Former Blackstone exec’s firm MTAR Tech’s ₹600 crore IPO⁠ — what works for it and what doesn't

• The ₹600 crore initial public offering (IPO) of defence components maker MTAR Technologies is off to a great start today.
• The company is backed by Mathew Cyriac, the former co-head of private equity firm Blackstone, who is the nominee director of the company.
• It makes a wide range of products that meet the country's nuclear, defence, and space sector's varied requirements.
• ISRO, NPCIL, DRDO, Bloom Energy, Rafael are some of the clients.

The ₹600 crore initial public offering (IPO) of defence components maker MTAR Technologies is off to a great start today. In just hours of opening, the issue was subscribed 1.04 times at 11:45 am, and the retail portion received a tremendous response and was subscribed 2.02 times.

The Hyderabad-based company kicked off its public offering today, and the issue will remain open for subscription till March 5. The comprises a fresh issue of 21.48 lakh equity shares by the company and an offer for sale (OFS) of 82.24 lakh equity shares by promoters and shareholders. It has fixed the price band at ₹574-575 per share.

The company is backed by former Blackstone India honcho Mathew Cyriac. Cyriac is the company's nominee director and has previously been a co-head of private equity firm Blackstone. He also serves as a director on the board of Florintree Advisors, a Mumbai-based alternative asset management firm.


Here's what makes the IPO hot!

The sector is poised to grow, and its listed peers are proof of that

The company, incorporated in 1999, develops and manufactures components and equipment for the defence, aerospace and nuclear energy sectors. It provides a wide range of complex product portfolios that meet the Indian nuclear, defence, and space sector's varied requirements.

According to the ICICI Direct report, the industry in which MTAR operates is pegged at ₹4.09 lakh crore and mainly caters to automobile components, industrial plant and equipment segments. The industry contributes an estimated nearly 4% of overall manufacturing output and is expected to grow at a 6-7% compound annual growth rate in fiscal year 2020-25.


The gains in other listed Indian IT stocks are proof of safety that investors have found in the sector.

As of 10:20 am, March 3

The company’s strong customer base and big names on its list make it interesting

The company primarily serves customers in the nuclear, space and defence, and clean energy sectors. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Bloom Energy, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems are some of the esteem clients.

According to an Axis Capital report, their offerings to ISRO comprised a wide variety of mission-critical components and critical assemblies such as liquid propulsion engines, components and assemblies for cryogenic engines, specifically turbopumps, booster pumps, gas generators and injector heads for such engines, and electro-pneumatic modules to serve its space launch vehicles.

As of December 31, the company’s order book was ₹336.19 crore, comprising ₹ 80.19 crore order Book in the clean energy sector, ₹ 93.19 crore in the nuclear sector and ₹ 160.61 crore in space and defence sectors.

Strong balance sheet

MTAR Tech profit has grown 140% in the last three years from ₹5.4 crore in fiscal year 2018 to ₹31.3 crore in fiscal year 2020. The revenue has also climbed nearly 16% during the same period, which makes it an attractive bet for investors.


The sector is deemed to grow, and the company offers cut-throat competition to new players. “Owing to the critical end applications of their products and such stringent quality requirements, it becomes very difficult for new players to get qualified for the projects they undertake,” the Axis Capital report highlighted.

SEE ALSO: India’s new rules for OTT platforms could lead an increase in content-related disputes

EXCLUSIVE: India's largest insurer LIC is inviting bids from payment aggregators⁠