Friday, August 13, 2021

 Winning Strokes

The BSE Sensex is now trading 55,448.15 up 604.17 points (+1.10%), while Nifty is now at 16,533.45, up 169.05 points (+1.03%)

The large caps are likely to consolidate around the current ranges while the action will again shift to small and mid cap counters, from next week. 

#According to Media reports, Amazon, the US e-commerce giant is preparing a bailout plan for Future Retail Ltd (Rs.49.10) in case the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) rules against the merger deal with Reliance Retail. 

Meanwhile, in the case between Future Coupons Private Limited Vs Amazon.Com Nv Investment Holdings LLC the Future Group firm, Future Coupons Private Ltd has moved the Supreme Court on August 12, seeking a stay against the order passed by the single bench of the Delhi High Court that directed attachment of assets of Future Coupons, Future Retail, Future Group Promote Kishore Biyani's assets and issued a show-cause notice for Civil Arrest of Biyani and other directors of Future Group. An SLP can be filed against orders which are otherwise non-appealable.

However,  with the retirement of Justice F Nariman yesterday, the new SLP filed by Future Coupons will be heard by a bench, which will obviously be different from the one which considered the previous Amazon-Future Retail case

Notably, a bench headed by Justice RF Nariman of the Supreme Court, last week had ruled in favour of e-commerce giant Amazon in its dispute with Future Retail Ltd over the latter's merger deal with Reliance group. 

The apex court held that Emergency Award passed by Singapore arbitrator stalling FRL-Reliance deal was enforceable in Indian law and had also held that single judge's order was not appealable to the division bench of the High Court under Section 37(2) of the Arbitration Act.

The Court had held that the Emergency Arbitrator had rightly invoked the "Group of Company" doctrine in relation to the Future Group companies.

Now the question is,  how a foreign entity is able to take control of a domestic retail behemoth (including its inventory), through minority holding in a holding company simply by invoking "Group of Company" doctrine (in relation to the Future Group companies)?

The SIAC and the honourable Supreme Court of India should look into the matter. 

Future Retail earlier said that the ruling is not related to the merits of the case, since it addresses certain limited points related to the enforceability of the arbitration award. 

Meanwhile, a report by Deloitte and the Retailers Association of India said in 2019 that Indian e-commerce, valued at $24 billion (Rs.1.77 lakh crore) in 2017, would jump to $84 billion (Rs.6.2 lakh crore) by 2021. India is an attractive market for global e-tail giants such as Amazon.

However, whoever wins the court case,  it will spell good news for the Future Group. Also,  June quarter results of Future Retail are expected to be good due to the gradual lifting of Nationwide Lockdown and also due to the commencement of its e - commerce business. One of the Future Group companies has already come up with good June quarter numbers:

Future Supply Chain Solutions Ltd (Rs.68.15) on Tuesday reported narrowing of its net loss to Rs.42.60 crore for the first quarter ended June 2021. The Future group's supply chain and logistics company had posted a net loss of Rs.55.40 crore for the April-June quarter of the last financial year 2020-21. 

Its revenue from operations in April-June 2021 jumped 35.59% to Rs.128.99 crore as against Rs.95.13 crore in the year-ago period, Future Supply Chain said in a regulatory filing. 

Future Supply Chain's total expenses stood at Rs.178.61 crore, a rise of 11.08% as against Rs.160.78 crore a year ago.

Besides, if Amazon can enter slyly in Future Retail through Future Coupon, then Mukhesh Ambani can also put up a front of Reliance under a different name and buy into the Future Group. The restricted companies clause put forward by Amazon may not apply in such instance. The subsidiary company  may have different shareholding pattern. The money can be given as Loan to Future Coupons Ltd. 

#The stock of Reliance Capital Ltd (Rs. 15.60) is preparing for the next level of upmove. 

Authum Investment and Infrastructure is all set to acquire Anil Ambani-led Reliance Commercial Finance (RCFL) on completion of the resolution process under the RBI (Prudential Framework for Resolution of Stressed Assets) Directions, 2019.

Meanwhile, the lenders have also approved the ₹1,629 crore bid placed by Authum in a recently held meeting and letter of intent was issued in favour of the company's bid. The resolution will result in overall debt reduction of Reliance Capital by over Rs.9,000 crore. If this happens, the share price of Reliance Capital Ltd, will cross Rs.50. It can therefore, start hitting Upper Circuits, anytime from now and hence book your seat in advance.

#The debt free, Den Networks Ltd (Rs. 51.50) could spurt as some media report indirectly suggests that Mukhesh Ambani could go in for restructuring of its businesses. Cable TV is a solid business model with a steady income flow from customers. 

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