Infosys Buyback Opens Today: Check Eligibility, Tax Rules, Analysts' Take Before Tendering Shares

Infosys Buyback Opens Today: Check Eligibility, Tax Rules, Analysts' Take Before Tendering Shares

Infosys Buyback Open Now: Infosys has opened the window for its largest-ever share buyback — a Rs 18,000 crore programme via the tender-offer route at a fixed price of Rs 1,800 per share. For many investors, the premium over the current market price appears attractive.

Small shareholders can tender 2 shares for every 11 held as of the November 14 record date, while general-category shareholders can tender 17 shares for every 706 held. Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Limited is managing the buyback, and KFin Technologies Limited is acting as registrar.

Infosys said the buyback aligns with its medium-term operational and strategic cash needs and ensures efficient return of surplus cash to shareholders in line with its capital allocation policy.

Infosys aims to steadily increase its annual dividend per share (excluding special dividends). It believes the buyback will enhance long-term shareholder value by reducing the equity base.

Notably, the promoters — including Nandan M. Nilekani and Sudha Murty — will not participate in the buyback. The promoter and promoter group collectively hold 13.05% of Infosys' equity as of the announcement date.

Only shareholders who held Infosys shares on the November 14, 2025 record date qualify for the buyback. If you bought shares after this date, you cannot participate.

Infosys is buying back only 2.4% of its equity, so acceptance ratios—especially for larger holdings—may be modest. While the offer price of Rs 1,800 carries a sizable premium, the real benefit depends on post-tax proceeds.

Buyback proceeds are now treated as “income from other sources" and taxed at your income-tax slab rate, not under capital gains.

If you fall in the 30% bracket, the tax outgo can significantly reduce — or even eliminate — the premium.

Importantly, the entire buyback amount is taxable, not just the profit component.

Previously, the company paid a 20% buyback tax and the income was tax-exempt for investors — but this benefit has been removed.

If you sell your shares through the exchange instead:

Depending on your tax bracket, selling in the open market could be more efficient.

Tendering shares may be tax-efficient if your total taxable income, including buyback proceeds, stays within rebate thresholds:

Under the old regime, tax efficiency improves further if you have capital gains to set off against capital losses triggered by the buyback.

Under the new rules, the cost of your shares cannot be deducted from buyback income. Instead, it becomes a capital loss:

Unadjusted losses can be carried forward for 8 years, provided the tax return is filed on time.

Infosys will deduct 10% TDS on buyback proceeds exceeding Rs 1,000.

Those in lower tax slabs may eventually receive refunds, but TDS will impact short-term liquidity.

Promoters opting out slightly improves acceptance ratios for public shareholders. However, since the overall buyback size is small, full acceptance is unlikely for many investors.

A concern among long-term shareholders is the lack of grandfathering under the amended tax rules.

If the value of your shareholding was Rs 2 lakh or less on the record date, you fall under the small shareholder category. This category receives a higher reserved quota, which typically improves acceptance chances.

When Infosys announced its buyback, IT sector analysts viewed it as a strong signal of management's confidence in the company's long-term outlook. Despite a challenging year marked by valuation worries and muted demand, Infosys' large cash reserves have enabled it to reward shareholders—suggesting that the current valuation remains compelling.

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Over the past year, the company has faced softer discretionary tech spending, regulatory uncertainty in the US, and an industry-wide shift toward AI-driven transformation. These factors have dampened sentiment and contributed to fluctuations in the stock.

Even so, analysts maintain that Infosys' fundamentals remain solid, supported by a healthy deal pipeline, strong cash flows, and a proven global delivery model. The buyback underscores management's belief that the company is positioned for a recovery as technology spending stabilises and AI-led demand gathers momentum.

Source: News18
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