitalisation of his group came down to Rs 3,03,300 crore (Rs 3033 billion) from Rs 3,54,758 crore (including Reliance Power at the issue price).
In comparison, value of the market leader Reliance Industries group, led by Mukesh, was down by about Rs 26,000 crore (Rs 260 billion) to Rs 4,01,200 crore (Rs 4012 billion).
The issue had created a phenomenal demand of Rs 7,50,000 crore (Rs 7,500 billion) at the close of the IPO last month, thereafter being quoted at the grey market at a premium of Rs 450-550 per share, against an issue price of Rs 450 each.
However, analysts said that it was commendable for the company to hold onto a price of over Rs 400 in a turbulent market, that has already seen shelving of two major IPOs -- EmmarMGF and Wockhardt Hospitals last week.
Touted as the biggest ever IPO to hit the Indian market, the issue failed to hold on to the investors' interest and the hype that saw the scrip touching a high of up to Rs 1,000 a share in the grey market, soon after the listing at the BSE with Anil ringing the customary bell to signal commencement of trade.
The listing took Reliance Power's market capitalization to over Rs 1.23 lakh crore, joining the top 10 firms listed on the bourses.
