Bharti Airtel, today announced that they have successfully sold over 190 million shares of its subsidiary Bharti Infratel representing 10.3 percent, to a consortium of funds advised by KKR and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (“CPPIB”). The total value of this secondary deal is over Rs. 6193.9 crores (approx. Rs. 951.6 million), which also dubs to a price of Rs. 325 per share.
Bharti Airtel will primarily use the proceeds from this sale to reduce its debt. Following the closure of this transaction, Bharti Airtel’s equity holding in Bharti Infratel stands at 61.7 percent, and that of KKR and CPPIB at 10.3 percent.
Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Airtel, said, “This investment by a consortium of marquee long-term investors underlines the confidence of the global investors in India’s growth story and the government’s Digital India initiative in particular. It further reinforces the positive outlook for the telecom infrastructure sector. The long-term investment horizon of the investors aligns well with the capital needs and business cycles of Bharti Infratel.”
Just after the announcement, the shares of Bharti Airtel were up by 1.89 percent today morning, evaluating at Rs. 318.45 per share. That said, the share of Airtel was opened at Rs. 314.85.
This transaction makes it KKR’s second investment in Bharti Infratel. Previously, the funds managed by KKR had invested in Bharti Infratel during the period 2008 to 2015. Post this transaction, the stake held by KKR and CPPIB (combined) will be the single largest public shareholder block.
