The Adani Hidenburg boxing match

I heard about the Hidenburg research report over a week ago and read the report on their website 2 days later once everyone was talking about it. While going through the report, the first question remained unanswered: why did they take 2 years for this report? The research seems genuine on all the things dug up, researched and put up.

While the Adanis were busy doing the puppet show to the audience, someone outside the audience saw the Adanis doing the puppet show. This is visible in the counter-transactions shown with the firms outside India and not shown in the annual reports of the Indian companies.

Round 1 goes to Hindenburg! The shock & awe hard punch will hurt Adanis for a long time to come.

The twists in the tale get interesting. Right after the damaging report, the international fund IHC promises to invest $400 million into the accused company. 

Round 2 goes to Adani!

Which company would ever do that unless the other company was a holding company or a govt. nationalising a company or trying to prevent a big bank bust case? This raises a lot of eyebrows and red flag as it is very unusual and non-sensical.

The hidden truth is revealed the next day. Adanis cancel the FPO. This means that the Adanis had to save face and get the FPO successful while ensuring that IHC gets its money back after the jitters of the report. This seems to be a pre-meditated invest and pull back strategy while influencing the other investors into investing into this FPO.

Round 2 was an unexpected double punch going to the Adanis!

I am sure on detailed investigation of the FPO process, the regulators would be able to find this pre-meditated arrangement duping the others (retail investors and few others) into the trap of investing their monies in this FPO only to be forced to get out of it.

Another interesting critique from some people is the timing of the report. I laugh at their questioning. For any investor in a fair market, maximising returns is the objective. This report was timed to maximise the value of the shorts and earn profit. Isn't this is what fair market is all about? Plus maximum visibility for the brand. Who wouldn't do it given the opportunity?

While reading the report,  the Adani strategy to raise funds becomes clear.
Step 1: Keep a number of close set of companies with maximum percentage control on and off the public books. Includes hiring experts in price manipulation like experienced Ketan Parekh.

Step 2: Based on these inflated stock prices, pledge the promoter stocks and raise more loans that is actually possible to fund the investments.

Awaiting to see Round 3!