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Larsen’s CMD, Mr A M Naik tries to justify increasing stake to 12% in Satyam

4 Comments / Bulk Deals, Chuckle !, Controversies, Corporate Governance, Information Technology, Infrastructure, Insider Trading, Interesting New Words, Investing Themes, INVESTOR MISTAKES, Reflections, Satyam : The Sordid Asatyam Saga, STOCKS, VALUATION / By

This is a gist of the Conference call that Larsen organised today to justify and clarify the 12% stake in Satyam

  • L&T management clearly stated that L&T is no longer just an E&C company. It’s businesses span a range of activities in manufacturing as well as services, including heavy engineering, manufacturing,  power, process engineering and financial, IT and engineering services.
  •  L&T Infotech, with revenues of US$400mn in FY08, has been in the IT services business for 10 years and hence, the acquisition of a stake in Satyam is not an unrelated diversification for L&T.
  • L&T acquired the 1st tranche of 3.95% stake in Satyam after the announcement and subsequent cancellation of the proposed acquisition of Maytas Infra and Maytas Properties by Satyam, but before the news of fraud by Ramalinga Raju was announced. The average market price of Satyam at which the stake was acquired was Rs 174/share.
  • The 2nd round of acquisition of ~8.09% was completed on January 23, 2009 at an average price of Rs 34.share. L&T now holds a 12.04% stake in Satyam, at an average price of Rs80/share.
  • The initial stake was acquired with an intention to form a strategic alliance with Satyam for targeting clients jointly, especially in areas where L&T Infotech and Satyam were competitors.
  • On disclosure of the fraud by the ex-Chairman of Satyam, L&T decided to increase its stake with a view to preserve the value of the already acquired stake and to have a say in any major action the new Board of Satyam would decide about the company’s future
  • L&T’s decision to acquire the additional stake was based on its assessment (and feedback from various stakeholders in Satyam) of Satyam’s demonstrated track record, trained manpower and valuable client relationships.
  • L&T believes that major clients are unlikely to terminate contracts for two reasons – one, most clients are satisfied with Satyam’s services and would likely continue if issues of governance etc are addressed wby the new Board and two, the prohibitive costs of transition to new vendors.
  • L&T’s decision to increase its stake was also in part, influenced by the knowledge gained that Satyam did not have any debt on its books and all its properties were mortgage free and that Satyam has in its possession, 250 acres of land with clear titles.
  • On potential/contingent liabilities, L&T management is reasonably confident of no material impact of the UPaid case on Satyam. However, the management is yet to assess the impact, if at all, the class action suits filed against Satyam in the USA.
  • L&T has acquired the 12.04% stake in Satyam through L&T Capital, which is the designated vehicle for acquisition of all such strategic stakes.
  • The other strategic acquisitions made by the company in the recent past include NIIT Technologies (~5% stake to access markets in Europe where NIIT has a strong presence) and Kalindee Rail Nirman Engineers (~14.5%, to leverage Kalindee’s capabilities in EPC and allied services for Railways).
  • The management clarified that the Satyam acquisition, being strategic in nature, L&T Capital will not be providing for any MTM losses in its books.
     
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    Larsen Jumps the Gun in Buying 4% into Satyam and sees Big Erosion of over 85% and over Rs 300 Crs inside just Two Days !…they must file an FIR against Satyam and it’s Chairman,Ramalinga Raju

    3 Comments / Bulk Deals, Controversies, Corporate Governance, Information Technology, Infrastructure, Insider Trading, Interesting News Sightings, Investing Themes, INVESTOR MISTAKES, Reflections, Satyam : The Sordid Asatyam Saga, STOCKS, VALUATION / By

    Larsen was probably ill advised to buy a 4% Stake in Satyam at undisclosed price…Definitely over Rs 100 asY.M. Deosthalee told Dow Jones Newswires by telephone that the company acquired the stake over ten days ending Tuesday through its L&T Capital arm.

    This would mean L & T Capital,through whom Larsen bought the Stake,paid Prices of between Rs 114 to Rs 180 which were the Low and High in Satyam over the days of the Purchase

    Larsen now holds close to 2.70 crore shares in Satyam at Investment cost of over probably  between Rs 350 crs to Rs 450 crs….On Wednesday,January 7,Satyam opened at Rs 175 but closed at Rs 40 after Ramalinga Raju’s Confession of a massive Fraud…Today Satyam has sunk even lower to Rs 20…Larsen’s holding in Satyam is worth just Rs 54 Crores inside days…It has lost over 85 % and @ over Rs 300 crs notionally inside two days !…it will have to mark the investment to market

    If Satyam ceases to exist,so will it’s Equity and Larsen would have lost over Rs 350 crs

    Larsen just jumped the Gun Here !…Sure some in Larsen will lose their Jobs !

    They were clearly ill advised to take this Risk and Methinks should take the Lead in Filing a FIR against Satyam and Ramalinga Raju for the Fraud and even the auditors for not spotting the Asset Hole 

    There is also the grave posssibility that L & T Capital may have picked up the same 4 % of Equity sold by the Lenders to Ramalinga Raju on his pledged shares…If this is so,then Ramalinga Raju may have awaited this sale at High Prices before releasing his Confession Letter on January 7,2009

    Larsen must not let Satyam and Ramalinga Raju get away with this ! 

    The Share Price of Larsen has also eroded by 15% to below Rs 700 in quick time

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