February 15: The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) implemented the Mergers and Acquisitions Guidelines, 2079 from November 10 in order to end the problem of suspension of share trading for a long time due to mergers and acquisitions. However, this has not helped ease the situation.

As per the directive, shares transaction of merging entities is suspended in the secondary market only for a maximum of 15 business days after the integrated transaction. However, the share trading of five companies which started integrated business in January is yet to resume. Even after the integrated business of Century Commercial, Nepal Investment Mega, Bank of Kathmandu and Global IME Bank, the stock trading in the secondary market has been suspended for a long time.

Century Commercial Bank was acquired by Prabhu Bank in a swap ratio of 1:1 and started the integrated business under the name of Prabhu Bank Limited from January 10. Similarly, Nepal Investment Bank and Mega Bank Nepal also merged in the ratio of 100 is to 90 shares and started integrated business on January 11 under the name of Nepal Investment Mega Bank.

Global IME Bank and Bank of Kathmandu Limited also merged. After the completion of the merger process of these two banks, the integrated business is being conducted under the name of Global IME Bank from January 9. The share trading of these five companies is still suspended even though it has been more than 15 days since they started integrated transaction.

Chairman of the board Ramesh Kumar Hamal expressed regrets that the business remains halted contrary to the guidelines implemented by SEBON to prevent investors' property from being held hostage for a long time.

“In the directive, there is a provision to stop share trading for a maximum of 15 trading days after the integrated transaction. There is no provision for what will happen if the transaction is stopped in violation of the said rule,” said Hamal. He also said that if such problems start to appear, the guidelines will be revised and action will be taken against institution which goes against the guidelines. Hamal said that they will get information from NEPSE about the companies whose business has been suspended against the guidelines.

The share registrars of the affiliated companies say that the bonus share listing process of the companies has delayed the opening of share transactions. Chief Executive Officer of Prabhu Capital, Prabhu Bank's share registrar, Dinesh Thakali said that the opening of share trading was delayed due to the adjustment of bonus shares of Century and Prabhu Bank. Both banks passed the bonus share proposal at the Annual General Meeting held on December 29.

Nepal Investment Bank, Mega Bank, Global IME Bank and Bank of Kathmandu have already listed this year's bonus shares in the secondary market.

Mekh Bahadur Thapa, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of NIBL Ace Capital Limited, Registrar of Nepal Investment Bank informed that although the shares were maintained as per the swap ratio and submitted to the board for the listing process a week ago, but they are yet to get the approval. He informed that after the approval of the board, the share trading will be opened under the name of Nepal Investment Mega Bank.

Before the implementation of the merger and acquisition guidelines by the board, the share trading of 34 companies in the process of merger and acquisition was suspended. In the merger and acquisition guidelines implemented by the board, there is a provision that the merger and acquisition process should be completed within 6 months of signing the agreement.