DCB Bank not to seek extension to dilute promoter holding
Promoters Aga Khan Fund, Platinum Jubilee Investments need to cut their holdings to 10% from 18.5% by March 2014, as per RBI norms
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Mumbai: Private sector lender DCB Bank is confident of getting down the promoter holding to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)-mandated levels by March next year and will not seek an extension this time, a top official said.
“Even though the market conditions are not so good, we will bring down the promoters’ shareholding, as demanded by the Reserve Bank, and will not seek another extension," DCB Bank managing director and chief executive Murali M. Natrajan told PTI.
He said Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (Akfed) and Platinum Jubilee Investments—the promoters of the bank—are required to reduce their holding to 10% from the current 18.5% by March 2014.
DCB Bank was founded in 1930s as a cooperative bank and changed its character to a commercial bank later. Along with others like Kotak Mahindra Bank, it has also been instructed by RBI to reduce promoter holding to 10%.
Natrajan declined to comment on the alternatives available for promoters to reduce their equity. In the previous two dilutions happened—the promoters had a stake of nearly 25%—through issue of fresh shares.
The bank scrip gained 2.39% to close at ₹ 51.45 on the BSE on Friday after the bank reported a 50% jump in net profit for the September quarter at ₹ 33 crore. It has a 41% book devoted to the mortgage segment. Natrajan said it will continue focusing more on the segment.
When asked if ₹ 3,000 crore redevelopment project in south Mumbai’s Bhendi Bazar area presents an opportunity for the bank’s mortgage business, Natrajan replied in the negative.
The bank has a sizeable presence in the Bhendi Bazar area with two branches and is also popular with the residents there. The bank opened two branches during the September quarter to take its network to 102, Natrajan said, adding it is targeting to close the fiscal with up to 125 branches.
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