Private lender IDFC First Bank is set to raise nearly Rs 2,000 crore via a preferential issue in order to create a
capital war-chest in order to contain any fallout due to Covid-19, two people familiar with the matter said.
The fresh round of
fundraising will be subscribed by a mix of internal and external investors. The board is set to meet on Friday to take a call on the fundraise. The bank has not appointed any investment bank so far to help with the capital raise.
Peer private lender
Kotak Mahindra Bank had recently announced a fundraising of nearly Rs 7,500 crore that would help it to prune promoter stake and create capital buffers to absorb future shocks if asset quality takes a hit due to Covid-19 related pressures.
“The bank’s plan is to be prepared to build capital buffers to meet and absorb any asset quality shocks and build enough growth capital when the time comes,” a person in the know said.
The bank also informed the exchanges that its board was meeting on Friday, May 1 to raise
equity shares by way of the preferential issue.
The bank has a common equity tier 1 or CET1 ratio of 13.28 per cent at the end of the December quarter.