Mint Primer: Will new norms calm the rush for SME IPOs?
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has notified new norms for initial public offerings (IPOs) of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to protect investor interests. Mint takes a look at this excitable segment of the equity market: Sebi last week notified amendments to tighten rules for initial share sales by SMEs.
This follows the Sebi board approving these changes at its meeting in December. As per the notified norms, only those SMEs can raise funds through IPOs that have a minimum Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of ₹1 crore for at least two of the previous three financial years. Also read | SME IPOs: Sebi tightens norms for smaller-sized IPOs to safeguard investor interest Additionally, the amount earmarked for general corporate purposes in the SME listing has been capped at 15% of the issue size or ₹10 crore, whichever is lower, among other provisions.
Promoters’ shareholding above the minimum promoter contribution (MPC) will be subject to a phased lock-in period. Half of the excess holding will be released after one year, while the remaining 50% will be unlocked after two years. Also, selling shareholders cannot offload more than 50% of their existing holding.
The offer for sale (OFS) component of the IPO, too, has been capped at 20% of the issue size. SMEs have also been disallowed from using the IPO proceeds to repay loans taken from promoters, promoter groups or related parties, whether directly or indirectly. Also read | Disclosure dilemma: Why Sebi’s new rules on related-party transactions are under fire SME IPOs have been under the regulatory scanner for a while.
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