Adani Group shares extend gain as traders await earnings reports

Most Adani Group stocks rose, extending their rebound from the rout sparked by US short-seller Hindenburg Research’s report, as the indebted Indian conglomerate takes steps to address investor concerns over leverage.

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Eight of the group’s 10 stocks were up in Wednesday’s morning session, with flagship Adani Enterprises Ltd. rallying more than 13 percent after surging the most since 2020 the previous day. Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd. climbed as much as 8 percent.

The selloff that at one point erased $117 billion from the value of billionaire Gautam Adani’s companies has eased as the tycoon and his family pre-paid some borrowings and the ports unit pledged to improve its debt ratio. Focus will turn to earnings from Adani Power Ltd. and Adani Wilmar Ltd. due Wednesday after five other group companies released results earlier this week.

“Deleveraging is expected to be the group’s immediate focus for at least the next year or so,” said Abhay Agarwal, fund manager with Piper Serica Advisors Pvt. “Recent earnings commentary also supports this view. They may go slower on inorganic growth because big acquisitions will require fresh borrowing and lenders may not offer the same comfort as in the past.”

Net income at Ambuja Cements Ltd. beat estimates while that of Adani Ports missed forecasts. Adani Transmission Ltd. posted a 78 percent gain in third-quarter profit.

“Adani Ports’ results are good in the context of the concerns that are there at the moment,” said Deven Choksey, managing director at KRChoksey Holdings. “Margins are a bit soft but revenue and outlook remain strong.”

Shares of Adani Wilmar, Adani Power and Adani Transmission rallied about 5 percent each on Wednesday.

“It is a mix of short covering and fresh buying,” said Choksey. “Technically speaking, cash margins put in have arrested the free fall. Short selling has stopped.”

Dollar bonds issued by Adani Group companies also rallied on Wednesday, according to Bloomberg-compiled data.

Adani Green Energy Ltd.’s note maturing in September 2024 led the increase, up 3.2 cents to 76.9 cents as at 11:39 a.m. in Mumbai. The July 2024 Adani Ports bond climbed 0.7 cents to 90.1 cents.

The recent slump in Adani Group assets has attracted buyers, with the likes of Oaktree Capital Management and Davidson Kempner Capital Management picking up debt related to the conglomerate in recent weeks, according to people familiar with the matter.

But investors are likely to stay vigilant to the risk of another rout as concerns persist over the group’s access to funding. The fallout has extended beyond India’s financial markets as protests have flared amid questions about Gautam Adani’s ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In the report issued last month, Hindenburg Research said the group had inflated revenue and stock price — accusations the conglomerate has repeatedly denied.

Market participants are also awaiting the outcome of MSCI Inc.’s quarterly review of its gauges on Feb. 9.

The index provider said last month that it has sought feedback from market participants on Adani Group’s situation and is closely monitoring any information that would prevent the conglomerate’s securities from being eligible for its gauges.

“Assessment of regulatory agencies and rebalancing will be key to watch from here onward,” said Sameer Kalra, founder of Target Investing in Mumbai. “Value is yet to emerge, the bounce is coming after extreme falls. It will take more resolutions for Adani’s issues to sort out.”

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