Qualified Institutional Placement

Qualified institutional placement (QIP) is simply the means whereby a listed company can issue equity shares, fully and partly convertible debentures, or any securities other than warrants which are convertible to equity shares to a Qualified Institutional Buyer (QIB).

Apart from preferential allotment, this is the only other method of private placement. However, it scores over other methods, as it does not involve many of the common procedural requirements such as the submission of pre-issue filings to the market regulator. 

Why was it introduced? 

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) introduced the QIP process in 2006, to prevent listed companies in India from developing an excessive dependence on foreign capital. 

The complications associated with raising capital in the domestic markets had led many companies to look at tapping the overseas markets via Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds (FCCB) and Global Depository Receipts (GDR) to fulfil their needs. To keep a check on this process and to give a push to the domestic markets, QIPs were launched. 

QIP in the news lately 

The latest company which adopted the QIP route to raising capital is the cash-strapped real estate major Unitech. While Unitech has managed to garner Rs 1620 crore through QIP, the promoter holding has now come down to 51%.

There are also reports that LIC Housing Finance is mulling over a QIP where it is expected to issue shares of the value of up to 10% of its total paid up capital.