Infosys ₹18,000-crore Buyback: Promoters Narayana Murthy, Sudha Murty, Nandan Nilekani Opt Out

Infosys, one of India’s leading IT firms, announced a ₹18,000 crore share buyback, marking its largest to date. However, founders and key promoters, including N R Narayana Murthy, Sudha Murty and Nandan Nilekani, have decided to opt out of participating in this offer.

Promoter Group Declines Participation in ₹18,000 Crore Buyback

Infosys confirmed on October 22, 2025, that its promoter and promoter group would not take part in the tender offer-based share buyback. This includes notable names like Narayana Murthy, Sudha Murty, Nandan Nilekani, and their families. Their decision was communicated through formal letters dated between September 14, 2025 and September 19, 2025.

Promoters Hold 13.05% Stake in Infosys

The total holding of promoters and the promoter group as of now stands at 13.05% of Infosys’ equity. This comprises several founding members and their families, including the Murthy, Nilekani, Gopalakrishnan, Dinesh and Shibulal families. The number of shares held collectively amounts to 54,20,29,249.

Key Shareholders from the Promoter Family

Among the top shareholders in the promoter group, Sudha Gopalakrishnan holds 9,53,57,000 shares (2.3%), Rohan Murty 6,08,12,892 (1.46%), and Nandan Nilekani 4,07,83,162 (0.98%). Narayana Murthy holds 1,51,45,638 shares (0.36%).

Read More:Infosys Declares ₹23 Interim Dividend; Sets Record Date For October 27!

Buyback Details and Shareholder Participation

The ₹18,000 crore buyback, executed through the tender offer route, is set at a buyback price of ₹1,800 per share. Infosys plans to repurchase 10,00,00,000 equity shares, which account for 2.41% of the total paid-up equity share capital as of June 30, 2025. The acceptance ratio for participating public shareholders may remain relatively low due to anticipated oversubscription.

Previous Buyback History of Infosys

This is Infosys’ fifth share buyback. The first occurred in 2017 for ₹13,000 crore at ₹1,150 per share. Buybacks in 2019, 2021 and 2022 followed, valued at ₹8,260 crore, ₹9,200 crore and ₹9,300 crore respectively, each progressively contributing to earnings per share enhancement and improved capital return for shareholders.

Infosys Financial Highlights and Rationale

For FY2025, Infosys reported strong financial performance with consolidated revenue of ₹1,62,990 crore and profit after tax (PAT) of ₹26,750 crore. On a standalone basis, the company recorded revenue of ₹1,36,592 crore and PAT of ₹25,568 crore. 

Infosys has no outstanding debt and holds equity capital of ₹2,077 crore with free reserves of ₹71,965 crore as of June 30, 2025. The buyback, capped at 25% of total paid-up capital and free reserves of ₹74,042 crore, seeks to improve return on equity and provide an efficient means of returning surplus cash to shareholders.

Infosys Limited Share Price Performance

On October 23, 2025, Infosys share price opened at ₹1,510.00 on NSE, above the previous close of ₹1,472.40. During the day, it surged to ₹1,519.10 and dipped to ₹1,506.00. The stock is trading at ₹1,517.40 as of 9:34 AM. The stock registered a significant gain of 3.06%.

Over the past week, it has moved up by 3.12%, over the past month, it has moved up by 1.33%, and over the past 3 months, it has declined by 3.63%.

Conclusion

The decision by Infosys promoters, including pioneering founders, to abstain from participating in the ₹18,000 crore share buyback signals a continued long-term commitment to the company. While this buyback may affect the shareholding distribution, it also paves the way for broader public participation.

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