Coronavirus: Investors do not see long-term concerns

MUMBAI: Coronavirus may be keeping India Inc. on the edge, forcing companies to take preventive measures at their work place, but the investing community does not yet see any long term impact of the disease on its bets on India. They will closely watch the next two quarters though.

"Some of the best companies that you might want to invest in are now within a value range where they are attractive. As for our portfolio companies, we just have to ensure that we stand by them through this time. We’ll help them through the crisis. We see a long term demand slowdown of maximum two quarters due to this which is not a large impact," said Sandeep Naik, managing director and head, India and Southeast Asia, General Atlantic The outbreak, from a PE point of view, will create interesting opportunities, he added.

Naik was speaking at the Mint India Investment Summit being held at Mumbai.

Anuj Ranjan, managing partner, Brookfield Asset Management and CEO of India and Middle East, said his company invests in businesses for the long term. "We are an investor and we invest in businesses for the long term. Geopolitical events keep happening but we look at businesses from a 10-year horizon," said Ranjan.

India has reported 28 cases of the novel coronavirus or Covid-19 so far. Organisations across the country said they were taking measures to contain the impact of the disease on the staff.

While many employers are ensuring that the workforce has access to hand sanitizers at entry and exit points, others are discouraging meetings and providing N-95 masks in offices, factories and distribution centres.

FMCG major Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) has put in place sanitisation regime and there is a protocol on when and what type of masks were to be used.

Clix Capital, a fintech company, is sending out periodic advisories through emails to all employees enlisting the precautions they must take against coronavirus.

(Bidya Sapam and Anirudh Laskar contributed to the story)