ICICI Prudential: India’s First Insurance IPO

ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co. Ltd’s initial public offering (IPO) is the first in the Indian insurance sector. With demand for shares running at 10.5 times availability (ICICI Bank will sell 181.34 million shares in the insurance company), this values the insurer at Rs 47,950 crore ($7.2 billion).

Suchit Punnose comments on ICICI Prudential IPOOur CEO, Suchit Punnose, commented on this, saying:

“the level of over-subscription did not surprise him. As the economy grows in India and the population movement from rural to urban areas continues, the expectations of the population change. They want the lifestyle they see others have so more people are looking to invest in funds that will grow their wealth. They know that they cannot get the returns they want, to pay for the lifestyle they desire, simply by putting their money in the bank.

As the population ages, the pressure on the younger generations increases. Families in India are having less children now than thirty years ago*, and there are few signs of this changing. Families are recognising the need for investment, for life assurance and for other wealth creation and planning solutions. Companies such as ICICI Prudential are providing these and so will be prime targets for investors when opportunities such as this IPO appear.

Insurance is just one of the needs of the Indian population, alongside housing, infrastructure, entertainment, hospitality and consumerism. Indian IPOs have raised over $5billion already this year across a range of companies providing the needs for the changing Indian population. The investment is coming from around the world, as well as from high net worths and institutional investors within India. Why would they not take advantage of the growth?”

*OECD figures show total fertility rates in India have dropped by 40% since 1980