Tata Group's Cyrus Mistry plans Rs 2,000 crore IPO for Tata Sky

Tata Group's Cyrus Mistry plans Rs 2,000 crore IPO for Tata Sky

TATA

MUMBAI: In 2012 Tata Group chairman Cyrus Pallonji Mistry is believed to be offering Rs 2,000 crore for the Tata Sky's amount of issue, according to a report.

Mistry had had initiated the process to sell part of Tata Sky in his first initial public offering (IPO) move after becoming the group chairman and a recent report by Times of India says Tata Sky will also be the 30th publicly listed company from the Tata Group which currently has a combined market cap of nearly Rs 7.2 lakh crore.

Early next week, the company's investors, management, underwriters and counsel will hold the kickoff meeting to thrash out the red herring prospectus, Times of India reported.

To take matters forward, Morgan Stanley, Citi and Kotak Mahindra Capital will manage the DTH provider's offering in which Tata Sons owns 51per cent, media mogul Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox has 30 per cent, Singapore state investor Temasek 10 per cent, and Tata Opportunities Fund holds 9 per cent.

Mistry has revived the plan to list Tata Sky on the domestic stock market, which will help the 47-year-old to part-monetize the asset by bringing in fresh funds to fuel the conglomerate's growth plans and trim its debt. In fiscal 2015, its loss stood at Rs 267 crore.

The report also stated that there are prospects of sale of new shares as well as of existing shares held by promoters including Tata Sons and Temasek, which has remained invested in Tata Sky since 2007. According to the report, Temasek wants to encash some of its holdings in the 12-year-old Tata Sky, which will have a gross profit of Rs 1,000 crore in fiscal 2016. Murdoch's 21st Century Fox intends to retain its ownership, while Tata Opportunities Fund is undecided whether it wants to sell a stake in the IPO, the person added.

Tata Sky intends to use the proceeds from the share sale to beef up its balance sheet. The company, which has emerged as the leader in the DTH field, will break even this financial year.