Arun Valley Hydropower to Float its Primary Issue

The market for initial public offerings (IPO) is hot despite the fall in Nepse. At least three firms — two hydropower companies and one financial institution — are poised to float primary issues Arun Valley Hydropower Company will float 5,15,000unit primary shares from June 23. The hydropower company has added a premium of Rs 84 to the face value of Rs 100, making it Rs 184 per unit share.

Earlier, the much-awaited Chilime Hydropower added a premium of Rs 223.70 to the face value of Rs 100 per unit, making it a total of Rs 323.70 per unit share. Chilime Hydropower will float 23,04,000unit shares from June 15.

According to the new Securities Board of Nepal (Sebon) regulation, a company can add premium equal to its networth, if it is in profit and has distributed cash dividend for three consecutive years. Both Chilime and Arun Valley have distributed cash dividend from their profits for the last three years. Chilime distributed 35 per cent and Arun Valley distributed 20 per cent cash dividend from the profits of last fiscal year

Arun Valley Hydropower — that constructed Piluwakhola Hydropower in Chainpur of Shankhuwasabha district — has been providing 20 per cent cash dividend from the profit of its successive three fiscal years

Interested applicants can apply for a minimum of 50-unit of shares of Arun valley while a minimum 20-unit can be applied for of Chilime Hydropower.

Similarly, the maximum number of units one can apply for of Arun Valley is 50,000-unit while for Chilime its 1,000-unit only NMB Bank is the sales and issue manager for Arun Valley’s primary issue whereas the issue and sales managers of Chilime’s primary issue are NIDC Capital Market and Citizen Investment Trust (CIT)

The company — established in 1997 and promoted by Guru Prasad Neupane, Jeevan Raj Shakya and Amar Raj Tamrakar — with the objective to develop, build, own and operate hydropower projects, formed joint ventures with companies to build medium and large hydropower projects and to develop entrepreneurship for the promotion of the hydropower sector’s currentlyowned Piluwakhola Hydropower Project (3MW)

The promoters own 12,00,000-unit shares and the remaining 17,15,000-unit will be floated for the public. "Some of the upcoming projects of Arun Valley are Upper Piluwa Khola Small Hydropower Project (4.5MW), Lower Phemekhola Small Hydropower Project (2.2MW) and Kabeli-B1 Small Hydropower Project (9.8MW)," said Ramesh Prashad Neupane, project manager of the company. "The new investment partner will be Janata Bank that is being promoted by Guru Prasad Neupane and is in the process of getting the licence of a commercial bank," he added.

Currently, there are only three listed hydropower companies — National Hydropower, Butwal Hydropower and Chilime Hydropower — in the secondary market. After Arun Valley’s listing, there will be four hydropower companies in the secondary market.

An indigenous hydropwer company, Chilime Hydropower is an example of how Nepalis can themselves construct hydro power plants by raising money from the domestic market if the government has a clear vision of utilising the capital market for development purpose. Meanwhile, Vibor Bikas Bank has floated 26,52,000-unit primary shares.