logo
Pharma mergers: Torrent to acquire majority stake in JB Chemicals for Rs 19,500 crore, open offer to follow

Pharma mergers: Torrent to acquire majority stake in JB Chemicals for Rs 19,500 crore, open offer to follow

Time of India9 hours ago

Torrent Pharmaceuticals on Sunday announced that it will acquire a controlling stake in JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals in a Rs 19,500 crore deal, making it India's second most-valued pharma firm by market capitalisation.
Torrent will acquire 46.39% stake from the promoters for around Rs 11,917 crore, and an additional 2.80% from certain JB Chemicals employees for Rs 719 crore. Both transactions are being executed at Rs 1,600 per share, according to PTI report.
Following this, Torrent will make an open offer for a 26% stake from public shareholders at Rs 1,639.18 per share, totalling Rs 6,842.8 crore, in line with listing regulations.
'This will be the second-largest transaction in the Indian pharma sector,' Torrent Pharma said in a statement, PTI quoted.
Torrent Pharmaceuticals and global investment firm KKR jointly announced the deal, which values JB Chemicals at an equity valuation of Rs 25,689 crore on a fully diluted basis.
The agreement includes a plan to merge the two entities, the company said.
Torrent stated that the acquisition marks a strategic milestone, enabling it to build a future-ready healthcare platform that combines its chronic segment strength with JB Chemicals' presence in international CDMO (contract development and manufacturing organisation) operations
Stay informed with the latest
business
news, updates on
bank holidays
and
public holidays
.
AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Stock Radar: Indus Tower stock breaks out from Symmetrical Triangle pattern; could hit fresh 52-week high – check target & stop loss
Stock Radar: Indus Tower stock breaks out from Symmetrical Triangle pattern; could hit fresh 52-week high – check target & stop loss

Economic Times

time44 minutes ago

  • Economic Times

Stock Radar: Indus Tower stock breaks out from Symmetrical Triangle pattern; could hit fresh 52-week high – check target & stop loss

Indus Tower Ltd, part of the telecom infrastructure space, broke out from a symmetrical triangle pattern on the daily charts which has opened room for the stock to head higher and might even hit fresh 52-week traders can look to buy the stock for a target of Rs 436-470 in the next few weeks, suggest telecom infrastructure stock hit a high of Rs 460 on September 2, 2024, but it failed to hold the momentum. It closed

Low minimum wage fuels migration, school dropouts, quiet despair in Raj
Low minimum wage fuels migration, school dropouts, quiet despair in Raj

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Low minimum wage fuels migration, school dropouts, quiet despair in Raj

1 2 3 Jaipur: After a backbreaking eight-hour slog under the unrelenting sun at a construction site, 43-year-old Shyam Lal goes home with Rs 285, his day's wage set by the Rajasthan govt for unskilled workers. With the wage, which is much lower compared to many other states, he just manages to escape the extreme poverty line of $3 a day set by the World Bank. But Shyam Lal remains enmeshed in the vicious cycle of poverty, as he struggles to fulfil educational, social and family obligations, while hoping no medical emergencies would ruin his life. "We work all day, yet return home with empty pockets," he says, reflecting the grim reality of thousands of labourers across Rajasthan. In Jan 2025, the state govt marginally increased daily wages by Rs 26 for unskilled labour, from Rs 259 to 285. But this revision, coming after several years, has done little to ease their financial distress. With monthly earnings of Rs 7,410 (based on 26 working days), even the most basic expenses are well beyond reach. Despite repeated appeals, the state still uses an outdated formula for wage revision, increasing Rs 1 for every one-point rise in Consumer Price Index (CPI). This method is widely criticised for not factoring in the impact of inflation with prices of essentials like milk and vegetables doubling in the past five years. Meanwhile, other Indian states have moved towards more progressive and inflation-sensitive models. Delhi, which revises wages quarterly, offers Rs 710 for unskilled workers and Rs 937 for highly skilled. It uses a Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) linked directly to CPI. Maharashtra adopts industry-specific wages with biannual inflation-linked updates, offering Rs 598 to Rs 764. Similarly, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu incorporate regional costs and living standards into their models. The consequences are dire. Workers in Rajasthan are migrating in large numbers to neighbouring states, leaving local industries short-staffed. Skilled artisans are leaving ancestral trades, and families are forced to pull children from schools to support household income. Economists warn that stagnant wages amid rising inflation reduce the purchasing power of workers and increase poverty even when employment remains stable. Mukesh Goswami, secretary of Rajasthan Asangathit Mazdoor Union in Jaipur, says the vicious cycle has resulted in hunger, school dropouts, and quiet despair. "After nearly 20 months, the state govt revised the wages in July 2022 by increasing only Rs 7. The increase that came in Jan 2025 was marginally better at Rs 26. In the meantime, prices of food, house rent, fuel, and education shot up to unaffordable levels. It was not a relief but an insult," said Gosawmi. Recently, the union has written a letter to CM Bhajan Lal Sharma appealing for an urgent and comprehensive revision of labour wages across all skill levels, the introduction of an inflation-responsive wage mechanism, and a structured approach to time-bound revisions. "This is not just a request, it is a sincere call for attention. What we are seeking now is not charity, but fair and dignified recognition of their contribution," said Goswami.

Behind curbs on Bangladesh jute products: Dhaka proximity to Beijing, ignoring export malpractices
Behind curbs on Bangladesh jute products: Dhaka proximity to Beijing, ignoring export malpractices

Indian Express

timean hour ago

  • Indian Express

Behind curbs on Bangladesh jute products: Dhaka proximity to Beijing, ignoring export malpractices

Delhi's strained ties with Dhaka and the growing proximity between its interim government and Beijing, common malpractices by Bangladesh exporters including circumvention of anti-dumping duty (ADD) through technical exemptions, and influx of cheap, subsidised imports harming Indian farmers are the reasons why India has decided to ban import of jute products and woven fabrics from Bangladesh through all land routes, officials told The Indian Express. This latest move comes a little over a month after India decided to place restrictions on Bangladesh products to be exported to North-East India and overseas. On Friday, Delhi banned import of certain jute products and woven fabrics from Bangladesh through all land routes, permitting entry only through the Nhava Sheva seaport in Maharashtra. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), in a notification, said that such port restrictions would not apply to Bangladeshi goods transiting through India to Nepal and Bhutan. The goods under these curbs include jute products, flax tow and waste, jute and other bast fibres, jute, single flax yarn, single yarn of jute, multiple folded, woven fabrics or flex, and unbleached woven fabrics of jute. Officials said that under the SAFTA provisions, jute from Bangladesh enjoys duty free access to India. 'However, the Indian jute industry has, for long, suffered due to the adverse impact of dumped and subsidised imports of jute products, particularly yarn, fibre and bags, from Bangladesh,' an official said. 'There is credible evidence that Bangladesh jute exports continue to benefit from state subsidies extended by the Government of Bangladesh. In response to these concerns, the Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) conducted detailed investigations and imposed Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD) on jute/ goods originating from Bangladesh,' the official said. The imposition of ADD has not yielded a substantial reduction in imports. Various large exporters managed to circumvent ADD through technical exemptions, exports through exempted firms (whose exports go beyond their production capacity), and mis-declaration to secure higher subsidies within, the official said. 'Imports, which stood at USD 138 million in FY 2016-17 prior to the levy of ADD, marginally declined to USD 117 million in FY 2021-22 and have since risen to around USD 144 million in FY 2023-24. Consequently, prices of jute in India fell below Rs 5,000 per quintal for FY 2024-25, against the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 5,335, creating a vicious payment/ liquidity cycle. Six mills remain closed with dues of Rs 1,400 crore, adding to Rs 400 crore is legacy dues from the mills. Additionally, the influx of underpriced finished jute goods from Bangladesh has resulted in significant under-utilisation of capacity in Indian mills, threatening their long-term viability,' another official said. While Bangladesh made nominal adjustments in response to complaints, the government, the official said, continues to incentivise exports, particularly of value-added jute products. 'Notably, raw jute imports into India from Bangladesh remains outside the purview of ADD and, therefore, jute farmers currently do not enjoy any protection from dumping practices employed by Bangladesh exporters,' the official said. On the other hand, the Indian jute sector, according to the official, plays a critical role in supporting rural livelihoods, especially in West Bengal, which alone accounts for 78% of national production. Raw jute is produced mainly in the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tripura and Meghalaya. It is estimated that the jute industry provides direct employment to over 4 lakh workers in organised mills and in diversified units including tertiary sector and allied activities, and supports the livelihood of around several lakh farm families. In addition, a large number of people are engaged in the trade of jute. Nearly 90% of India's jute output is consumed domestically, most of which is procured by the government. 'Artificially depressed prices caused by subsidised imports have had a direct and adverse impact on the income of jute farmers,' the official said. In a bid to safeguard the interests of the domestic jute industry and to counter the unfair trade practices employed by the Bangladesh exporters acting in collusion with the establishment, the official said that it has been decided to restrict Bangladesh imports of jute and jute products to India through only from Nhava Sheva port. 'The imposition is expected to streamline the quality checking (hydrocarbon oil free status), prevent mis-declaration and fraudulent labelling, thereby neutralising the malpractices that have plagued the industry for long,' the official said, adding that the government is also taking steps to ensure that exporters in Bangladesh do not circumvent the restrictions by routing their jute exports through third countries. Shubhajit Roy, Diplomatic Editor at The Indian Express, has been a journalist for more than 25 years now. Roy joined The Indian Express in October 2003 and has been reporting on foreign affairs for more than 17 years now. Based in Delhi, he has also led the National government and political bureau at The Indian Express in Delhi — a team of reporters who cover the national government and politics for the newspaper. He has got the Ramnath Goenka Journalism award for Excellence in Journalism '2016. He got this award for his coverage of the Holey Bakery attack in Dhaka and its aftermath. He also got the IIMCAA Award for the Journalist of the Year, 2022, (Jury's special mention) for his coverage of the fall of Kabul in August 2021 — he was one of the few Indian journalists in Kabul and the only mainstream newspaper to have covered the Taliban's capture of power in mid-August, 2021. ... Read More

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store