FCCB |
A
Foreign Currency Convertible Bond (FCCB) is a quasi debt instrument issued by any corporate entity or an international agency of any corporate entity or sovereign state to the
investors around the world to raise funds.
Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds will be like equity-linked debt
security which is possible to be converted into shares or into depository receipts.
The
investors of Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds have an option to convert the bonds into equity normally in
accordance with pre-determined formula and sometimes also at a pre-determined
exchange rate.
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The
investor also has the option to retain the bond.
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They
are denominated in any freely convertible foreign currency.
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Euro
Convertible Bonds are usually issued as unsecured obligation of the borrowers.
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The
FCCBs by virtue of convertibility offers to issuer a privilege of lower
interest cost than that of similar non convertible debt instrument.
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By
issuing these bonds, a company can also avoid any dilution in earnings per
share that a further issue of equity might cause whereas such a security still
can be traded on the basis of underlying equity value.
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The
agreement providing for the issuance of Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds normally carry less restrictive covenants
as they relate to the issuer.
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Further, Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds can be marketed conveniently and the issuer company can expect that the
number of its shares will not increase until investors see improved earnings
and prices for its common stock. Same as Global Depository Receipts, Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds are can be easily traded
and the issuer will have no control over the transfer mechanism and ultimate
beneficiary cannot be known.
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The
Finance Ministry vide Notification dated 20.6.1994 stated that w.e.f. this date
of notification Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds will be considered as an approved instrument as medium of
accessing external commercial borrowings
as an another source of finance.
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The
terms and conditions normally applicable to commercial borrowing will be mutatis
mutandis on convertible bonds.
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This
would include restrictions on end-user who imports of capital goods and minimum
maturity for bonds. Priority for accessibility to this facility will be given
to firms with good foreign exchange earnings record or potential.