Vodafone Idea Shares Gain 6.13% on Rs 5,836 Crore Promoter Settlement Deal
Vodafone Idea shares gained 6.13% amid heavy trading volumes following the company's revised settlement agreement with Vodafone Group promoters worth ₹5,836 crore through cash and earmarked shares. Despite the near-term financial relief from the CLAM settlement, leading brokerages maintain cautious ratings citing the company's bloated balance sheet, insufficient EBITDA generation, and substantial debt obligations including deferred spectrum payments.

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Shares of Vodafone Idea jumped 6.13% to ₹11.42 on Thursday afternoon, building on earlier gains following the telecom operator's disclosure of a revised settlement agreement with Vodafone Group promoters. The stock opened at ₹11.20 and touched an intraday high of ₹11.93, with heavy trading volumes of over 25,380 lakh shares by early afternoon.
The counter witnessed heightened activity with 56% sell orders against 44% buy orders as traders booked profits following the latest disclosure. The payment stems from an amended Contingent Liability Adjustment Mechanism (CLAM) agreement originally established during the 2017 merger between Vodafone India and Idea Cellular.
Revised Settlement Structure
The amended implementation agreement provides substantial financial relief to the debt-laden telecom operator through a structured payment mechanism:
| Component: | Amount | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Payment: | ₹2,307.00 crores | Over 12 months |
| Earmarked Shares: | 3.28 billion shares | Market value ₹3,529.00 crores |
| Total Settlement: | ₹5,836.00 crores | Immediate benefit |
Under the amendment agreement signed December 31, Vodafone Group promoters will release ₹2,307.00 crore in cash to Vodafone Idea over the next 12 months. Additionally, Vodafone Group has earmarked 3.28 billion shares in Vodafone Idea for the benefit of the Indian operator, worth ₹3,529.00 crore at current market prices. The company will have the right to instruct Vodafone to sell these shares in tranches, with proceeds transferred directly to Vodafone Idea.
CLAM Framework Background
The Contingent Liability Adjustment Mechanism was originally designed to cover pre-merger contingent liabilities related to legal, regulatory, tax and other matters of the two merging entities. Vodafone's maximum exposure under the mechanism was initially capped at ₹8,369.00 crore at the time of the merger. The Vodafone Group promoters had already paid ₹1,975.00 crore of the original CLAM amount, reducing the outstanding exposure to ₹6,394.00 crore with the deadline extended to December 31, 2025.
Brokerage Outlook Remains Cautious
Despite the settlement providing near-term relief, brokerage firms maintain a cautious stance on the stock's prospects:
| Brokerage: | Rating | Target Price | Key Concerns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axis Capital: | Reduce | ₹9.45 | Bloated balance sheet, lagging capex |
| Emkay: | Sell | ₹6.00 | Insufficient EBITDA, debt obligations |
Axis Capital maintained its 'Reduce' rating with a target price of ₹9.45, citing the company's bloated balance sheet and lagging capital expenditure compared to rivals Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio. Emkay retained a 'Sell' rating with ₹6.00 target, highlighting that current EBITDA remains insufficient to meet capex requirements and the ₹1.20 lakh crore deferred spectrum payment obligations stretching until FY44.
Market Impact and Challenges Ahead
While the settlement provides some financial breathing room, analysts warn that Vodafone Idea's financial position remains stressed despite repeated relief packages. The company still faces substantial debt obligations and competitive pressure in India's telecom market. The revised CLAM settlement, while providing immediate liquidity support, addresses only a portion of the company's broader financial challenges in maintaining competitiveness against better-capitalized rivals.








































