Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), one of India’s leading public sector shipyards, is back in the spotlight after the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) acquired a 3.27% stake in the company during the June 2025 quarter.
LIC’s fresh entry into MDL comes on the heels of the government reducing its stake in the company via an Offer for Sale (OFS), lowering its holding from 84.8% to 81.2%. The OFS created a window for large institutional investors like LIC to step in. The insurer’s presence is noteworthy as it signals confidence in MDL’s growth prospects, particularly as defence and naval projects take center stage in India’s self-reliance strategy.
Mutual funds and foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) also raised their holdings during the same period, with mutual funds increasing their stake from 1.34% to 1.55% and FPIs slightly upping their share from 2.26% to 2.49%. However, retail shareholding dipped marginally from 11.21% to 10.99%, despite the number of retail investors rising from 6.77 lakh to 7.20 lakh.
Headquartered in Mumbai, MDL has built over 805 vessels to date, including 30 warships and 8 submarines for both domestic and international clients. The shipyard specialises in constructing destroyers, stealth frigates, corvettes, missile boats, and conventional and stealth submarines for the Indian Navy. Beyond defence, MDL also manufactures cargo ships, ferries, dredgers, offshore platforms, and tugs, catering to the commercial and oil & gas sectors.
As of March 31, 2025, MDL boasts an order book worth ₹32,260 crore, primarily focused on naval and heavy engineering contracts.
In Q4 FY25, MDL posted revenues of ₹3,174 crore, a modest 2.26% increase from ₹3,104 crore in Q4 FY24. However, net profit dropped sharply by 50.98% to ₹325 crore from ₹663 crore a year ago.
Also Read: Mazagon Dock to Acquire 51% Stake in Colombo Dockyard for ₹452 Crore!
On July 22, 2025, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders share price (NSE: MAZDOCK) opened at ₹2,965.00, up from its previous close of ₹2,951.70. At 11:10 AM, the share price of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders was trading at ₹2,965.20, up by 0.46% on the NSE.
On July 22, 2025, LIC share price (NSE: LICI) opened at ₹929.10, up from its previous close of ₹928.15. At 11:11 AM, the share price of LIC was trading at ₹926.65, down by 0.16% on the NSE.
LIC’s fresh stake in Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders underscores the defence PSU’s strategic importance and growth potential. With a robust order book, diversified operations, and rising institutional interest, MDL remains a critical player in India’s naval and infrastructure build-out, despite short-term profit fluctuations.
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Published on: Jul 22, 2025, 12:43 PM IST
Nikitha Devi
Nikitha is a content creator with 7+ years of experience in the financial domain. Specialising in personal finance, investments, and market insights, Nikitha simplifies complex financial topics, making them accessible to readers.
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