RIL AGM Highlights: Board Mulls Bonus Issue; Jio, Retail Business To Double In Four Years, Says Mukesh Ambani

The annual general meeting of Reliance Industries Ltd. will be the key highlight today as investors expect the conglomerate to hint at its future plans. Mukesh Ambani led-RIL will conduct its 47th AGM on Aug. 29 at 2:00 p.m. IST, according to the company's statement.

But today's meeting may not bring much cheer to the street as the anticipated announcement of the listing timeline for the consumer businesses—Reliance Retail Ltd. and Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd.—may get extended.

Chairman Mukesh Ambani had indicated five years ago on the potential unlocking of shareholder value through listing of the two consumer businesses. But brokerage BofA Securities doesn’t expect any major value unlocking announcement in this AGM.

The market was disappointed in the last three AGMs, given the absence of any major announcements. The street is building little expectation going into the AGM on Aug. 29.

As the oil-to-telecom conglomerate nears 50 years post-listing, data shows shares of the flagship company have declined on most AGM days.

In the last 10 such meetings, the scrip has declined in seven instances with the counter plunging as much as 6.2% in its 2020 meet. In the last annual general meet on Aug. 28, 2023, its shares declined as much as 1.51% during the day and pared losses to close 1% lower.

In the week ahead and after the AGM, the stock has posted a mixed picture. Five times the counter fell in a week ahead of the key meet, while eight times the stock inclined positively after the AGM. In three such instances, the scrip gained over 8% in the week after the meeting.

The Competition Commission of India on Wednesday approved Reliance Industries Ltd.'s $8.5-billion merger of Viacom18 Media Pvt., Digital18 Media Ltd., Star India Pvt. and Star Television Productions Ltd.

Post the merger, Star India will become a joint venture, held by Reliance Industries, Viacom18 and existing TWDC subsidiaries. The CCI made the announcement on social media platform X.

In February this year, global media giants Walt Disney Co. and Reliance Industries Ltd. announced the signing of binding pacts to merge their media operations in India to create a Rs 70,000 crore behemoth.

Ambani said the demerger of Jio Financial Services Ltd. has unlocked significant value for shareholders. RIL could use a similar route for future unlocking of wealth for its shareholders.

A year after inducting the third generation to the board of Reliance Industries, the company could prepare for the potential unlocking of value through listing of the three businesses—Jio Platforms, Reliance Retail Ventures and Reliance New Energy—in the run up to its 50th year of listing on the stock exchanges.

As the top conglomerate gears up for its 47th annual general meeting, the listing timeline for its consumer businesses could be on the play.

Last year saw retail capex moderating. RIL has so far invested nearly Rs 1 lakh crore, with 77% of the capex coming up in the last three years. RIL raised equity in the retail venture last year. The company is focusing on consolidating the operations with a focus on profitability, rationalisation of stores and reduction of manpower. While the retail arm added 1,840 stores, it closed 1,044 during the last financial year. This rationalisation is nearly double the closure over fiscal 2023. 

The street is likely to see future launch formats and possible investment into the quick commerce segment that will combine new commerce operations and its hyperlocal strategy as it integrates with the smaller indigenous merchants and kirana store owners.

It is aggressively foraying into the beauty and apparel segment, as it recently announced a partnership with British apparel brand ASOS. It is also likely to announce partnerships with global players like Shein.

While the recent hike in telecom tariff will play out over the next few quarters, Jio is targeting to push fixed wireless access across 100 million premises. It expects fixed wireless access to pick up particularly in rural and has expanded offerings to 5,900 towns.

It is also looking to leverage digital technologies to capitalise on the Disney-Viacom combined entity. RIL is targeting to capitalise on 100-crore connected screens by 2030.

Jio has raised close to $5 billion in fiscal 2024 for 5G capex. With standalone 5G infrastructure in place, it now aims to take its 5G stack overseas.

It will also announce plans for the Disney-Viacom combined entertainment company which recently received competition watchdog's approval.

The flagship has announced nearly $10 billion of investment into new energy. The progress so far has been slow, as it has invested only $2 billion in this venture so far. RIL is targeting to achieve 100 GW of renewable energy by 2030. It targets to bring the factory on-stream in a phased manner beginning end of 2025.

The AGM will provide a clear timeline of new energy businesses, including the fully integrated, end-to-end Solar PV manufacturing ecosystem. Average solar module prices have drastically fallen by half since 2022. The sector also faces challenges with respect to disruptive technologies.

While RIL is building giga factory at Jamnagar, it’s renewable energy development, production of green hydrogen and its derivatives—green ammonia and green methanol—would be at a location, based on availability of suitable land, evacuation infrastructure and requisite demand. The venture will also need connectivity to green energy generation.

The company will also confirm the timelines for setting up the battery giga factory by 2026. It is betting big on battery energy storage system. To begin, it will start off with lithium batteries and graduate into fast-track commercialisation of sodium-ion battery technology. It will be initially used for captive purposes.

In the wind energy space, Ambani is expected to indicate bigger foray into manufacturing of wind blades. RIL plans to manufacture carbon fibre at large scale to further integrate and reduce cost of wind turbines, including partnering with global technology players in wind equipment manufacturing to deliver cost-efficient solutions.

Shares of Reliance Industries were trading higher as the flagship's chairman and managing director, Mukesh Ambani, gears up to deliver his once-a-year speech during their AGM.

RIL's stock rose as much as 1.05% during the day to Rs 3,028 apiece on the NSE. It was trading 0.61% higher at Rs 3,015 apiece, compared to a 0.4% advance in the benchmark Nifty 50 as of 1:19 p.m.

It has risen 24% during the last 12 months and has fallen by 16% on a year-to-date basis. The relative strength index was at 54.

Twenty-five out of the 36 analysts tracking the company have a 'buy' rating on the stock, eight suggest a 'hold' and three have a 'hold', according to Bloomberg data. The average of 12-month analyst price targets implies a potential upside of 9.5%

Shares of Reliance Industries spiked as the conglomerate's board will consider a bonus issue in its upcoming board meeting. The Mukesh Ambani-led company will consider a 1:1 bonus issue on Sept. 5, according to an exchange filing.

This announcement comes moments ahead of its 47th annual general meeting that will begin shortly at 2.00 p.m.

RIL's stock rose as much as 2.54% after the announcement to Rs 3,072.6 apiece on the NSE. It was trading 2.21% higher at Rs 3,062 apiece, compared to a 0.37% advance in the benchmark Nifty 50 as of 1:55 p.m.

India marches confidently while global pees are lagging behind and remains the beckon of hope for the world, Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director, Reliance Industries said.

• The world brings both hope and concern.

• The birth of artificial intelligence has opened up opportunities to address several problems.

• India marches confidently while global pees are lagging behind.

• India remains a beckon of hope for the world.

Reliance has now become a net producer of technology, embedding innovative technologies in every single business, according to Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director.

• Using and integrating AI in all businesses to enhance productivity

• Last year, RIL filed over 2,500 patents

• Deep tech and advanced manufacturing to drive RIL into top-30 companies of the world in the near future

• All businesses continue to be key drivers of the Indian economy

• India's 1st company to cross Rs 4 lakh crore in annual revenue.

• RIL as become a net producer of technology.

• RIL spent over Rs 3,642 crore in fiscal 2024 in research and development

Jio will double down on deep tech to further extend its competitive edge, according to Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director.

• Jio is among the Indian largest patent holders.

• Jio's data prices are one-fourth of international benchmarks.

• Jio position makes us lead India's technological future.

• Will double down on deep tech to further extend its competitive edge.

• Still streamlining Fiber operations and see opportunities ahead.

Reliance Industries will bring advanced AI tools to India along with global partners to create the lowest AI inferencing cost, Mukesh Ambani said.

• Will bring more advanced AI tools to India along with global partners.

• The goal is to create the lowest AI inferencing cost in India.

• The benefits of AI must benefit every Indian, Ambani said.

• Four sectors that will benefit the most from AI: agriculture, education, healthcare, small businesses.

Here are the key launches by Jio:

• Jio AI Cloud Welcome Offer starting Diwali: Jio users get 100 GB to store photos etc.

• Jio TV OS launched for big TV screen

• Jio is developing Jio Brain: to help faster decision-making, and support more accurate business predictions.

• Jio phone call AI: can record, store, translate and transcribe voice recordings.

• Introduces JioTV OS for televisions.

• JioTV OS to bring TV shows, apps and news channel in one ecosystem.

Reliance Industries' retail business is expected to double in the next four years and mulls its entry into the luxury jewellery segment, according to Isha Ambani.

• Retail plans to enter the luxury jewellery segment.

• Plans to double retail business in the next 3-4 years.

• Fast fashion brand Shein to bring products to India.

Fields in KG Basin reached peak production this year and have successfully commissioned six deepwater fields, establishing ourselves as a world-class deepwater operator, Mukesh Ambani said.

• Fields in the KG Basin reached peak production this year.

• Have commissioned 6 deep water fields.

• MJ field was timely commissioned.

• Have successfully commissioned six deepwater fields, establishing ourselves as a world-class deepwater operator.

• Will leverage E&P expertise to develop low-carbon energy solutions, including geothermal energy, underground coal gasification, natural hydrogen, and helium.

• Will ensure that Reliance continues to play a pivotal role in shaping a sustainable energy future for India.

The new energy business of Reliance Industries will become profitable like oil-to-chemicals businesses in the next 5-7 years, says Mukesh Ambani. The conglomerate will continue expanding investments in bioenergy along with commencing solar PV module production by this year.

• Will continue to expand investments in bioenergy.

• To have compressed biogas plants by 2025.

• Establishing the world's largest bioenergy deep tech research and development centre.

• To commence solar PV module production end-year.

• New energy business to become profitable like O2C in next 5-7 years.

Reliance Industries will invest up to Rs 75,000 crore investment in the manufacturing ecosystem in Jamnagar which will soon become the cradle of the new energy business for the company, Mukesh Ambani said.

• On track for Rs 75,000 crore investment in the manufacturing ecosystem extensively enabled by all emerging technology.

• Jamnagar will become the cradle of the new energy business.

• Working on establishing a multi-gigawatt electrolyser manufacturing facility.

• Reliance Industries' retail business is expected to double in the next four years.

• Retail business mulls its entry into the luxury jewellery segment.

• Fast fashion brand Shein to bring products to India.

• Up to Rs 75,000 crore investment in the manufacturing ecosystem extensively enabled by all emerging technology in Jamnagar. 

• New energy business will become profitable like oil-to-chemicals businesses in the next 5-7 years.

• Fields in KG Basin reached peak production. Commissioned six deepwater fields.

• Jio AI Cloud Welcome Offer starting Diwali: Users get 100 GB to store photos etc.

• Jio will double down on deep tech to further extend its competitive edge.