The initial public offering (IPO) of SBFC Finance has witnessed a promising response from investors within the first few hours of opening for subscription on Thursday, August 3, 2023. With the bidding process open until Monday, August 7, the IPO has garnered considerable interest, particularly from non-institutional and retail investors.
SBFC Finance is offering its shares at a price range of Rs 54 to Rs 57 apiece during the three-day bidding window, with a minimum bid requirement of 260 equity shares and multiples thereof. The IPO includes selling newly issued shares worth Rs 600 crore and offering existing shares for sale, valued at around Rs 425 crore.
As of 1:00 pm on August 3, 2023, investors have bid for 9,71,56,540 equity shares, amounting to 0.73% of the 13,35,12,817 equity shares offered for subscription.
The non-institutional investor quota has been booked 1.08 times, while the retail bidders' allocation has reached an impressive 99%. Employees' participation stands at 63%. However, the qualified institutional bidders (QIBs) segment is yet to gain momentum.
Founded in 2008, SBFC Finance is a non-banking finance company that offers secured MSME loans and loans against gold, catering primarily to entrepreneurs, small business owners, self-employed individuals, and salaried and working-class individuals. With an extensive presence across India, the company operates through 157 branches in 105 cities across 16 states and 2 union territories.
Market analysts have expressed positivity about the IPO, recommending investors to subscribe due to company's widespread network, strong return ratios, robust business model, and lower cost of funds. However, they have also pointed out risks of higher valuations & rate-sensitive factors that could affect the company's performance.
While SBFC Finance has exhibited consistent financial performance and stable asset quality, it faces risks related to its dependence on a few key customers and fluctuations in the price of securities used as collateral for loans. Additionally, rising interest rates may cause challenges.
Prior to the IPO, SBFC Finance successfully raised Rs 304.42 crore from 37 anchor investors by allocating 5.34 crore equity shares at Rs 57 per share.
SBFC Finance has demonstrated impressive growth, achieving a 44% CAGR in assets under management from FY2019 to FY2023 and 40% CAGR in disbursements during same period. With a price-to-book ratio of 3.6 times at the IPO price of Rs 57, the company presents enticing growth opportunities and strong fundamentals.
The IPO is being managed by ICICI Securities, Axis Capital, and Kotak Mahindra Capital Company, while KFin Technologies is the registrar of IPO. The company's shares are scheduled to be listed on both NSE and BSE, with the tentative listing date set for Wednesday, August 16.