rewrite this title and make it good for SEOCoal India arm CMPDI IPO opens for subscription. Check brokerages review, GMP and other details

Coal India arm Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Ltd (CMPDI) will open its IPO for subscription on March 20, with GMP (grey market premium) indicating a modest listing premium of around 2%, pointing to a steady but not euphoric debut. The IPO, priced in the band of Rs 163-172 per share, is entirely an offer for sale (OFS) of Rs 1,842 crore, meaning the company will not receive any proceeds from the issue.

The issue will close on March 24, with listing scheduled for March 30 on the BSE and NSE.

About the company

CMPDI is a leading mining consultancy firm offering end-to-end services across coal and mineral exploration, mine planning, environmental management and geomatics. The company holds a dominant ~61% market share in India’s coal and mineral consultancy segment and is a key partner to Coal India.Financially, the company has shown strong growth, with revenue rising to Rs 2,178 crore in FY25 and net profit at Rs 667 crore, supported by high EBITDA margins of over 42%.

At the upper price band, the IPO is valued at around 18-21x earnings, which analysts see as reasonable given its profitability profile and asset-light model.However, the business remains heavily dependent on Coal India and the broader coal ecosystem, which introduces concentration and sectoral risks.

GMP signals

The GMP for the IPO is hovering around 2%, suggesting a limited listing upside. Analysts said the muted premium reflects a balanced risk-reward profile, where strong financials are offset by structural dependence on a single client and the long-term shift toward renewable energy.

Should you subscribe?

Brokerage views remain mixed, with a tilt towards selective participation. Arihant Capital has assigned a “Neutral” rating, noting that while CMPDI benefits from a capital-light model and strong margins, its growth outlook is constrained by high dependence on Coal India and long-term energy transition risks.

Swastika Investmart, on the other hand, has recommended “Subscribe” from a short-to medium-term perspective, citing discounted valuation, consistent earnings growth and a debt-free balance sheet, though it flagged concerns around the 100% OFS structure and client concentration.

Overall, the IPO presents a mix of stable cash flows and sector-linked risks. While the modest GMP suggests a controlled listing, institutional interest and earnings visibility could support the stock in the near term.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)