Aditya Birla Group plans to take its asset management business public through a INR 50.00 billion initial public offering to raise funds for expansion, three people with direct knowledge of the matter said. Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited has started talks with potential merchant bankers for the IPO, which is likely to be launched in the June quarter, said the people cited above. “The AMC (asset management company) is planning to offer around 20% to the public in the proposed IPO," said one of the three people cited above.

“The value of the business is pegged at around INR 260.00 billion as per recent discussions between potential merchant bankers and the AMC's promoters." Birla Sun Life AMC is India's fourth-largest asset management firm with around INR 3 trillion of assets under management. The company is 51% owned by Aditya Birla Capital Limited (BSE:540691) (ABCL) and the rest by Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX:SLF). “For some of the subsidiaries of ABCL, capital raising routes such as QIP (qualified institutional placement) and preferential allotment are also being planned.

Multiple capital raising routes are being planned," the second person said. Capital market rules require every company to have a minimum of 25% in public shareholding within three years of listing though companies typically offer 10-15% in an IPO. “However, since the equity market is buoyant at present, the promoters of Birla Sun Life AMC are planning to mop up as much money as possible through the IPO," the person said.

Spokespeople for Aditya Birla Capital and Sun Life Financial said they do not comment on market speculation.