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Dalal Street newbies using IPO muscle to beat down debt

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Dalal Street newbies using IPO muscle to beat down debt
Mumbai: India’s IPO boom is increasingly being used by companies for repairing leveraged balance sheets instead of funding growth, with debt repayment emerging as the single largest end-use of the proceeds from recent share sales.

Data compiled from Prime Database showed that of the approximately ₹1.47 lakh crore earmarked across all stated fund utilisation categories by IPO-bound companies in 2024, 2025 and 2026 so far, around ₹35,055 crore has been allocated toward repayment of borrowings.

Debt repayments by 95 companies constitute nearly a quarter of funds raised in the latest share sales.

IPOAgencies

Balance Sheet Needs
A deleveraged capital structure emerges as the top goal of an initial share sale.

Indeed, debt repayment trumps even capital expenditure and expansion, which accounts for Rs 34,458 crore, or 23.3%, of the funds garnered at nearly 200 issuers, the data showed.
“On the face of it, it begins to look like promoters and lenders are using a hot IPO market to offload risk at full price to the public,” said Pradyumna Nag, founder, Prequate Advisory, an investment banking advisory firm. “From a purely technical point of view, it shows that these offers are being engineered around an issuer’s balance sheet needs and building liquidity for insiders – both of which are not focused on building investor wealth or much needed oxygen for productive new projects.”
The data showed that working capital requirements form the next large bucket – at Rs 26,928 crore across 71 issuers, while general corporate purposes, often seen as the least transparent category, accounted for Rs 16,355 crore across 145 companies.
The tilt toward deleveraging is evident in issuance trends.

In 2024, 39 of the 93 IPOs included debt reduction as an objective. That number climbed to 51 out of 103 IPOs in 2025. In 2026 so far, 5 of the 12 IPO launches have already earmarked funds for paring debt.

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IPO advisory firms said that this trend is not a positive sign from a capital markets standpoint as this also means the multiplier effect of an IPO’s proceeds is taking place outside the company’s balance sheet rather than within it.

“Until disclosure and investor scrutiny shifts from ‘who is the IPO of’ or ‘how big is the IPO’ to fundamentals such as ‘what share goes into projects earning more than the cost of equity’, India’s IPO boom will keep amplifying the mismatch between subsequent earnings releases and the price at IPO a few years back,” said Nag.

Recent Trend
To be sure, the data showed that this tilt toward deleveraging is a relatively recent phenomenon.

In 2020 and 2021, capital expenditure comfortably outpaced debt repayment as the primary use of IPO proceeds. The crossover came in 2024, when allocations toward debt repayment at Rs 12,014 crore exceeded capex spending of Rs 9,807 crore for the first time.

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In 2025, capex regained ground at Rs 21,839 crore compared with Rs 16,733 crore for debt reduction, but the aggregate trend for 2024-2026 still leaves debt marginally ahead.

Not all market participants see this shift as a cause of concern, however.

Many view it as a prudent financial strategy in a buoyant equity market.

“This reflects a conscious move toward optimal capital restructuring, enabling firms to swap debt for equity in a bullish market and de-risk their financial profiles,” said Samir Bahl, CEO, Anand Rathi Advisors.

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“Companies are able to increase their PAT margins by lowering interest costs, resulting in savings flowing directly to the bottom line,” Bahl said. “Also, deleveraging strengthens coverage ratios and boosts credit ratings. Ultimately, this positions firms for resilient, efficient, and sustainable growth with a stronger financial runway and greater autonomy.”

The shift toward debt reduction is also driven by its immediate impact on financial metrics. Lower leverage reduces interest burden, improves profitability and strengthens cash flows, while also enhancing valuations.

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DUG settles US legal action with Shell subsidiary

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DUG settles US legal action with Shell subsidiary

Shares in Perth-based high-performance computing provider DUG Technology have lifted on news it settled a long-running legal battle with a US subsidiary of Shell.

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Docusign, Inc. (DOCU) Q4 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

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OneWater Marine Inc. (ONEW) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Docusign, Inc. (DOCU) Q4 2026 Earnings Call March 17, 2026 5:00 PM EDT

Company Participants

Matt Sonefeldt – Head of Investor Relations
Allan Thygesen – President, CEO & Director
Blake Grayson – Executive VP & CFO

Conference Call Participants

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Robbie Owens – Piper Sandler & Co., Research Division
Tyler Radke – Citigroup Inc., Research Division
Mark Murphy – JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Patrick Walravens – Citizens JMP Securities, LLC, Research Division
S. Kirk Materne – Evercore ISI Institutional Equities, Research Division
Allan M. Verkhovski – BTIG, LLC, Research Division
Josh Baer – Morgan Stanley, Research Division
Aleksandr Zukin – Wolfe Research, LLC
Rishi Jaluria – RBC Capital Markets, Research Division
Patrick McIlwee – William Blair & Company L.L.C., Research Division

Presentation

Operator

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Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for joining DocuSign’s Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2026 Earnings Call. [Operator Instructions] As a reminder, this conference is being recorded and will be available for replay on the Relations section of the website following the call. [Operator Instructions]

I will now pass the call over to Matthew Sonefeldt, Head of Investor Relations. Thank you. You may begin.

Matt Sonefeldt
Head of Investor Relations

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Thank you, operator. Good afternoon, and welcome to DocuSign’s Q4 Fiscal 2026 Earnings Call. Joining me on today’s call are DocuSign’s CEO, Allan Thygesen; and CFO, Blake Grayson. The press release announcing our fourth quarter fiscal 2026 results was issued earlier today and is posted on our Investor Relations website along with a published version of our prepared remarks.

Before we begin, let me remind everyone that some of our statements on today’s call are forward looking, including any statements regarding future performance. We believe our assumptions and expectations related to these forward-looking statements are reasonable, but they are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results or performance to be materially different. In

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Reddit director Farrell buys $1.38 million in RDDT stock

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Reddit director Farrell buys $1.38 million in RDDT stock

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Dell cuts workforce by 10% for third straight year

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Dell cuts workforce by 10% for third straight year

Dell’s workforce has fallen by 10% for a third year in a row, according to annual reports filed Monday. 

As of Jan. 30, the Texas-based tech giant reported a headcount of 97,000 employees, down roughly 11,000 from its previous year of 108,000. 

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The reductions were primarily driven by cost-cutting measures, including employee reorganizations, restricted external hiring and facility consolidation to better align investments.

“Throughout Fiscal 2026, we remained committed to disciplined cost management in coordination with our ongoing business modernization initiatives and continued to take certain measures to reduce costs,” the company said. 

ORACLE EXPECTED TO SLASH THOUSANDS OF JOBS AS MASSIVE AI SPENDING CREATES FINANCIAL CASH CRISIS

dell office outside

The exterior of a Dell Technologies office building Jan. 4, 2023, in Round Rock, Texas.  (Brandon Bell/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Over the years, Dell has implemented numerous cost-cutting measures, including employee reorganizations, restrictions on external hiring and other steps to better align its investments with strategic and customer priorities.

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In its most recent reports, Dell highlighted the extensive integration of AI and machine learning technologies across its operations, including IT management, software solutions and the use of specialized servers.

Dell, whose shares have risen roughly 20% so far this year, said in February the company expects revenue from its AI-optimized server orders to double by 2027.

META EYES MASSIVE 20% WORKFORCE CUT AS AI INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS CONTINUE TO SOAR ACROSS OPERATIONS: REPORT

blue dell technologies sign in building

The Dell Technologies logo is prominently displayed at the company’s pavilion during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, March 5, 2026. (Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)

According to its fiscal 2026 report, Dell recorded total severance charges of $569 million, compared with $693 million in 2025 and $648 million in 2024. These payments primarily affected the selling, general and administrative departments, followed by cost of net revenue and research and development each year.

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While Dell reported a staff count of 97,000 in 2026, the company had 133,000 employees in 2023. 

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
DELL DELL TECHNOLOGIES INC. 153.01 -3.53 -2.26%

In 2023, Dell announced a workforce reduction of roughly 5% to navigate a challenging global economic environment.

The following year, Dell’s headcount fell by 13,000, a 9.8% decrease in its workforce.

In 2025, Dell again recorded a 10% reduction in staff, representing 12,000 fewer employees. 

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Most recently, the company reported a 10.2% decline in 2026.

META CUTS OVER 1,000 JOBS IN MAJOR METAVERSE RETREAT

Dell logo is seen displayed

A Dell logo displayed on a smartphone.  (Mateusz Slodkowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Silicon Valley workers have grown increasingly concerned about AI-driven disruption as tech companies such as Meta and Oracle have reportedly planned mass layoffs.

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Earlier this month, Meta reportedly considered a massive 20% workforce reduction as AI infrastructure spending continues to rise. Oracle has also reportedly weighed cutting tens of thousands of jobs amid soaring AI spending and mounting financial pressures.

Reuters has also linked workforce decline to the demands of competing in the high-growth AI infrastructure sector, pressuring companies to offset expenses.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Qfin Holdings, Inc. 2025 Q4 – Results – Earnings Call Presentation (NASDAQ:QFIN) 2026-03-17

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OneWater Marine Inc. (ONEW) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

This article was written by

Seeking Alpha’s transcripts team is responsible for the development of all of our transcript-related projects. We currently publish thousands of quarterly earnings calls per quarter on our site and are continuing to grow and expand our coverage. The purpose of this profile is to allow us to share with our readers new transcript-related developments. Thanks, SA Transcripts Team

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Steak ‘n Shake adds dark chocolate Statue of Liberty to popular milkshake

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Steak 'n Shake adds dark chocolate Statue of Liberty to popular milkshake

Steak ‘n Shake is shaking up its “Patriot Milkshake” with a new, chocolate twist.

The milkshake will now be served with a dark chocolate Statue of Liberty, the company announced on Monday.

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“Patriot Milkshake now comes with [a] Statue of Liberty. Yes fans, it’s dark chocolate,” the company wrote in a post on X.

The milkshake, which debuted in December, is still priced at $2.50 and will be for the rest of the year, according to the post. The chain previously announced the shake would be available through January.

STEAK ‘N SHAKE PLEDGES $1K CONTRIBUTIONS TO TRUMP ACCOUNTS FOR EMPLOYEES’ CHILDREN

steak-n-shake-exterior

Steak ‘n Shake is Located in the Midwest and Southern U.S. (iStock / iStock)

The company announcement included a photo of the milkshake, which features its classic red, white and blue sprinkles, an American flag on a toothpick and a dark chocolate Lady Liberty atop whipped cream.

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The franchise first announced the milkshake in December as an early nod to America’s 250th anniversary, which will be celebrated in July, according to the company.

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
BH BIGLARI HOLDINGS INC. 304.94 +5.17 +1.72%

“Steak n Shake is getting a head start on America’s 250th anniversary of its founding,” the company said in an X post in 2025.

The announcement garnered positive feedback on social media, with one X users writing, “This is what [w]inning looks like.”

STEAK ’N SHAKE TOUTS $2.50 ‘PATRIOT MILKSHAKE’ TO HONOR AMERICA’S SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL

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A photo of Steak 'n Shake's Patriot Milkshake

Steak ‘n Shake announced an update to their “Patriot Milkshake” on Monday. The shake will now be served with a dark chocolate Statue of Liberty. (Steak ‘n Shake via X / Unknown)

Alex Bruesewitz, a political consultant and Trump advisor, also reposted the announcement, heralding the addition.

“[Steak ‘n Shake] continues to prove that they are the best fast food chain in America,” Bruesewitz wrote in the post.

FOX Business previously reported that this promotion came as other fast food chains were taking different approaches to dealing with pricing and mounting cost pressures.

FAST FOOD CHAIN SAYS THEY’VE ‘RFK’D’ THEIR FRIES, OPTING FOR HEALTHIER COOKING ALTERNATIVE

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RFK Jr. at a Steak 'n Shake in 2025

Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. visits a Steak ‘n Shake location last year. (Steak ‘n Shake via X / Unknown)

Some chains, such as Jack in the Box, decided to close locations as part of a “broader turnaround plan.” 

Other chains, such as Cava, advised against discounting with their CEO, Brett Schulman, telling FOX Business that “you can’t discount your way to prosperity.”

The company recently made headlines for launching their 100% beef tallow tots, becoming the only restaurant to serve the side dish. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS

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This comes after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to hammer the food industry to provide healthier options for consumers as part of the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement.

Steak ‘n Shake did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.

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Fini to buy Caves House

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Fini to buy Caves House

The prominent property developer is set to refurbish the heritage-listed asset and improve its hospitality offering.

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Jio tells bankers it may file IPO prospectus as early as March

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Jio tells bankers it may file IPO prospectus as early as March
India’s Reliance Industries Ltd. aims to file a draft red herring prospectus for the initial public offering of its telecom unit, Jio Platforms Ltd. as early as the end of this month with the December-end financials, according to people familiar with the matter.

The company formally kicked off preparations for the IPO on Tuesday by appointing as many as 17 bankers to handle the issue. Morgan Stanley, HSBC Holdings Plc, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup Inc. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. are among nine global banks selected for advisory roles, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information is private.

Domestic advisers include Kotak Mahindra Capital Co., Axis Capital Ltd., JM Financial Ltd. and SBI Capital Markets Ltd., the people added.

Plans for the IPO have gathered steam after the government approved a change in listing requirements that allowed large issuers to dilute as little as 2.5% of their equity. The IPO could be India’s largest-ever IPO and the first by a major unit of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s flagship company, Reliance, in almost two decades.

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The proposed offering is expected to comprise largely secondary share sale by existing investors and could take place later this year. Details including the size, structure and timing of the transaction are still being finalized and are subject to change, the people added.


Representatives for the company and banks didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment outside of business hours.

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Brandon Craig to replace Mike Henry as BHP CEO

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Brandon Craig to replace Mike Henry as BHP CEO

The incoming boss of BHP says he is committed to Australia but has warned local investment was at risk as other nations cut red tape in pursuit of mining money.

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ZTR CEF: Collect A 8.8% Yield While Aligned To Grow Alongside AI Infrastructure (NYSE:ZTR)

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ZTR CEF: Collect A 8.8% Yield While Aligned To Grow Alongside AI Infrastructure (NYSE:ZTR)

This article was written by

Financial analyst by day and a seasoned investor by passion, I’ve been involved in the world of investing for over 15 years and honed my skills in analyzing lucrative opportunities within the market.I specialize in uncovering high quality dividend stocks and other assets that offer potential for long term-growth that pack a serious punch for bill-paying potential. I use myself as an example that with a solid base of classic dividend growth stocks, sprinkling in some Business Development Companies, REITs, and Closed End Funds can be a highly efficient way to boost your investment income while still capturing a total return that follows traditional index funds. I created a hybrid system between growth and income and manage to still capture a total return that is on par with the S&P.

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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