National Stock Exchange or the NSE, India’s most valuable unlisted company, also ranks as the world’s fifth largest stock exchange with a market capitalization of Rs 4.7 lakh crore! In the unlisted market, NSE shares command significant interest, trading at approximately Rs 2,200 per share, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 44x. The exchange’s financial performance for FY25 showed revenue growth of 4%, reaching Rs 17,140 crore, whilst net profits saw a substantial increase of 47%, totalling Rs 12,187 crore.In fiscal year 2025, NSE’s cash segment achieved a turnover of Rs 281 lakh crore, whilst BSE registered Rs 19 lakh crore. Both exchanges demonstrated consistent growth, with their cash turnover increasing by 25% annually across the previous five-year period, highlighting the robust performance of Indian stock exchanges.Sample this, in the last year, NSE achieved net earnings of $1.35 billion, surpassing both NASDAQ’s $1.11 billion and the London Stock Exchange’s $1.15 billion in reported profits.
NSE’s Global positioning
Experts believe that stock exchanges present themselves as valuable investment opportunities, characterised by initial capital investments followed by consistent revenue growth that typically correlates with economic expansion.In fact, NSE has achieved a valuation of $58 billion (Rs 5 lakh crore) in private markets, whilst speculation increases regarding a possible listing of India’s premier equity-derivatives exchange, according to a Bloomberg report.Institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals have been actively acquiring unlisted shares, anticipating a potential initial public offering within the current year.NSE continues to dominate both equity and derivative markets, boasting a substantial base of 113 million registered investors across diverse geographical locations. The exchange commands an impressive 87.4% share in the equity options market.
In a significant development, NSE has reached a remarkable milestone by exceeding 100,000 shareholders, positioning itself as the unlisted company with the widest ownership base in India. This accomplishment stands out particularly because numerous listed companies in the country have yet to achieve such broad shareholder participation. Additionally, NSE has maintained a consistent track record of dividend distribution.Recently, Ashish Kumar Chauhan, the managing director and CEO of NSE, highlighted the remarkable growth in India’s investor base. He noted that whilst India had fewer than 10 lakh investors in 1994, the current figure stands at 11 crore investors, spanning from Ladakh to Andamans and Nicobar, and from Arunachal Pradesh to Dibrugarh, Jorhat, and Dwarka.He further emphasised that investors are present across India, with only 28 Pin Codes out of 19400 lacking investor representation. The NSE’s foundation rests upon India’s entrepreneurs, with women comprising 25% of investors. Significantly, one in every five households (11 Cr people) now participates in NSE investments.He emphasised that entrepreneurs, businessmen and industrialists seeking growth opportunities can approach NSE to discover potential partners amongst companies of varying sizes. He noted that over the past decade, 600 firms that secured capital have successfully transitioned to the main board. ‘These companies have earned the trust of investors. Indians are very hardworking and the world is taking note of that’ he said.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market and other asset classes given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)
