Stock bounces back today after losing 16% since 6th June. Market experts believe delisting plan a ploy to try and ramp up the stock price
Compact Disc India (CDI) has left its retail investors fuming over its delisting plans. The shareholders are questioning the company's motives, as it has not paid the dividends it announced over the past two years, but it now seems to have the funds to buy back shares.
Interestingly, the company has been restrained from initiating any process of delisting of shares by the Debts Recovery Tribunal-II, Delhi, after its banker, HSBC, filed a suit for recovery. This is again strange, that the company does not have funds to pay its banker, but apparently has money to undertake a share buyback.
The stock reacted negatively to these developments, losing 16% since 6th June till the close of trading on Friday.
CDI announced its delisting plan in January 2011. In another update to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), dated 13th April, the company said that it had approved Rs75 per equity share as the delisting price.
Investors are crying foul over the company's offer and have questioned its intentions. Around 70% of the company's equity is owned by retail investors.
"I am surprised that this company does not have even Rs18 crore to pay back its banker, but it wants to de-list the share at Rs75 per share. Since January 2011, the company has been talking about de-listing, but till date it has not taken the first step required in this process, that is the postal ballot notice has not been sent to shareholders. The intention of the company is not clear," said one investor, writing on the message board of the financial website, moneycontrol.com.
Another major complaint investors have is that CDI has not paid the dividend it announced over the past two years.
Market experts suggest that the delay in delisting is a deliberate attempt by the company to try and ramp up the share price.
In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Suresh Kumar, chairman of CDI said, "HSBC has taken a stay from a court which was not eligible to put a stay on this delisting process. We are basically working out with our legal consultants to get the stay vacated. We will go for the delisting process."
Mr Kumar also said, "We owe them (HSBC) about Rs18 crore, out of which we have already paid them Rs2 crore. We have already committed to the court and HSBC that we will pay this entire money by December 2011. We are making all possible efforts to repay the entire outstanding loan in the next 30 days."
In a recent filing with the BSE, the company said it would hold a board meeting on 8th July to "review and reconsider the proposed delisting of the equity shares of the company." Reacting to the news, the CDIL stock price jumped nearly 20% to close at Rs52 today.
Moneylife had in April 2010 reported on how the BSE had found that CDI did not comply with several provisions of clause 49 of the SEBI Listing Agreement and it had sought clarification and explanation from the company on this matter. (Read, "BSE finds Compact Disc India non- compliant with SEBI Listing Agreement".) The company did not reply to an email message on the issue.
Inside story of the National Stock Exchange’s amazing success, leading to hubris, regulatory capture and algo scam
Fiercely independent and pro-consumer information on personal finance.
1-year online access to the magazine articles published during the subscription period.
Access is given for all articles published during the week (starting Monday) your subscription starts. For example, if you subscribe on Wednesday, you will have access to articles uploaded from Monday of that week.
This means access to other articles (outside the subscription period) are not included.
Articles outside the subscription period can be bought separately for a small price per article.
Fiercely independent and pro-consumer information on personal finance.
30-day online access to the magazine articles published during the subscription period.
Access is given for all articles published during the week (starting Monday) your subscription starts. For example, if you subscribe on Wednesday, you will have access to articles uploaded from Monday of that week.
This means access to other articles (outside the subscription period) are not included.
Articles outside the subscription period can be bought separately for a small price per article.
Fiercely independent and pro-consumer information on personal finance.
Complete access to Moneylife archives since inception ( till the date of your subscription )
What are the BSE and SEBI doing about violations?
Compound and 'settle', to hell with the 'aam admi investor'?
This company is upto dubious mischief since the 1990s. The Times of India wrote about it, after it refused to pay its advertising agency. I worked with that agency and I remember that we got evidence to show how it had no intention of using public money for the purpose it was raised.
We even had a photograph of a so-called CD manufacturing facility which was running a small canteen ... what a hoax. I dont remember if the agency every got its money back.
SEBI will sleep as always... Long Live Indian Democracy...