Top stake acquisitions this week: PhonePe, LIC, Bajaj Finance, and more make key investments in Indian listed companies.
Top Stake Deals in Indian Markets: PhonePe, LIC, and Promoters Lead the Charge
In another eventful week on the Indian stock exchanges, several major stake acquisitions made headlines. From strategic SAST (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) filings to aggressive promoter consolidations and institutional investments, market participants were actively reshuffling their portfolios.
Leading the pack is PhonePe Limited, which acquired a 5% stake in C.E. Info Systems Ltd (MAPMYINDIA), indicating a strong push into geospatial tech. The week also witnessed the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) acquiring over 2% in Marico, and Bajaj Finance picking up a significant holding in Arvind Smartspaces.
Let’s explore the top deals of the week across three segments: SAST acquisitions, Promoter stake hikes, and direct share acquisitions.
Major SAST Filings
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Under the SEBI (SAST) Regulations, several substantial acquisitions were disclosed:
- PhonePe Limited acquired 5% stake in C.E. Info Systems Ltd (MAPMYINDIA). This move aligns with PhonePe’s digital and mapping ecosystem expansion plans.
- Om Prakash Mangal picked up 3.5% in Hindprakash Industries Limited (HPIL).
- Asiana Fund I, under Asiana Alternative Fund, secured 2.03% in Transrail Lighting Limited, highlighting growing interest in infrastructure and energy transmission.
- The country’s largest insurer, LIC, added 2.01% stake in Marico Limited, signaling confidence in India’s FMCG space.
- Ashwin Chandran, a known industry veteran, acquired 1.4% in Precot Limited, consolidating promoter strength.
These strategic acquisitions are indicative of investor confidence across sectors—ranging from fintech and textiles to power and FMCG.
Promoter Stake Consolidation
Promoters also made moves to reinforce their position within their companies:
- Opal Bidco SAS acquired 10.87% in Sanofi Consumer Healthcare India Ltd, establishing its stake as a promoter from zero to double digits.
- Mona V Shah increased her stake in Shah Metacorp Ltd from 11.48% to 16.48%, a notable 5% jump.
- Sonia Ajay Vachhani raised her holding in Mayank Cattle Food Ltd from 2.9% to 6.98%, highlighting growing promoter confidence in the agribusiness sector.
- Vinodkumar Babulal Agrawal made a marginal but meaningful increase in Krishna Capital and Securities Ltd, now holding 3.08%.
- Aditya Biyani, a familiar name in retail circles, moved from 1.82% to 2.03% in Damodar Industries, reflecting steady accumulation.
These incremental yet strategic purchases are often seen as a vote of confidence in the company’s future, especially by insiders.
Institutional and Direct Acquisitions
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Several significant acquisitions were also made directly via market deals:
- Jayesh V Valia acquired 62,195 shares of VAS Infrastructure Ltd, pushing his total holding to 3.88%.
- Viraj C Gandhi took a sizeable position in Relic Technologies Ltd, acquiring 6,00,000 shares and reaching 11.65% holding.
- Bajaj Finance Limited, a name more associated with lending, surprised the market by picking up 5,00,000 shares of Arvind Smartspaces, now owning 5.67%.
- KLJ Plasticizers Ltd acquired 12,00,000 shares of Sadhana Nitro Chem Ltd, now holding 5.10%, showing growing interest in specialty chemicals.
- OrbiMed Asia IV Mauritius FVCI Limited, a global healthcare investor, picked up 10,273,443 shares of Marksans Pharma, taking its total stake to 8.62%.
These deals are noteworthy for their volume and the strategic sectors they touch—real estate, chemicals, healthcare, and technology.
Market Implications
The sharp increase in foreign flows, promoter optimism, and institutional interest reflects sustained momentum in the Indian equities market. Transactions such as PhonePe’s investment in MAPMYINDIA and LIC’s wager on Marico reflect the manner in which investors are positioning themselves for long-term value.
Promoters backing their positions is generally seen as bullish, indicating that they feel the stock is undervalued or that events down the line will unlock more value.
Final Thoughts
This week’s leadership sales across the Indian exchanges indicate new vigor in key sectors. Be it fintech-enabled mapping, smart property, chemicals, or old-school industries, the chips are high—and so is investor morale.
Keep watching for further news as market action heating up before the coming quarterly earnings season.
