Originally posted by kanagala Sir, 200 million might not be the unique number of people. Considering 1000 million population, do you think one in every 5 persons visits Future group.

People visiting is not a problem for aam admi bazaar...The problem is convincing one is every 4 to take the card. Unless the card offers some real short term value (customers are like traders, who are shortsighted!). But I sure biyani will tie the right values to the card. Initial addiction is all what Credit Card companies are looking for, latter on the customer runs the business for them!

source:ET

   THE George Soros-promoted Quantum Fund has picked up an undisclosed stake in Future Capital Holdings (FCH), it is reliably learnt. Och-Ziff Capital, one of the largest hedge funds in the world, has sold a part of its 10% stake in FCH to Quantum, sources said. The fund is believed to have valued FCH at $1 billion. FCH is co-promoted by Kishore Biyani’s Future Group and Sameer Sain, former MD at Goldman Sachs. Pantaloon Retail has a 61% stake in FCH. Sameer Sain, CEO and MD of FCH, declined to comment.
   The move is part of Soros’ investment strategy to pick up stakes in the booming Indian real estate, retail and financial services sectors. Quantum currently holds a stake in Reliance Capital. FCH has also received RBI clearance to launch its credit card in partnership with ICICI. The card combines credit and loyalty programmes of all Future Group formats, sources said.
   FCH has filed its DRHP with SEBI and is expected to launch its IPO within a few weeks. The move is a bid by Future Capital to raise money for expanding its chain of consumer finance outlets, unlock shareholder value and incentivise its talent through stock options. FCH’s private equity fund Indivision owns stakes in well-known companies such as Sula, VLCC, Billimoria, Global Hospitals and Lilliput. Its real estate funds Ksh*tij and Horizon develop retail-led real estate around the country. In addition, it also has hotels and logistics divisions. FCH has also launched a financial supermarket concept called Future Money and has opened 80 outlets in the last four months. Roopa Purushothaman, who authored Goldman Sachs’ famous BRICS report heads FCH’s research effort.

Future Money to tap mass end


   FUTURE Money is broadly based on a Latin American model to tap the middle and mass end of the consumption market with a retail credit plan that will cover every aspect of consumer finance from credit cards, auto and consumer durable finance, mutual funds, insurance, money transfer, financial planning, microfinance and mortgages. FCH is also considering plans to set up an investment company on the lines of Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway.
   The financial services segment in India is growing at over 25% and has caught the attention of several international investors. Quantum Fund was set up by George Soros and Jim Rogers in 1970. In July 2000, Soros merged his flagship Quantum Fund with the Quantum Emerging Growth Fund to form the Quantum Endowment Fund. The Quantum Fund is generally recognised as one of the most successful investment funds ever, returning an average 31% annually throughout its more than 30-year history.

When I started this thread, i had deliberately not put a ? mark after the Title "Can it become as big as Retail"

We should probably stop calling Pantaloon a 'retail' stock. In the next few years, it will be as diversified as the Sensex!