Global Broadcast News – Review and Recommendation

Global Broadcast News Limited is an English News channel promoted by the promoters of TV-18 and is backed by CNN. The company plans to raise Rs105 crores.


IPO Details:
Offer Price: Rs 230 to Rs 250 / share each of face value Rs 10
Post IPO Equity : Rs 27.1 crores or Rs 26.7 crores
Number of Shares offered: 45,65,217 or 42,00,000 depending on the pricing. This is the first such issue where amount to be raised is fixed. Greedy Promoters ?

Background of Global Broadcast News – GBN:
GBN started operations in June-2005. It has an average marketshare of 30% in the English News channel segment trailing NDTV which controls 36% of the market. GBN is banking on the growth in advertisement of news channels where English news channel is the fastest growing segment with 30% YoY growth. GBN is also banking on the implementation of CAS regime. GBN’s CNN-IBN is now a pay channel with a fees of Rs 5 / subscriber / month.

GBN = CNN IBN + 49% of IBN 7 a.k.a Channel 7 (Hindi News Channel) + 15% in Web 18. I really don’t understand the need to float a separate company, just for these two channels when TV-18, which is in the business of content generation could have done it under the listed entity.

Financials of GBN India:
For the 10 Months FY ended 2006, GBN reported revenues of Rs 6.53 crores and a net loss of Rs 46.53 crores. For Half year ended Sept-30-2006, Revenues were 25.90 crores and a net los of Rs 25.80 crores.

Revenue and Profit Estimations for FY 2007.
Revenues – Rs 70 crores
Net Loss – Rs 33 crores

Revenue and profit Estimates for FY-2008.
Reveneus – Rs 105 crores [50% growth YoY]
PAT – Rs 22 crores
Expected EPS – Rs 8.1 or Rs 8.23. The shares are being offered at a forward P/E of 29 and 30.

GBN Recommendation for IPO Investors:
The issues is very aggressively priced and takes into account the rosy picture of growth in Indian English News Channel. At issue price of Rs 250, GBN will have a market cap of Rs 675 crores which is very high. Investors with high risk appetite who are willing to hold for long term are advised to apply. As a Small investor I will skip the issue as it is too small and allotment will be by lottery. Instead hold your money for PSU IPOs which will have some appreciation on table for investors. Also India’s worst registrar, Intime is managing the issue so allotment and refund is a big problem 🙂

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