Jaiprakash Associates Ltd: Buy

CMP: Rs.26

The market cap of the company is only Rs.6,324.39 Cr against H1FY15 earning of Rs.5778.47 Cr, showing that at the CMP, the shares are attractively priced. The book value of the shares of the company is Rs.56.48. 

Meanwhile, Jaiprakash Associates completed its divestment programme aimed at cutting debt with the sale of two cement plants in Madhya Pradesh to UltraTech Cement for Rs.5,400 crore. The company has in total divested assets worth over Rs.20,000 crore.

In a statement, Manoj Gaur, executive chairman, Jaiprakash Associates Ltd, said: “With this disinvestment, Jaiprakash Associates’ major disinvestment plans get rested and the focus will now shift to innovative operational efficiencies to match with the best in class, coinciding with the imminent revival of the Indian economy.

In September this year, its sister company Jaiprakash Power Ventures Ltd (JVPL) sold two hydroelectric power plants to JSW Energy for Rs.9,700 crore. However, the Sajjan Jindal-led power producer deferred a decision to buy another 500-Mw thermal power plant from JPVL, because of uncertainty on coal linkage for the project. But now since much of the uncertainty regarding coal has been eased, the next in line for sell (probably to JSW Energy) could be 500-MW thermal power plant in Bina, Rajasthan.

The investors can buy the scrip at the CMP of Rs.26, for a short term target of Rs.29-30.