Big bets, big risks for Tata Steel

Increasing burden Tata Steel may see a sharp increase in its debt with the projected capex putting strain on its finances.

- Ashish Agrawal [e-mail]

Shares of Tata Steel Ltd have gained about 6% over the past three trading days after its board approved a slew of projects, along with an acquisition and a memorandum of understanding (MoU).

Together, these initiatives aim to enhance scale, expand the product portfolio, strengthen backward and forward integration and reduce the company’s carbon footprint.

Among the largest is a 4.8 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) expansion project at Neelachal Ispat Nigam Ltd, which has a 1 mtpa capacity. The expansion will allow Tata Steel to significantly scale up its long products portfolio, primarily catering to the retail construction sector, a higher-margin and high-growth segment.