IDBI Bank shares fall 7% as investors book profit after Fairfax deal gets cabinet nod

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ETMarkets.com

The Rs 52,878 crore Fairfax deal marks a major step in IDBI Bank’s long-awaited privatisation. 

The stock had climbed to Rs 93.60 on Wednesday, its highest level in nearly two weeks, taking IDBI Bank’s market capitalisation above Rs 1 lakh crore. The rally followed the Cabinet’s approval of the sale of the government’s and LIC’s combined stake to Fairfax Financial Holdings’ subsidiary, M/s 10955230 Canada Inc., for Rs 52,878.08 crore.

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Fairfax deal closes a long chapter for IDBI Bank

The deal marks a major step in the lender’s transformation after years of financial stress. Fairfax’s bid of Rs 81 per share was above the Rs 75.99 average fair valuation arrived at by two independent professional valuation agencies.

The government will retain a 15% stake in IDBI Bank, while LIC will hold 19% after the transaction. The successful bidder will also have to go through the RBI’s ‘fit & proper’ assessment and secure other regulatory approvals before the deal is completed.

The transaction is expected to become the largest foreign direct investment in India’s financial sector, according to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. It also puts IDBI Bank at the centre of the government’s broader push to bring private and foreign capital into the banking sector.

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IDBI’s turnaround story

IDBI Bank today looks very different from the lender that once needed repeated government support. Its gross NPA ratio has fallen from 31.78% in September 2018 to 2.32% in March 2026, while net NPAs have dropped from 17.30% to 0.15%.

The improvement has also shown up in profitability and growth. IDBI Bank reported a net profit of Rs 9,513 crore in FY26, while its total business rose 18% year-on-year to Rs 6.27 lakh crore as of September 30. Its latest quarterly business update showed deposits rising 17% to Rs 3.56 lakh crore and net advances growing 18% to Rs 2.72 lakh crore.

With the privatisation now moving ahead, the next phase will be about what Fairfax does with the bank. The challenge will be to take a lender that has repaired its balance sheet and make it more competitive in the private banking space. For Thursday, however, the sharp decline looks more like investors taking some money off the table after Wednesday’s 13% surge.