NHB’s Rs 2,100 cr tax-free bonds subscribed 2.08 times

National Housing Bank’s Rs 2,100 crore tax-free bond was subscribed 2.08 times on its opening day today.

“The issue was oversubscribed in all the four categories including QIBs, corporates, and retail investors on the first day itself. The issue was oversubscribed by 2.08 times the issue size including the option to retain up to shelf limit of Rs 2,100 crore,” NHB Chairman and Managing Director, R V Verma said here.

The base issue size is Rs 1,000 crore with an option to retain over-subscription up to Rs 2,100 crore.

NHB, the regulator for housing finance companies, got bids worth Rs 4,366.43 crore on the maiden day.

The issue is scheduled to close on January 31, 2014. The bonds are proposed to be listed on National Stock Exchange.

NHB was permitted to issue tax-free bonds of up to Rs 3,000 crore during the current financial year. Of this, NHB had already raised Rs 900 crore through a private placement in August.

The bonds of Rs 5,000 each will be issued in tenors of 10, 15 and 20 years.

For retail investors, the coupon rate would be 8.51 per cent, 8.88 per cent and 9.01 per cent payable annually for 10, 15 and 20 years, respectively, for bonds up to Rs 10 lakh.

Interest rates of 8.26 per cent, 8.63 per cent and 8.76 per cent are payable annually for 10, 15 and 20 years, respectively, for qualified institutional buyers (QIBs), corporates and high net worth individuals.

The object of the issue is to mobilise long-term resources to provide financial assistance for affordable housing.

The funds will also help NHB to implement some important schemes and serve niche markets such as housing finance for women, long-term fixed-rate products and low-income housing schemes, Verma said.

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