Stocks to Watch: Vi, RBL Bank, Jindal Stainless, Edelweiss, Vedanta, KEC International

Vodafone Idea: The telecom services provider announced in an exchange filing on Wednesday that its shareholders have given the green light for a proposal to issue securities amounting to approximately ₹20,000 crore. This announcement came a day after the company's virtual Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM). With this approval, the telecom firm is on track to wrap up the equity fundraising by June's end. Once the equity fundraising is completed, Vodafone Idea plans to raise additional debt, bringing the total funding to a potential ₹45,000 crore. This fundraising is vital for the company's plans to launch 5G services.

RBL Bank: The private sector bank has reported a deposit amount of ₹1,03,454 crore for the quarter ending in March FY24. This represents a growth of 22 percent compared to the same period last year and a 12 percent increase from the previous quarter, according to preliminary figures. The bank's advances for the quarter amounted to ₹85,640 crore, marking a 19 percent year-on-year increase and a 5 percent quarter-on-quarter rise. Retail advances saw a 29 percent year-on-year growth, while wholesale advances grew by 7 percent year-on-year for the quarter. Within the wholesale segment, commercial banking experienced a 17 percent year-on-year growth. The proportion of retail to wholesale advances was roughly 58:42.

Jindal Stainless: The company announced on Wednesday its intention to divest its entire 26% stake in Jindal Coke by September this year. The company has already sold 4.87% of its shares in Jindal Coke for over ₹36.49 crore in the first tranche, with JSL Overseas acquiring these shares at the same price, as per a regulatory filing. Simultaneously, Jindal Stainless has secured a majority stake in the Spanish firm Iberjindal. Earlier in January, the company's board had approved in principle the acquisition of up to a 100% stake in Iberjindal S.L., a Spain-based subsidiary, and the divestment of a 26% equity stake in its associate company, Jindal Coke Ltd (JCL).

Edelweiss Financial Services: CLSA Global Markets Pte Ltd., a foreign investor, has acquired 2,72,10,507 equity shares in Edelweiss Financial Services. This acquisition, made through open market transactions, represents 2.88% of the company's paid-up equity. The shares were bought at an average price of ₹69.16 crore, bringing the total value of the transaction to ₹188.18 crore. On the other hand, The Pabrai Investment Fund IV LP, a foreign portfolio investor, was the seller in this transaction, divesting 2,72,08,207 equity shares at an average price of ₹69.15 per share, for a total of ₹188.14 crore.

Vedanta: The company has increased its alumina refining capacity to 3.5 million metric tonnes annually (MTPA). The company has launched a new alumina refinery in Lanjigarh, Odisha, with a capacity of 1.5 MTPA, which is a part of their new 3 MTPA facility. This expansion will raise the total production capacity of the Lanjigarh refinery from the current 2 MTPA to 5 MTPA.

Som Distilleries and Breweries: The board of directors of Som Distilleries and Breweries has given the green light for a stock split. The company's current equity shares, each with a face value of ₹5, will be divided into shares with a face value of ₹2 each. This move is expected to boost retail investor participation and enhance the liquidity of the company's shares.

KEC International: The infrastructure EPC major has received new orders of ₹816 crore across its various businesses, including orders for supply of towers in the United States of America, setting up steel plants in Northern India, and plants for carbon derivatives in Eastern India.

Union Bank of India: The DIFC Dubai branch of Union Bank of India has secured a syndicated term loan amounting to $500 million, which includes an over-allotment option, or "green shoe", of $100 million. The loan is divided into two tranches with durations of 3 and 5 years. This marks the bank's first venture into raising a syndicated term loan at an international center. As of April 3, the bank has already drawn $100 million from Tranche A under this arrangement.

GMR Power and Urban Infra: The company, in collaboration with Shree Naman Developers, has established a joint venture called Portus Ventures. This new entity will be responsible for the design, operation, and upkeep of superstructures on the land parcels at the Mumbai International Airport (MIAL) site. GMR Power and Urban Infra has invested in 26 percent of the total paid-up capital of Portus Ventures, amounting to ₹26,000.

Avenue Supermarts: The company that runs D-Mart, reported a standalone revenue of ₹12,393.46 crore for the quarter ending in March FY24. This is a 19.9 percent increase from the ₹10,337.12 crore recorded in the same period last year. As of the end of March 2024, the company operates a total of 365 stores.

Bharat Forge: On Wednesday, Bharat Forge Ltd announced the appointment of Amit Kalyani as the company's vice chairman and joint managing director for an additional five-year term, commencing on 11 May 2024. This decision, which is pending shareholder approval, was made during a board of directors meeting.