Japan's MUFG in final talks to acquire 20% stake in Shriram Finance for over $3.2 billion, report says
People are reflected in the logo of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group's bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (MUFG) in Tokyo, Japan, May 16, 2016. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
TOKYO, Dec 15 : Japan's Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group is in final talks to acquire a 20 per cent stake in Indian non-bank financial institution Shriram Finance for more than 500 billion yen ($3.22 billion), Bloomberg News reported on Monday.
MUFG is planning to announce the acquisition this week, Bloomberg said, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter. The news sent shares of Shriram Finance up as much as 2.7 per cent to an intraday high.
The final acquisition price will depend on Shriram Finance's share price movement and so may exceed 500 billion yen, the report said.
MUFG declined to comment, while Shriram Finance did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
Facing a shrinking domestic market and years of rock-bottom interest rates, Japan's biggest banks have for years sought out overseas targets.
Rival Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation holds a 24.2 per cent stake in Indian private sector lender Yes Bank .
India's business news daily Economic Times was the first to report MUFG's talks for a 20 per cent stake in Shriram Finance in October. The following month, Shriram Finance told the country's stock exchanges that reports of a stake sale were "factually incorrect".
Nonetheless, its shares have risen 41 per cent since the beginning of October.
In its latest quarterly results, Shriram Finance beat profit estimates on the back of steady demand for loans for used trucks.
($1 = 155.1500 yen)
