The Securities Exchange Board of Nepal (SEBON) has given its approval to the initial public offering (IPO) proposal of Sarbottam Cement Limited on Poush 3, 2080. Notably, this marks the first instance of a company issuing an IPO under the book-building system in Nepal. Sarbottam Cement Limited has been granted permission to release 3,600,000 unit shares to the general public at a bid price of NPR 360.9 each, constituting 7.74% of the company’s issued capital, which amounts to Rs 4.65 arba. The IPO is expected to generate a total of Rs. 1.29 Arba for the company.
Prior to this approval, the cement company adhered to guidelines by conducting its primary share issuance through the book-building process for Qualified Institutional Investors (QII) from the 6th to the 10th of Mangsir, 2080. The allotment process took place on the 11th Mangsir, during which 41 eligible institutional investors applied for 36,19,190 unit shares against the initially offered 24 lakh units.
In total, Sarbottam Cement plans to issue 12.9033% of its issued capital, amounting to Rs 4.65 Arba, equivalent to 60 lakh shares or 60 crore. Out of this, 40% (24 lakh shares) has already been issued and allotted to Qualified Institutional Investors (QIIs), with the remaining 60% (36 lakh shares) set to be issued to the general public later.
The ‘cut-off price’ plays a crucial role in IPOs conducted under the book-building process. During the primary shares allotment to qualified institutional investors, the ‘cut-off price’ for Sarbottam Cement was established at Rs 401. Following regulatory guidelines, shares are offered to the general public at a discounted rate, specifically 10% lower than the ‘cut-off’ price. For Sarbottam Cement, this translates to Rs 360.90 per share for common investors.
Prospective investors are required to apply for a minimum of 50 units during the book-building process, and they are expected to allocate at least Rs 18,045 to participate in this offering. Global IME Capital is overseeing the management of the IPO for Sarbottam Cement.
Additionally, ICRA Nepal has reaffirmed Sarbottam Cement Limited’s issuer rating as [ICRANP-IR] BBB+ and has maintained the long-term rating at [ICRANP] LBBB+ along with a short-term rating of [ICRANP] A2 for Sarbottam’s bank loan limits.