C K PROSPECTUS Please read Section 60B of the Companies Act, 1956 Dated December 6, 2004 100% Book Building Issue DECCAN CHRONICLE HOLDINGS LIMITED (Our Company was incorporated on December 16, 2002 at Hyderabad as a public limited company under the Companies Act, 1956.) Registered Office: 6-3-898, Raj Bhavan Road, Somajiguda, Hyderabad 500082, Andhra Pradesh; Tel: +91 40 234 03101 Corporate Office: 36, Sarojini Devi Road, Secunderabad 500003; Tel: +91 40 27803930; Fax: +91 40 27801716/27803870 Website: www.deccan.com; Email: [email protected] Public Issue of 8,013,100 Equity Shares of Rs. 10 each for cash at a price of Rs. 162 per Equity Share by Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”) aggregating Rs. 1,298.12 million (hereinafter referred to as “the Issue”). The Issue will have a Green Shoe Option of 1,201,960 Equity Shares of Rs. 10 each for cash at a price of Rs. 162 per Equity Share aggregating Rs. 194.72 million. The Issue and the Green Shoe Option aggregate Rs. 1,492.84 million. The Issue would constitute 20.0 % of the fully diluted post Issue paid-up capital of the Company, if the Green Shoe Option is not exercised and 22.3% if the Green Shoe Option is exercised. PRICE Rs.162 PER EQUITY SHARE OF FACE VALUE RS. 10 EACH THE ISSUE PRICE IS 16.2 TIMES OF THE FACE VALUE The Issue is being made through the 100% book building process where at least 60% of the Issue Size shall be allocated on a discretionary basis to Qualified Institutional Buyers (“QIBs”). If at least 60% of the Issue Size cannot be allocated to QIBs, then the entire application money shall be refunded forthwith. Further, not less than 15% of the Issue shall be available for allocation on a proportionate basis to Non-Institutional Bidders and not less than 25% of the Issue shall be available for allocation on a proportionate basis to Retail Individual Bidders, subject to valid Bids being received at or above the Issue Price. RISK IN RELATION TO FIRST ISSUE This being the first issue of Equity Shares of the Company, there has been no formal market for the Equity Shares of the Company. The face value of the Equity Shares is Rs. 10/- and the Issue Price is 16.2 times of the face value. The Issue Price (as determined by the Company in consultation with the Book Running Lead Manager (“BRLM”) on the basis of assessment of market demand for the Equity Shares by way of book building) should not be taken to be indicative of the market price of the Equity Shares after the Equity Shares are listed. No assurance can be given regarding an active and/or sustained trading in the Equity Shares or regarding the price at which the Equity Shares will be traded after listing. GENERAL RISKS Investments in equity and equity-related securities involve a degree of risk and investors should not invest any funds in this Issue unless they can afford to take the risk of losing their investment. Investors are advised to read the risk factors carefully before taking an investment decision in this Issue. For taking an investment decision, investors must rely on their own examination of the Company and the Issue including the risks involved. The Equity Shares offered in the Issue have not been recommended or approved by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”), nor does SEBI guarantee the accuracy or adequacy of the contents of this Prospectus. Specific attention of the investors is invited to the summarized and detailed statements in Risk Factors beginning on page x of this Prospectus. COMPANY’S ABSOLUTE RESPONSIBILITY The Company, having made all reasonable inquiries, accepts responsibility for and confirms that this Prospectus contains all information with regard to the Company and the Issue, which is material in the context of the Issue, that the information contained in this Prospectus is true and correct in all material aspects and is not misleading in any material respect, that the opinions and intentions expressed herein are honestly held and that there are no other facts, the omission of which makes this Prospectus as a whole or any of such information or the expression of any such opinions or intentions misleading in any material respect. LISTING The Equity Shares offered through this Prospectus are proposed to be listed on The Stock Exchange, Mumbai and the National Stock Exchange. We have received in-principle approvals from these Stock Exchanges for the listing of our Equity Shares pursuant to letters dated October 8, 2004 and October 19, 2004, respectively. The Stock Exchange, Mumbai is the Designated Stock Exchange. BOOK RUNNING LEAD MANAGER REGISTRAR TO THE ISSUE ICICI SECURITIES LIMITED KARVY COMPUTERSHARE PRIVATE LIMITED ICICI Centre Karvy House, 46, Avenue 4 H.T. Parekh Marg, Churchgate, Street No.1, Banjara Hills Mumbai 400 020 Hyderabad 500 034 Tel: (91 22) 2288 2460 Tel: (91 40) 2331 2454 Fax: (91 22) 2282 6580 Fax: (91 40) 2331 1968 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] ISSUE PROGRAMME BID / ISSUE OPENED ON NOVEMBER 25, 2004 BID / ISSUE CLOSED ON DECEMBER 2, 2004 C K TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Section I – General Definitions and Abbreviations ....................................................................................................................................................... i Certain Conventions; Use of Market Data .................................................................................................................................... vii Forward Looking Statements .......................................................................................................................................................... viii Currency of Presentation ................................................................................................................................................................ ix Section II - Risk Factors ................................................................................................................................................................... x Section III – Introduction Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 The Issue ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Green Shoe Option ......................................................................................................................................................................... 6 General Information ........................................................................................................................................................................ 9 Capital Structure ............................................................................................................................................................................. 19 Objects of the Issue ........................................................................................................................................................................ 24 Section IV - About Us Newspaper Industry Overview ...................................................................................................................................................... 28 Our Business ................................................................................................................................................................................... 37 Our History and Certain Corporate Matters ................................................................................................................................. 49 Our Management ............................................................................................................................................................................ 52 Our Promoters ................................................................................................................................................................................ 58 Related Party Transactions ............................................................................................................................................................ 68 Selected Financial Information (as per Financial statements under Indian GAAP) ...................................................................... 69 Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations ...................................................... 72 Dividend Policy .............................................................................................................................................................................. 77 Section V - Legal and Regulatory Information Regulations and Policies ................................................................................................................................................................. 78 Government Approvals .................................................................................................................................................................. 80 Outstanding Litigation .................................................................................................................................................................... 82 Material Developments .................................................................................................................................................................