NSE shareholder count crosses 100,000 mark; stock rallies over 30% in a year in unlisted market

NSE share price: India's biggest stock exchange, the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), has now become the largest unlisted company in the country in terms of the number of shareholders.

According to media reports, the number of shareholders of NSE has crossed the 1,00,000 mark, further expanding the investor base. The flurry of activity in unlisted NSE shares has come after the stock exchange expedited the process of transferring shares between counterparties on March 24.

From three to four months earlier, the share transfer process has been slashed to just one day, driving the shareholder count, explained Umesh Paliwal, of Unlisted Zone, who deals in unlisted shares. He added that while demand for NSE shares was always present, the waiting period acted as a deterrent for some investors. 

Spur in activity

In less than a month, the investor base grew nearly threefold, from 22,400 shareholders in late March to around 60,000 as of April 11, according to an earlier Mint report. And now it has swelled by another 67% in almost one month.

Though Sebi's circular last October was about easing share transfers for unlisted MIIs, NSE said it applied to its own share transfer on 21 March, after Tuhin Kanta Pandey took charge as Sebi chairman from Madhabi Puri Buch on 1 March, the Mint report said.

NSE Q4 Results

NSE, earlier in May, reported a 7% increase in its consolidated profit after tax to ₹2,650 crore for the quarter ended in March 2025 compared to ₹2,488 crore in the same quarter of the previous fiscal.

The total income stood at ₹4,397 crore for the quarter under review, a decline of 13% from ₹5,080 crore in the March quarter of FY24, NSE said in a statement.

The board of directors of NSE recommended a final dividend of ₹35 per equity share for the year ended March 31, 2025. This includes a special one-time dividend of ₹11.46 per equity share.

For the financial year ended March 31, 2025, the exchange posted a net profit of ₹12,188 crore, a jump of 47% year-on-year basis. Consolidated total income increased by 17% to ₹19,177 crore.

NSE Share Price Trend

Meanwhile, in the last one year, unlisted shares have seen a meaningful rally in the unlisted market amid strong demand on hopes of a possible Dalal Street listing. 

“The unlisted NSE shares have experienced strong appreciation in value driven by healthy financial performance, along with investor-friendly corporate actions like bonus shares and healthy dividend announcements. Despite market volatility and loss of future segment market share to BSE in future segments, prices remain growing deal by deal due to high demand. As per the deal sheet price action, it went as high as ₹1700/- per share and as low as ₹1560/- in the last 5-6 months,” said a Mumbai-based leading broking house dealing in the unlisted space.

According to data available on Unlisted Zone's website, NSE shares have delivered a return of nearly 35% to investors, with the NSE share price trading at ₹1,650.

NSE Shares: Time to Buy?

The Mumbai-based analyst said NSE, being the undoubted leader in the option trading segment, has also witnessed a dramatic fall in options volumes because of strict rules by the market regulator, which has been a concern for valuations going forward. Hence, prices have been muted in the last three months, he explained.

“We continue to see very high demand from high-net-worth individuals and retail investors, due to the limited supply of shares in the unlisted market. An IPO debut in this financial year is also helping the price to sustain itself. NSE reported strong financial performance, along with a healthy ₹35 per share dividend is fueling more demand in the unlisted space,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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