October 21: Arun Kabeli is issuing initial public offering (IPO) of 3 million primary shares from October 25. Among the total number of shares, the company has allocated 90,000 shares to the employees and 150,000 shares to mutual funds. 

According to the company, interested investors can apply for minimum of 50 units of shares and maximum of 15,000 units of shares with the face value of Rs 100 per share. The IPO issue will close early on October 28 and delayed on November 9. Presently, the company has paid-up capital of Rs 1.20 billion accumulated from promoter shareholders and investors from affected areas. After the issuance of IPO, the paid-up capital of the company will reach Rs 1.50 billion. 

The company has appointed Siddhartha Capital as its issue manager. Interested investors can apply from the offices of Arun Kabeli, share registrar and all branches of Siddhartha Bank.

ICRA Nepal has granted grade 4 plus rating to the IPO indicating below average fundamentals. Most of the hydropower companies have been granted such rating. ICRA has considered rich experience of the promoters and management personnel of the company in the field of hydroelectricity projects development and operation as positive feature of the issuance.  However physical progress of 25 percent achieved on the cost of 50 percent of total project cost till March 2016 has been considered unfavourable by the ICRA Nepal. ICRA has also mentioned that the grading also factors in the risk arising out of delay in construction of proposed 132 KVA transmission line by NEA which can potentially delay the COD of the project despite the completion of project in time. 

Arun Kabeli had finalised power purchase agreement (PPA) with NEA on 2012. According to the PPA, NEA will purchase electricity generated by the project at Rs 4.80 per unit in rainy season and at Rs 8.40 per unit in dry season.