RIL offers $20 bn worth stake in retail arm to Amazon: Report

Credit Suisse said if the deal fructifies, then this will bring together the largest offline and online retailers in India.

Reliance Industries Ltd is reported to have offered a 40 per cent stake in its retail arm worth about $20 billion to Amazon.

Bloomberg News citing a source reported that "Amazon has held discussions about investing in the conglomerate's Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd unit and has expressed interest in negotiating a potential transaction."

The report went on to say that Reliance was "willing to sell as much as a 40 per cent stake in the subsidiary to Amazon" and the deal size at $20 billion would be the biggest ever in India.

Both Reliance and Amazon refused to comment on the report.

"In light of a high incidence of speculative media queries and incorrect and ex parte media articles relating to purported capital transactions into Reliance Industries or our group companies, we would like to reiterate that as a policy, we do not comment on media speculation and rumours and we cannot confirm or deny any transaction which may or may not be in the works," Reliance said in its revised email response.

A similar response was also sent to stock exchanges.

The company evaluates various opportunities on an ongoing basis, it said, adding that the company has "made and will continue to make necessary disclosures in compliance" with listing obligations and disclosure requirements.

"Vide this communication, we appeal to the media to carefully examine any such speculative information and safeguard themselves and their readers, many of whom are individual retail investors, from publishing/recycling unfounded and/or incorrect news," Reliance said.

Amazon was an investor in Future Group, whose retail business was acquired by Reliance late last month for Rs 24,713 crore.

On September 9, RIL announced the divestment of 1.75 per cent stake in the retail arm to private equity firm Silver Lake Partners for Rs 7,500 crore.

More such stake sales are in offing.

Bloomberg in the report further stated that Amazon hasn't made any final decision on the size of its potential investment and that talks could still fall apart.

Commenting on the issue, Credit Suisse said if the deal fructifies, then this will bring together the largest offline and online retailers in India.

"The combined entity can leverage the deep offline retail network of Reliance Retail and established logistics network of Amazon to harness cross-selling and moni-channel opportunities, leading to faster growth in e-commerce penetration in India," it said.

According to Credit Suisse, Reliance can benefit via increase in addressable user base for its online grocery delivery service, JioMart (dedicated store on Amazon possible on the lines of Big Bazaar for grocery, electronics and fashion) via access to existing 140 million monthly active users on Amazon.

Also, it could push higher B2B sales for Reliance Market (cash-and-carry arm) through sellers on Amazon (Cloudtail, Appario Retail).

Amazon can benefit by leveraging the established offline network of Reliance Retail for pick-up of online orders.

Also, it could expand user base by tapping footfalls in Reliance Retail stores to drive online cross-purchases, and gain access to a large logistics network, which has further strengthened post Reliance Retail's acquisition of Future Group's logistics and warehousing business, it said.

Reliance has already announced the expansion of JioMart to electronics and fashion. JioMart is currently catering to only grocery deliveries and plans to expand to electronics and fashion by end of this month.

"Balance sheet will be significantly strengthened post the deal," it said adding the series of stake sales in Reliance Retail to Amazon and private equity investors can bring in $21-29 billion cash.

Reliance Retail runs supermarkets, India's largest consumer electronics chain store, a cash and carry wholesaler, fast-fashion outlets and an online grocery store JioMart.

The acquisition of Future Group's retail business will add about 1,700 large stores to RIL's 11,806 stores in its retail segment and increase its organised retail revenue market share by around 5 per cent.

Photograph: Sandip Mahankal/ANI Photo