RBI releases YES Bank rescue plan; SBI can pick 49% stake at minimum Rs 10 per share

INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India on Friday announced a draft scheme of reconstruction for the troubled private lender YES Bank, wherein the
new investor will hold 49 per cent shareholding at a minimum price of Rs 10 per share
The central bank said the State Bank of India has expressed willingness to make investment in YES Bank and participate in its reconstruction
scheme. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a press conference said the SBI will inject fresh equity into the restructured YES
Bank
She added that deposits and liabilities of the private sector lender will be honoured. “YES Bank promoters failed to attract fresh equity
despite genuine attempts
RBI restructuring scheme will be implemented in 30 days for YES Bank
Salaries of the bank’s employees are secured for one year,” she said. Under the RBI’s reconstruction scheme for YES Bank, the
authorised capital of the lender will stand altered to Rs 5,000 crore, and the number of equity shares will stand at 2,400 crore of Rs 2
each, aggregating to Rs 4,800 crore. Under the scheme, SBI will agree to invest in the equity of the reconstructed bank to the extent that
post infusion it holds 49 per cent shareholding in the reconstructed bank at a price not less than Rs 10, and will not reduce its holding
below 26 per cent before completion of three years from the date of infusion of the capital. The SBI will have two nominee directors
appointed on the board of the reconstructed bank
The RBI may appoint additional directors in the bank. The draft scheme has also been sent to YES Bank and State Bank of India for their
comments
The suggestions and comments will be received by the Reserve Bank of India up to Monday, March 9. The RBI will take a final view soon
thereafter, it said in a release. RBI said the instruments qualifying as additional Tier 1 capital, issued by the YES Bank under Basel-III
framework, will be written down permanently, in full, with effect from the appointed date. The central bank added that the members of the
board so appointed shall continue in office for a period of one year, or until an alternate board is constituted by YES Bank through the
normal procedure laid down in its Memorandum and Articles of Association, whichever is later. Besides, all the employees of the
reconstructed bank shall continue in its service with the same remuneration and on the same terms and conditions of service, the central
bank said. “It is on expected lines,” said Gaurav Dua, Senior Vice-President and Head of Capital Market Strategy - investments at
Sharekhan by BNP Paribas. “This is a bailout exercise for the bank and its depositors
The fresh infusion will help the bank to survive, but the future growth is still questionable
There isn’t much for the minority equity investors of the stock,” added Dua. Earlier during the day, shares of YES Bank plunged 56 per
cent after the cash-strapped lender was placed under a 30-day moratorium. YES Bank on late Thursday was placed under a moratorium, with the
RBI capping deposit withdrawals at Rs 50,000 per account for a month and superseding its board. The bank will not be able to grant or renew
any loan or advance, make any investment, incur any liability or agree to disburse any payment. "I believe RBI tried to postpone the day of
reckoning
They tried to tide the crisis so that YES Bank did not blow away when the NBFC crisis was in full cry," said Saurabh Mukherjea, Founder of
Marcellus Investment Managers. "This is the best they could have come up with
All other options are off the table
This is the only logical solution that can be offered," Mukherjea added.