Bharti Airtel shares On May 16th fell sharply by 2.6% in early trade on Friday after a major block deal. Singapore-based telecom giant Singtel confirmed that it has sold a 1.2% stake in Bharti Airtel Ltd through a private placement transaction worth $1.54 billion (approximately ₹13,221 crore).
Singtel and Bharti Airtel Deal Details
Singtel announced the sale of 7.1 crore Bharti Airtel shares at Rs. 1,814 per share via block deals to a mix of international and Indian institutional investors. This deal was carried out as part of Singtel's ongoing capital optimisation strategy to rebalance its portfolio and maximise shareholder returns as per reports.
After the deal was carried out Singtel's holding in Bharti Airtel was reduced from 29.5% to 28.3%. While the names of buyers haven't been officially disclosed, reports suggest that some of Airtel's existing shareholders may have participated in the deal. The floor price for the deal was set at Rs. 1,800 which is 3.6% lower than the previous day's closing but the actual deal occurred above this level. There is also a 60-day lock-in period for further sale of the remaining shares as per CNBC Report.
Despite the stock pressure, Bharti Airtel reported a good Q4 performance for FY25. The telecom major posted a consolidated net profit of Rs. 11,022 crore declining 25.4% compared to Q3's Rs. 14,781 crore but it jumped 432% jump year-on-year.
Revenue from operations for the March quarter stood at Rs. 47,876 crore, reflecting a 2.1% growth from Rs. 46,878 crore in the previous quarter. EBITDA came in at Rs. 27,404 crore, slightly below the Rs. 29,057 crore reported in Q3, indicating a dip of 5.7%. The EBITDA margin for the quarter was 57.2%, lower than Q3's 62% but still ahead of analyst expectations.
Airtel's ARPU on the Rise
A key highlight of Airtel's Q4 results is the continued growth in Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), a crucial metric in the telecom industry. The ARPU rose to Rs. 245, up from Rs. 209 in Q4 last year marking a strong 17.2% year-on-year increase. Bharti Airtel Shareholding Pattern
As per the March 2025 quarter data, Pastel, a Singtel-linked entity, holds a 9.49% stake in Bharti Airtel. With this latest deal, Singtel is actively realigning its exposure while remaining a significant shareholder in the Indian telecom leader.
About Bharti Airtel
Bharti Airtel Limited is one of India's leading telecommunications service providers, offering a wide range of services including mobile voice and data, fixed-line broadband, DTH (direct-to-home), and enterprise solutions. Headquartered in New Delhi, Airtel operates in 18 countries across Asia and Africa and serves over 500 million customers globally. Known for its extensive 4G network coverage, Airtel is also at the forefront of 5G rollout in India. The company continues to focus on digital innovation, customer-centric offerings, and strong financial performance, making it a key player in India's telecom sector
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