The initial public offering (IPO) of Sarbottam Cement has initiated the bidding process for Qualified Institutional Investors (QII) at the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE). The bidding unfolded in the presence of NEPSE’s CEO Krishna Bahadur Karki and Sarbottam Cement’s Chairman Bishnu Prasad Neupane. During this phase, the company made its IPO available to eligible institutional investors through the book-building process from Mangsir 6 to Mangsir 10.
A total of 41 eligible institutional investors participated in this opportunity, applying for 36,19,190 shares against the initial offering of 24,00,000 units. Notably, there are currently 135 Qualified Institutional Investors licensed by the Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON). Key bids at the highest price came from Kumari Capital and two mutual funds under its operation, with bids of Rs. 406 per share, the highest in the bidding process.
The book-building guidelines allowed a maximum of 20% shares to be bid by a single qualified investor of the total issue size. Several QII, including Sky Touch Investment and Consultant Pvt. Ltd, Alka Investment Pvt. Ltd, Nepal Insurance Company Limited, and City Express Investment Fund Pvt. Ltd, bid for the maximum limit of 4.8 lakh units each.
Most bids were placed at the cut-off price of Rs. 401, and successful QII applicants will receive a proportionate share based on their applied amount and the available shares at the cut-off price. The allotted shares for successful QII will be subject to a six-month lock-in period from the date of allotment to the general public.
The cut-off price is set at Rs. 401, and the shares for the general public will be available at Rs. 360.9, reflecting a 10% discount on the cut-off rate. Qualified institutional investors were allowed to apply within a specified price range of Rs. 401 to Rs. 601.50 per share.
The company’s issued capital stands at Rs. 4.65 Arba, of which 12.9033% (60,00,000 units) will be issued to the public (QIIs and the general public). Out of this, 40% (24,00,000 shares) were allocated to Qualified Institutional Investors.
An arrangement is in place to determine a cut-off price for fully sold securities to qualified institutional investors, with applicants at or above the cut-off price receiving their share allotments based on demand. Shares will be issued to general investors at a 10 percent discount from the cut-off price.
The IPO of Sarbottam Cement initially applied through the book-building method on 28th Ashadh 2079, gaining approval 15 months later, marking a pioneering IPO through this method.