Last Updated on June 3, 2022 at 11:11 pm
On 17th Jan 2020, Franklin AMC announced a 100% markdown of Vodafone Idea bonds. As a result, the 16th Jan NAV of their debt funds holding these bond fell by 4-7%. Many investors are angry about this development and SEBI is said to be probing this action. Did Franklin AMC do the right thing or should they have wait for the bond to actually default? A look at both side of the picture.
Before we begin, you can now watch for free the first lecture of the goal-based portfolio management lecture series. The contents of the course and FAQ can also be found there.
Update Jan 24th 2020: Crisil has now rated Voda Idea bonds BB. This is now below investment grade. It will be interesting to see how AMCs react to this. It should be noted that Franklin has not fully written down the bonds. The future payments have not been included in the write-off. We shall update this article with relevant developments.
Join over 32,000 readers and get free money management solutions delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to get posts via email! 🔥Enjoy massive discounts on our robo-advisory tool & courses! 🔥
Update Jan 25th 2020: Franklin has now announced segregated portfolios in Franklin India Low Duration Fund, Franklin India Dynamic Accrual Fund, Franklin India Credit Risk Fund, Franklin India Short Term Income Plan, Franklin India Ultra Short Bond Fund and Franklin India Income Opportunities Fund.
Why did Franklin AMC write down Vodafone Idea bonds by 100%? When the Supreme Court refused relief to telecom companies in paying dues to the GOI, it became clear that Vodafone would be under severe financial stress and the possibility of default seems imminent. Franklin AMC proactively devalued the bonds themselves without actually waiting for a delay in interest payment or the rating agencies to mark them as “default” or “non-investment grade”.
Did Franklin AMC break any SEBI rules in doing so? The 8th schedule of SEBI Mutual Fund 1996 rules (page 90) set the framework for valuation of securities by AMCs. This states:
The responsibility of true and fairness of valuation and correct NAV shall be of
the asset management company, irrespective of disclosure of the approved
valuation policies and procedures i.e. if the established policies and procedures of
valuation do not result in fair/ appropriate valuation, the asset management
company shall deviate from the established policies and procedures in order to
value the assets/ securities at fair value:
Provided that any deviation from the disclosed valuation policy and
procedures may be allowed with appropriate reporting to Board of Trustees and
the Board of the asset management company and appropriate disclosures to
investors
In other words, an AMC has the right to deviate from using the market value of securities, provide justification is provided to the trustees and disclosures made to investors. This is a prior example in the case of stocks: Is PPFAS right to value Noida Toll Bridge lower than market price?
So, Franklin was well within their rights to markdown the bonds and SEBI’s probe should not do much.
However, this does bring to the for some technical issues. If an AMC is free to mark down a tradeable security as zero due to special circumstances, there is no requirement from their side to mark it back up if the situation normalises.
While rest-assured Franklin will mark it up once Voda can pay, to stay in business, the rules on special situation valuation requires a re-look and it is possible SEBI may refine these rules. It is notable that only Franklin has devalued the bonds 100% while other AMCs like Nippon, UTI and Birla have opted for a partial write-down.
Franklin may not have broken any laws, but did they do the right thing?
This was a special situation where in spite of the negative development, the bond remained “investment grade”. Franklin’s actions can be argued both ways.
Yes, it was the right move: After the supreme court judgement, mass redemptions could have hurt the existing investors. It is important to remember that Franklin holds other low-quality paper and selling these to meet redemption requirements could have resulted in more trouble. By down writing the bonds, Franklin has protected their interests and investor interests.
We always crib about mutual funds not looking beyond credit ratings and how “big investors” tend to escape before a credit event. In this case, all investors faced the blow.
No, it was the wrong move: Why create a side-pocket option first and then not use it? However remote, there was a non-zero possibility of Voda Idea avoid default and Franklin should have waited and created a side-pocket in the event of default. This will ensure new investors cannot benefit from the default.
Now, in principle, a new investor can benefit if Voda Idea pays up. They have limited the investment to Rs. 2 lakh a day but this could have been avoided with a default.
Bottom line: Since this was a speculative move, the argument is never-ending. Those who argue in favour a side-pocket assume they would not lose anything if Voda Idea pays up and the portfolio segregation is removed. However, due to the time value of money, returns would go down. See for example: Delay in EPF interest payment: Is there a loss to subscribers?
Opinion: In my view, Franklin has handled this badly. If they had not made the side-pocket provision and written it down, public opinion could have been less harsh. To be frank, I expected Franklin to buy the Voda Idea papers themselves as they did in the case of Jindal Steel. Although this option is still available with them (and other AMCs), it was perhaps wishful thinking.
At the same time, considering the credit quality of the affected fund portfolios, waiting for credit agencies to declare a default rating could have affected investors even more in case the big investors redeemed. Therefore painful as it is, I think it is the right move.
Plumbline Status: This is freefincal’s list of hand-picked mutual funds This contains two funds of Franklin affected by Voda idea. Readers have generally responded to this development well by pointing out that the risk has been mentioned loudly enough in the recommendations. Thank you for your support. The funds shall continue to be part of plumbline. However, I shall no longer expect Franklin to bail out investors in the case of credit events.
What is your view? Please comment below. Was Franklin AMC right?
🔥Enjoy massive discounts on our courses, robo-advisory tool and exclusive investor circle! 🔥& join our community of 5000+ users!
Use our Robo-advisory Tool for a start-to-finish financial plan! ⇐ More than 1,000 investors and advisors use this!
New Tool! => Track your mutual funds and stock investments with this Google Sheet!
We also publish monthly equity mutual funds, debt and hybrid mutual funds, index funds and ETF screeners and momentum, low-volatility stock screeners.
Podcast: Let's Get RICH With PATTU! Every single Indian CAN grow their wealth! You can watch podcast episodes on the OfSpin Media Friends YouTube Channel. 🔥Now Watch Let's Get Rich With Pattu தமிழில் (in Tamil)! 🔥
- Do you have a comment about the above article? Reach out to us on Twitter: @freefincal or @pattufreefincal
- Have a question? Subscribe to our newsletter using the form below.
- Hit 'reply' to any email from us! We do not offer personalized investment advice. We can write a detailed article without mentioning your name if you have a generic question.
Join over 32,000 readers and get free money management solutions delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to get posts via email!
About The Author
Dr M. Pattabiraman(PhD) is the founder, managing editor and primary author of freefincal. He is an associate professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. He has over ten years of experience publishing news analysis, research and financial product development. Connect with him via Twitter(X), Linkedin, or YouTube. Pattabiraman has co-authored three print books: (1) You can be rich too with goal-based investing (CNBC TV18) for DIY investors. (2) Gamechanger for young earners. (3) Chinchu Gets a Superpower! for kids. He has also written seven other free e-books on various money management topics. He is a patron and co-founder of “Fee-only India,” an organisation promoting unbiased, commission-free investment advice.Our flagship course! Learn to manage your portfolio like a pro to achieve your goals regardless of market conditions! ⇐ More than 3,000 investors and advisors are part of our exclusive community! Get clarity on how to plan for your goals and achieve the necessary corpus no matter the market condition is!! Watch the first lecture for free! One-time payment! No recurring fees! Life-long access to videos! Reduce fear, uncertainty and doubt while investing! Learn how to plan for your goals before and after retirement with confidence.
Our new course! Increase your income by getting people to pay for your skills! ⇐ More than 700 salaried employees, entrepreneurs and financial advisors are part of our exclusive community! Learn how to get people to pay for your skills! Whether you are a professional or small business owner who wants more clients via online visibility or a salaried person wanting a side income or passive income, we will show you how to achieve this by showcasing your skills and building a community that trusts and pays you! (watch 1st lecture for free). One-time payment! No recurring fees! Life-long access to videos!
Our new book for kids: “Chinchu Gets a Superpower!” is now available! Most investor problems can be traced to a lack of informed decision-making. We made bad decisions and money mistakes when we started earning and spent years undoing these mistakes. Why should our children go through the same pain? What is this book about? As parents, what would it be if we had to groom one ability in our children that is key not only to money management and investing but to any aspect of life? My answer: Sound Decision Making. So, in this book, we meet Chinchu, who is about to turn 10. What he wants for his birthday and how his parents plan for it, as well as teaching him several key ideas of decision-making and money management, is the narrative. What readers say!
Must-read book even for adults! This is something that every parent should teach their kids right from their young age. The importance of money management and decision making based on their wants and needs. Very nicely written in simple terms. - Arun.Buy the book: Chinchu gets a superpower for your child!
How to profit from content writing: Our new ebook is for those interested in getting side income via content writing. It is available at a 50% discount for Rs. 500 only!
Do you want to check if the market is overvalued or undervalued? Use our market valuation tool (it will work with any index!), or get the Tactical Buy/Sell timing tool!
We publish monthly mutual fund screeners and momentum, low-volatility stock screeners.
About freefincal & its content policy. Freefincal is a News Media Organization dedicated to providing original analysis, reports, reviews and insights on mutual funds, stocks, investing, retirement and personal finance developments. We do so without conflict of interest and bias. Follow us on Google News. Freefincal serves more than three million readers a year (5 million page views) with articles based only on factual information and detailed analysis by its authors. All statements made will be verified with credible and knowledgeable sources before publication. Freefincal does not publish paid articles, promotions, PR, satire or opinions without data. All opinions will be inferences backed by verifiable, reproducible evidence/data. Contact information: letters {at} freefincal {dot} com (sponsored posts or paid collaborations will not be entertained)
Connect with us on social media
- Twitter @freefincal
- Subscribe to our YouTube Videos
- Posts feed via Feedburner.
Our publications
You Can Be Rich Too with Goal-Based Investing
Published by CNBC TV18, this book is meant to help you ask the right questions and seek the correct answers, and since it comes with nine online calculators, you can also create custom solutions for your lifestyle! Get it now.Gamechanger: Forget Startups, Join Corporate & Still Live the Rich Life You Want This book is meant for young earners to get their basics right from day one! It will also help you travel to exotic places at a low cost! Get it or gift it to a young earner.
Your Ultimate Guide to Travel
This is an in-depth dive into vacation planning, finding cheap flights, budget accommodation, what to do when travelling, and how travelling slowly is better financially and psychologically, with links to the web pages and hand-holding at every step. Get the pdf for Rs 300 (instant download)