How does one put a value to Satyam Computer Services when its financial position is not known?
This is one question that’s uppermost in the minds of analysts, marketmen and industry experts even as the Company Law Board (CLB) today gave the scam-tainted IT firm’s stake sale plan the go-ahead. When contacted, Hinduja and L&T groups, two biggies interested in acquiring Satyam, declined to comment on the CLB move, saying they would take a call once the guidance on bidding procedures came out. International operations’ president of Tech Mahindra, a strategic investor in Satyam, C P Gurnani said, “We are still evaluating options. But as of now, we are not interested as there is still no information on the finances of the company (Satyam). Nor is there enough understanding on its customers. Rather there has been some attrition in the number of clients as well as employees.” Satyam board member Tarun Das had recently said that six-seven companies — both Indian and global IT, manufacturing and PE firms — had approached the firm for a complete buyout. The company’s legal advisor, Amarcha
