Mumbai : Charting out the long journey by Reliance Industries (RIL) since it was founded by his father Dhirubhai Ambani in 1977, Chairman Mukesh Ambani said on Friday that its net profit index had jumped 10,000 times during the period.
Describing how from its beginnings as a textiles start-up, RIL has now created “multiple growth engines”, Ambani told shareholders at the 40th annual general meeting (AGM) here that the company’s “net profit went from Rs 3 crore to Rs 30,000 crore” during the period.
“RIL’s market capitalisation has grown from Rs 10 crore in 1977, to over Rs 5 lakh crore now, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 32 per cent,” he said, reports IANS.
It has accordingly been good going for shareholders of RIL, for which the major business after textiles turned out to be oil and gas exploration. “Every Rs 1,000 invested in Reliance Industries’ shares in 1977 is now worth Rs 16.5 lakh,” Ambani said. “In simple terms, shareholders’ money has doubled every two-and-a-half years over the last 40 years,” he added.
RIL, which launched the successful Jio mobile phone network over a year back, has seen its turnover zoom from a modest Rs 70 crore in 1977 to Rs 3.3 lakh crore currently, which represents a 4,700-time growth in revenue, Ambani told the shareholders, who responded with thunderous applause to every statistic being rolled out.
From 3,500 employees in 1997, RIL now has a total staff strength of 250,000 worldwide, he added. At the AGM, RIL also announced a 1:1 bonus issue, implying shareholders will get 1 bonus share for every one share held. “I dedicate these 40 years to only one person, the founder Chairman Dhirubhai Ambani. I can feel as if he is sitting here, smiling and talking to me and to all of you,” Ambani said in an emotional vein recalling his late father, while his mother Kokilaben Ambani, who was present in the audience, burst into tears.
RIL issues bonus share after 8-year gap
Reliance Industries Ltd on Friday announced one bonus share for every share held — the first such issue in nearly eight years.
Announcing the 1:1 bonus share at the company’s 40th annual general meeting, RIL Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said this is the country’s largest bonus issue. The board of India’s biggest private firm met while the shareholders’ meet was on and decided on the bonus share, which is only the fourth in its 40-year listed history. The company had last announced 1:1 bonus share in October 2009. That was preceded by a similar ratio bonus issue in September 1997. RIL’s first bonus share in the ratio of 3:5 was announced in October 1983. “We wish to inform you that the Board of Directors of the company at its meeting held has recommended issue of bonus shares to the members of the company by capitalisation of its reserves in the ratio of one bonus equity share of Rs 10 each fully paid-up for every one existing equity share of Rs 10 each fully paid-up held by the members as on record date to be fixed hereafter for the purpose,” the company said in a regulatory filing.
