India's Tata group plans to raise its stake in the country's largest private steel maker, Tata Steel Ltd, to ward off possible hostile takeover bids, the group's chairman said on Wednesday. Last week, the world's top steel maker, Mittal Steel - which agreed a 25.6 billion euro ($32.54 billion) deal to acquire rival Arcelor - said it was eyeing acquisitions in emerging markets such as China and India.
"The steel industry is highly fragmented and considerably vulnerable ... The only safeguard is to increase (the founding family's) stake over time," Ratan Tata told shareholders of Tata Steel. He said the group's share of the steel firm, in the hands of holding company Tata Sons and other firms, was expected to rise to 33.6 percent by the end of this financial year in March 2007 from 26.8 percent. Shares in Tata Steel ended nearly 5 percent higher at 563.9 rupees in a firm Mumbai market.
Tata said the only way to protect investors' interests in Tata Steel was either by incorporating a partner or by increasing further the group's stake in order to ward off possible take-overs. Last month, Tata Steel said it would raise up to 65 billion rupees ($1.4 billion) through one or more equity-related issues, raising the firm's paid up capital by 15 percent.
Tata Sons' stake in the steel firm may rise to 27.5 percent of the expanded capital after a preferential issue of ordinary shares, Tata said. "Tata Sons is also willing to consider shareholders approval for a 10 percent preferential issue - at the price determined by SEBI according to a formula at what I think at today's price is 515 rupees per share - in two tranches."
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the market regulator. The first tranche of the issue will raise up to 13 billion rupees in the current financial year, Tata said. The company has set an ambitious target of annually producing 30 million tonnes of steel within the next 10 years, Tata said.
Tata Steel produced more than 5 million tonnes in the year to March 2006 and plans to reach 7.5 million tonnes by 2008. India is forecast to raise its steel production capacity to 65 million tonnes by 2011 or 2012 from 38 million now.
"The company has a strong capex plan outlined for the next few years, which would boost revenues. Increasing (the founding family's) stake is just a sign of confidence," said Bhavin Chheda, head of research at Pioneer Intermediaries. Another analyst with an international brokerage allayed Tata Steel fears of a takeover by a bigger rival.
"The company enjoys strong institutional and government support in India," said the analyst, who declined to be named. Tata said Tata Steel was growing internationally through acquisitions. It has bought Thailand's Millennium Steel Plc and Singapore's NatSteel Ltd in recent years. "Natsteel contributed around 40 billion rupees to our top line last fiscal (year)," Tata said.
Easy availability of raw materials such as iron ore and coal and a burgeoning domestic market have drawn global majors such as Mittal Steel and POSCO to India. Nisshin Steel Co, Japan's fifth-biggest steel maker, said in May it was considering setting up a steel plant in India to meet growing demand from Japanese car makers in Asia.