Nova Agritech’s Impressive Debut: Buy, Sell, or Hold Post Listing?

Nova Agritech witnessed a stellar debut on the stock exchanges today, opening at ₹55, a remarkable 34 percent premium over the issue price of ₹41 on the BSE. On BSE, the share price was listed at ₹56, reflecting a 36.6 percent surge from the issue price and later peaked at ₹58.79, marking a 43.4 percent increase from the IPO price on BSE.

Shivani Nyati, Head of Wealth at Swastika Investmart, highlighted that Nova Agritech’s IPO debut exceeded expectations, soaring 34.15 percent above its issue price to list at ₹55. The IPO had garnered significant oversubscription of 109.37 times during the offer period, indicating robust investor confidence. Nyati attributed the stellar listing to various positive factors, including the company’s strong market position as a comprehensive solution provider for crop and soil health, a diverse branded product portfolio, well-established geographical presence, effective marketing strategy, consistent financial performance, impressive growth, and ambitious expansion plans. For existing investors, Nyati recommended holding shares while closely monitoring the company’s performance and market conditions.

Experts had earlier predicted a strong listing for the IPO. BP Equities gave it a “SUBSCRIBE” rating, emphasizing the relatively low PE ratio of 12.3x based on the annualized diluted H1FY24 EPS compared to industry peers. Dhruv Mudaraddi, Research Analyst at Stoxbox, highlighted Nova Agritech’s strategic positioning to capitalize on the growth potential in the Indian agricultural sector, projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.1 percent over the next five years. The company’s expansion plans, funded by IPO proceeds, align with the industry’s upward trajectory.

Nova Agritech’s IPO was open for subscription from January 23 to January 25, with a price band of ₹39 to ₹41. The robust subscription saw the IPO being oversubscribed 109.37 times, with the retail portion subscribed 77.12 times, the NII portion 224.08 times, and the QIB portion 79.31 times. The ₹143.81 crore IPO comprised a fresh issue of ₹112 crore and an offer-for-sale of ₹31.81 crore by the selling shareholder, Nutalapati Venkatasubbarao. The net proceeds will be used for subsidiary investment, construction of a new formula factory, expansion of an existing formula plant, working capital, and general business purposes.

Nova Agritech specializes in manufacturing agricultural inputs, focusing on crop protection, crop nutrition, and soil health management. The company’s tech-driven solutions aim to provide nutritionally balanced and environmentally sustainable products, emphasizing research and development.