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TTML spurts on buzz Vodafone may buy stake

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Capital Market
Last Updated : Jan 03 2014 | 11:57 PM IST

Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) spurted 10.60% to Rs 8.45 at 12:22 IST on BSE on reports Vodafone is in preliminary discussions with the Tata Group to acquire its majority stake in Tata Teleservices.

Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was down 128.80 points, or 0.62%, to 20,759.53.

On BSE, so far 25.32 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 5.36 lakh shares in the past one quarter.

The stock hit a high of Rs 8.77 and a low of Rs 8.20 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 13 on 10 January 2013. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 4.83 on 13 June 2013.

The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 2 January 2014, rising 10.72% compared with the Sensex's 0.05% fall. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one quarter, gaining 11.37% as against Sensex's 7.03% rise.

The small-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 1954.93 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

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Reports suggested that if the deal goes through it would make Vodafone the largest telecom operator in India by subscribers. The buyout would take Vodafone's subscriber base to 248 million, surpassing Airtel with 196 million subscribers.

Tata Teleservices is currently owned by various entities of the Tata Group, which gives it a controlling stake of 59.45% in the company, reports added.

In November 2008, Japanese telecom giant NTT Docomo picked up a 26% equity stake in Tata Teleservices for $2.7 billion.

According to reports, the right of first refusal (RoFR) to the Tatas' 59.45% stake in Tata Teleservices rests with its Japanese partner NTT Do-CoMo, which owns a little over onefourth of the telecom company.

But if the Japanese company refuses to buy out the Tatas, the Indian partner has the right to exercise its 'drag along' rights and force NTT DoCoMo to sell its shares to the buyer of its choice, said two persons familiar with the development.

According to the shareholders agreement between Tata Sons and NTT DoCoMo, if certain performance parameters and other conditions are not met by 31 March 2014, and the Japanese partner decides to exit, Tata Sons is obligated to find a buyer for its shares. If it fails to find another buyer, Tata Sons would have to acquire NTT DoCoMo's stake, reports added.

Tata Teleservices Maharashtra (TTML) is the listed entity of telecom operator Tata Teleservices. As on 30 September 2013, Tata Teleservices and NTT Docomo directly held 36.54% and 11.76% in TTML, respectively.

TTML reported a net loss of Rs 165.23 crore in Q2 September 2013 as against a net loss of Rs 183.71 crore in Q2 September 2012. Net sales rose 2.40% to Rs 655.17 crore in Q2 September 2013 over Q2 September 2012.

TTML spearheads the Tata group's presence in the telephony sector in the telecom circles of Maharashtra (including Mumbai) and Goa.

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First Published: Jan 03 2014 | 12:25 PM IST

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