India’s Adani Group seeks to reassure investors in Hong Kong after short-seller’s allegations

The crisis-ridden group is moving an investor roadshow to Hong Kong, continuing its charm offensive to ease concerns about its financial health and corporate governance

It marks the latest effort by billionaire Gautam Adani’s group to reassure investors after US-based Hindenburg Research accused it of accounting fraud and stock manipulation

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Commercial vehicles drive past a sign to Adani Port in Mundra, Gujarat, India. The ports-to-power conglomerate has repeatedly denied allegations made by a short-seller. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 11:43am, 28 Feb 2023

The crisis-ridden Adani Group is moving an investor roadshow to Hong Kong on Tuesday, continuing its charm offensive to ease concerns about its financial health and corporate governance induced by a short-seller’s allegations.

The two-day roadshow in Hong Kong follows a series of investor meetings on Monday in Singapore, where executives said the Indian conglomerate has enough money to repay debt due over the next three years in addition to an US$800 million credit facility.

This week’s meetings in the Asian financial hubs mark the latest effort by billionaire Gautam Adani’s group to reassure investors after US-based Hindenburg Research accused it of accounting fraud and stock manipulation. While a suite of rescue moves, from cutting expenses to early debt repayment, have helped pull most Adani bonds from distressed territory, they remain below levels seen before the short-seller’s January 24 report. A stock sell-off also has extended.

The ports-to-power conglomerate has repeatedly denied the allegations.

Even as many of the group’s at least 15 dollar bonds have rebounded from recent lows, they are still about 5 to 18 per cent lower than where they were before Hindenburg released its report, amounting to a combined loss of about US$800 million, according to Bloomberg-compiled data.

Monday’s meetings took place at a hotel in Singapore, with help from about a dozen global banks. Attendees were offered a more-than-10-page presentation on topics ranging from earnings to the debt maturity profile, according to documents obtained by Bloomberg. Some of those in attendance raised concerns over some of the debt and the recent volatility of bond prices, the investors said.