Details of the transaction are not released, but given the valuation, CDPQ paid a premium on the market value of Azure Power. The news is accompanied by the appointment of an additional CDPQ board member.
Canadian pension fund Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) invests an additional $75 million in Indian solar power developer Azure Power Global Ltd (NYSE: AZRE).
The transaction is subject to the approval of Azure Power’s shareholders and other customary closing conditions, CDPQ said, adding that it expects the deal to be complete in December.
In the spring of 2019, CDPQ announced it had raised the target for its carbon-neutral assets under management to $32 billion by 2020. This target is part of CDPQ’s strategy to address climate change and capture opportunities from the transition to a low-carbon economy. CDPQ also aims to reduce its carbon footprint by 25% per dollar invested by 2025.
CDPQ had first invested in Azure Power in September 2016. The initial investment of $75 million, which was CDPQ’s first India deal, was made just before Azure Power listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Last year, the pension fund invested an additional $100 million more.
The fresh capital infusion will take CDPQ’s total investment in Azure to around $320 million from $245 million.
CDPQ’s stake in Azure Power will increase from 41.4% to 49.4% after the investment, the pension fund said in a statement.
An 8% stake, purchased at $75 million, suggests a valuation of $937.5 million. The investment is at a 6.5x EV/Sales multiple. The industry average for electric and gas utilities in India is 3.4x EV/Sales according to Duff & Phelps.
Azure Power was battling weak stock prices and other challenges such as a leadership change after founder Inderpreet Wadhwa retired. However, shares of Azure have rallied more than 30% since early August to trade around $13.37 apiece on the NYSE. This gives the company a market value of around $545 million, which means the value of CDPQ’s stake would be around $269 million.
CDPQ is placing a higher value on Azure Power than the market.
CDPQ is already Azure’s biggest shareholder. International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank’s private-sector investment arm, and venture capital firm Helion Venture Partners are the other big shareholders. German development finance institution DEG and France’s Proparco also own small stakes.
CDPQ, Canada’s second-largest pension fund opened its India office in 2016, and has rapidly ramped up investments in the country since then. It has so far invested nearly $5 billion across sectors such as infrastructure, real estate, stressed assets and renewable energy, among others.
The news comes after Deepak Malhotra, Director, Infrastructure, South Asia at Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), was appointed to its Board of Directors. CDPQ’s total number of board seats is now two.
“We are pleased to welcome Deepak Malhotra as a Director on our board. The addition of Deepak will provide a valuable perspective as we continue to execute our strategy, drive profitability and enhance value for shareholders. We are honoured to have CDPQ’s trust in Azure Power and to see their commitment to the solar sector in India.â€
Ranjit Gupta Azure Power Chief Executive Officer
Azure is the only Indian independent power producer to be listed on the NYSE. Other major rooftop solar companies in the country include CleanMax Solar, Amplus Energy Solutions and Sunvest Energy Pvt. Ltd.
Since its inception in 2008, Azure Power has developed a pan-India portfolio of 3 GW comprising operating and under-construction solar projects in 23 states.
