Dish TV and Bharti Airtel Merger Likely to Get Delayed: Here’s Why

Highlights

• Dish TV and Bharti Airtel merger to form largest DTH operator in the world
• The combined entity will rule the Indian DTH market with 60% share

One of the most discussed topics in the DTH sector over the last few months was the merger talks between Dish TV and Bharti Airtel. However, it seems like the merger may not happen as both the parties are not willing to budge on the share valuation. A new report coming from Economic Times highlight that the plan of acquiring a promoted stake in Dish TV by Bharti Airtel, Singapore Telecommunications and Warburg Pincus has hit a roadblock due to Dish TV’s falling stock price over the last few months. Since April, Dish TV has seen a sharp decline in stock price and the DTH operator is not willing to sell the promoted stake at the proposed share price by Airtel and others.

Dish TV-Bharti Airtel Merger May Not Happen Anytime Soon

As the report highlights, Dish TV is not looking to sell a single share below Rs 45, which is way higher than what Airtel-Warburg-Singtel offered to the operator. For the unaware, Airtel-Warburg-Singtel offered Rs 35 share price to Dish TV for acquiring 57.52% promoter stake. At the proposed share price by Airtel, Dish TV will receive Rs 3,707 crore which is well below the Rs 4,766 crore they’re looking for. Over these valuation issues, the talks between both the parties have stalled for now.

“The buyout talks have got stalled over valuations with the sharp fall in the company’s stock price and both sides refusing to budge from their bargaining positions,” a top executive privy to the talks told ET. When ET approached Dish TV and Bharti Airtel, the companies denied commenting on market speculations.

This essentially means the deal may not happen anytime soon. However, the talks will not permanently end here as the Dish TV-Airtel transaction could only be delayed over valuations. Over the last few months, we have been noticing large corrections in Dish TV India’s stock price, which is concerning Airtel-Warburg-Singtel consortium.

Dish TV and Airtel Expected to Create World’s Largest DTH Operator

When the merger talks emerged in March, it was expected that the Dish TV-Airtel would combinedly create the world’s largest DTH operator and will lead India’s DTH market with 60% share. In India, Cable TV market share is more than that of DTH market share and the Dish TV-Airtel merger will take on Jio’s majority stake purchase in Hathway Cable & Datacom and DEN Networks.

For the unaware, both Hathway Cable & Datacom and DEN Networks are Cable TV operators having operations in several popular cities across the country. Effectively, Jio now has control over 24 million homes using the Cable TV services of Hathway Cable & Datacom and DEN Networks. Right after Jio’s stake purchase, Dish TV and Airtel entered into talks for a potential merger.

Having said that, the merger between Dish TV and Bharti Airtel is not happening anytime soon, but it’s still on the cards.