BAT looks to sell between 7-15.3% stake in ITC Hotels

Core Viewpoint - British American Tobacco (BAT) is planning to sell between 7% and 15.3% of its stake in ITC Hotels through an accelerated bookbuild process to optimize pricing outcomes [1][2]. Group 1: Stake Sale Details - BAT intends to divest its stake in ITC Hotels, which is currently 15.28%, to investors, subject to customary closing conditions [2][3]. - The proceeds from the sale will be utilized to achieve a target leverage corridor of 2-2.5x adjusted net debt to adjusted EBITDA by the end of 2026 [3][6]. Group 2: Strategic Rationale - The direct shareholding in ITC Hotels is not considered a strategic holding for BAT, as stated by the CEO, Tadeu Marroco [4][6]. - BAT has previously indicated that it has no interest in being a long-term shareholder of a hotel chain in India, emphasizing the need to maximize shareholder value at the right moment [5][6]. Group 3: ITC Hotels Overview - ITC Hotels operates over 200 hotels, with 146 currently operational and 61 in the pipeline, under six brands: ITC Hotels, Mementos, Welcomhotel, Storii, Fortune, and WelcomHeritage [7].