Wipro share buyback offer – should you sell your shares? Here’s what analysts are saying

• The Wipro share buyback offer is now open at a buyback price of ₹400 per share.
  
• The total size of the buyback plan is ₹9,500 crore, out of which 15% is reserved for small investors with up to ₹2 lakh holding in the company.
  
• Wipro’s share price has rallied by over 66% since July, and the buyback offer could be a good way to cash out those gains.
  

IT services giant Wipro announced a share buyback offer at a premium of 10% when compared to the share price on the date of announcement. Wipro has offered ₹400 per equity share under its ₹9,500 crore buyback plan.

The Wirpo share buyback offer is open till January 11, 2021. Equity shareholders who held shares in the company on or before December 11, 2020 are eligible to participate in the buyback.

Wipro’s share price as on December 11 was ₹353. The shares hit a 52-week high at ₹390.40 with the buyback plan opening today.

Should you participate in the Wipro share buyback offer?

If you are an existing Wipro shareholder, you might be considering selling your shares in the buyback program. But before you proceed, here’s what analysts are saying.

“It depends on the market price during the buyback period - if the share price is below the buyback price, it might be worth considering,” said Deepak Shenoy, founder of Capital Mind, a Bengaluru-based research house.

Wipro shares were trading at ₹386 as of 12 pm on December 29, up by 0.92%. Since the buyback offer is open till January 11, 2021, the share price could still see a lot of movement.

This makes it important to wait towards the last few days of the buyback scheme to see if the buyback price makes sense, Shenoy further explained.

Wipro outshines peers under new CEO’s guidance


Source: BSE

Note: Share price as on 12:30 pm, December 29, 2020, compared with share price on July 1, 2020.

‘Existing shareholders should participate in the buyback’

However, Urmil Shah, analyst at IDBI Capital, struck a different note. He said, “Existing shareholders should participate in the buyback and tender their shares. We believe the buyback price is at a premium compared to our existing fair price of ₹366,”.

He further explained that a lot would also depend on the amount of participation in the buyback plan. According to the plan, 15% of the total buyback offer is reserved for retail investors with holdings of up to ₹2 lakh.

If this segment sees over-participation, the buyback will be done proportionately, and not all shares tendered will be accepted.

Wipro had undertaken buyback of equity shares worth ₹10,500 crore in 2019 as well.

Wipro’s new CEO is driving the growth

Wipro appointed Thierry Delaporte as its new chief executive officer in July this year. Analysts are betting on the new CEO’s plans for the company.

“Wipro is undertaking the drastic restructuring of its business, reducing the layers, and splitting the business by region. It expects this to result in a much more agile and nimble organisation, which will accelerate growth,” remarked Motilal Oswal’s report.

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