Religare Enterprises proposes to acquire a majority stake in Lotus India Asset Management Company from its majority shareholders Alexandra Fund Management and Sabre Capital.
''The board of directors of the company at its meeting on 4 November 2008, approved the proposal to discuss, negotiate and finalise the terms for acquiring 100 per cent or majority equity shareholding of 'Lotus India Asset Management Company Pvt Ltd' and delegated authority to sign all necessary documents, MoUs and agreements in this regard,'' Religare Enterprises said in a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).
Lotus India AMC, which had under managements assets in excess of Rs7,937 crore as of end-September, saw its net asset value decline 31 per cent to Rs5,457.7 crore in October.
''Religare will immediately strengthen its position by infusing additional funds into the schemes of Lotus India AMC. Existing investors in Lotus mutual funds will continue to be supported and served in a seamless fashion,'' a release said.
Lotus India AMC is promoted jointly by the fund's chief executive officer Rana Talwar, Sabre Capital Worldwide and the subsidiaries of Singapore government's investment arm Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd and Standard Chartered Bank.
Under normal circumstances, promoters of asset management companies are paid 6% for equity assets under management and 3% for debt assets.
Asset management companies or mutual funds in the country saw redemptions worth at least Rs30,000 crore from their liquid and liquid-plus funds in the first fortnight of October alone.
Lotus India was managing Rs1,678.5 crore in 30 liquid and liquid-plus funds, the so-called money market funds, as of end-October. These funds, where the corporate investors used to park their surplus funds, gave investors the option to withdraw fund on a daily basis.
Lotus India also manged Rs1,319 crore in 84 fixed maturity plans (FMPs) during the period. The two plans together accounted for over 50 per cent of Lotus India's average assets under management during the period.
The fixed maturity plans have also been severely affected by the heavy exposure to debt instruments issued by non-banking finance companies and real estate companies.
Lotus India, which has also been beset by bad investment decisions even before its first fund was launched, may the first of several casualties among mutual funds in the country.
Source: Domain B