Helping You Build Wealth With Honest Research
Since 1996. Read On...

The Best Asset Allocation for Your Equity Portfolio

Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing

Independence Day Offer
Smallcap... Midcap... Largecap Stock
Recommendations at 75% OFF


Show Me Full Details

**Important: We hate spam as much as you do. Check out our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.

AD

Stocks where the Government Can do OFS

Jun 28, 2026

Stocks where the Government Can do OFSImage source: Yutthana Gaetgeaw/www.istockphoto.com

Whenever the government needs to raise capital without relinquishing control of a public sector company, the Offer for Sale (OFS) route becomes one of its preferred tools.

Over the years, minority stake sales in PSUs have helped fund fiscal requirements while improving public shareholding and market liquidity.

For FY26, the government budgeted Rs 470 bn from disinvestment and asset monetisation, which was later revised to Rs 338.4 bn. Of this, around Rs 155.6 bn was expected from disinvestment and the remaining Rs 188.4 bn was to come from asset monetisation and other miscellaneous capital receipts.

In FY27, capital receipts have become even more crucial as geopolitical tensions have adversely affected the Indian government's fiscal position. Consequently, the government has set an ambitious target of Rs 800 bn under capital receipts for FY27.

Against this backdrop, investors are closely tracking PSU companies where the government still holds a large stake. These companies could emerge as potential OFS candidates, especially if market conditions remain favourable.

#1 Life Insurance Corporation of India

First on the list is Life Insurance Corporation of India.

LIC is India's largest life insurance company, offering a wide range of insurance, pension, and investment products. With a dominant market share, it manages one of the country's largest pools of long-term savings and is also among the biggest institutional investors in the Indian stock market.

Its total premium income at the end of FY26 stood at around Rs 5.4 trillion (tn).

The government plans to sell up to a 2% stake in LIC, potentially raising about Rs 100 bn. This is part of a major plan to gradually reduce the government's 96.5% stake in LIC to the required minimum public shareholding of 75%.

While the current stake sale may be small, the government could consider additional LIC stake sales over the coming years to reduce its stake to 75%.

Check out the LIC's financial factsheet and quarterly results to know more.

Want To Read The Full Article?

Enter your email to continue reading on Equitymaster.

Important: We hate spam as much as you do. Check out our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.
By submitting your email address, you also sign up for Profit Hunter, a daily newsletter from Equitymaster covering exciting investing ideas and opportunities in India.

Equitymaster requests your view! Post a comment on "Stocks where the Government Can do OFS". Click here!