Hero-Dabur joins race to acquire Fortis

The race to acquire Fortis Healthcare heats up with Hero Enterprise Investment and Burman family entering the bidding process.

Fortis Healthcare on Thursday said it has received an "unsolicited binding offer" from Hero Enterprise Investment Office and Burman Family Office to invest Rs 1,250 crore in the company through preferential allotment route.

Group entities of Hero Enterprise Investment Office led by Sunil Kant Munjal and the Burman family of the Dabur Group currently hold around a 3 per cent stake in the healthcare chain. In a regulatory filing, Fortis Healthcare (FHL) said the offer from Munjals and Burmans includes Rs 500 crore binding offer immediately and Rs 750 crore post diligence to be completed within three weeks.

“The said proposal is under evaluation by the company and we will keep the stock exchanges informed accordingly," it added. Spelling out the details of their offer, the Munjals and Burmans in a joint letter said, "We are investing an amount of Rs 500 crore based on current business and financial position of the company without doing any due diligence..."

Further, the letter said, "Allotment and pricing shall be as per Sebi ICDR guidelines for preferential issues or Rs 156 per share which is higher."

Utilisation of proceeds from this funding shall only be for the purposes of payment of employee dues, repayment of loans which have matured and payment of pressing creditors and to monitor these a board seat shall be given to investors, it added.

The rest Rs 750 crore shall be given after due diligence subject to the satisfaction of the investors which will be completed in three weeks, the letter added.

Hero Enterprise Investment and the Burman Family proposed to invest Rs 1,250 cr in the hospital chain