Is Vahanna Tech Edge IPO (VHNAU) Stock a Good Buy? • Benzinga

Throughout the centuries, one ancient philosophy and its derivatives have driven geopolitical frameworks and relations: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Though modern societies are far removed from the time this proverb first crystallized as a cohesive strategy, it nevertheless resonates even under today’s headlines. Most notably, U.S. administrations have encountered significant challenges navigating the benefits and clear setbacks of globalization.

On one end of the scale, globalization facilitated a fresh renaissance of free-market capitalism. Cynically, the producers of goods and services saw their supply of inexpensive labor dwindle, posing profitability concerns. However, outsourcing to lower labor-cost markets temporarily resolved this issue. Unfortunately, such bottom-line strategies also strengthened nations that have now emerged as true global powerhouses and thus competitors to American influence.

As a counterweight, U.S. foreign policies adopted a multi-tiered approach, bolstering domestic infrastructures while also boosting relations with countries featuring a natural alignment of interests and incentives. Currently, India — the other juggernaut of the Asian continent — offers a critical geopolitical ballast, directly mitigating China’s influence in the eastern hemisphere.

Intriguingly, retail investors have an opportunity to not only read the headlines but profit from them through the India-focused initial public offering (IPO) of Vahanna Tech Edge Acquisition I Corp.

When Is the Vahanna Tech Edge IPO Date?

One of the biggest and by default most anticipated public market debuts for the week of the Thanksgiving holiday, Vahanna Tech Edge Acquisition will solidify its place on the IPO calendar on Nov. 23. Shares will trade on the Nasdaq exchange under the ticker symbol VHNAU.

Several hours before launching, Vahanna released a statement announcing the pricing of its deal, which involves the distribution of 17.4 million shares at an initial offering price of $10. Per the corporate release, each “unit consists of one share of Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant, with each whole warrant exercisable to purchase one share of Class A ordinary shares at a price of $11.50 per share.”

Its name being a dead giveaway, Vahanna Tech Edge is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). Structured as a blank-check firm, the entity has no operations. Instead, a SPAC exists to initiate its own IPO, thus becoming a public corporation. From there, it seeks one or sometimes several private enterprises to merge with. Once the business combination completes, the SPAC assumes the identity of the merger target while the latter goes public by default.

Often, you’ll hear journalists refer to SPAC-based IPOs as reverse mergers. That’s because a private enterprise can list its equity shares on an exchange like the Nasdaq or New York Stock Exchange through the backdoor. Per analysis from KPMG Advisory, one of the reasons why private companies prefer going public via business combinations is speed. Typically, a SPAC merger takes months as opposed to years for a traditional IPO.

Logically, a company entering through the front door must undergo an extensive vetting process, which the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) mandates. However, reverse mergers are much less onerous, enabling retail investors a plethora of opportunities like VHNAU stock.

Still, you must always remember that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, especially on Wall Street. In particular, regulatory experts advise investors to approach SPACs with great caution. Speed to market may gloss over critical matters of due diligence. Indeed, The New York Times cites a failure of research and oversight as contributors to one of the SPAC platform’s most painful implosions, Lordstown Motors Corp. (NASDAQ: RIDE).

It cannot be stressed enough. With VHNAU stock (or any IPO), you must perform your due diligence.

Vahanna Tech Edge Financial History

As a shell company, Vahanna Tech Edge is in many ways a blind investment. Basically, the firm has no financial history other than its $174 million gross raise before taking into account costs associated with the IPO. Nevertheless, Vahanna’s prospectus filed with the SEC provides some clues for prospective buyers to consider.

First, while SPACs can merge with any company they see fit, Vahanna intends to focus its “efforts on companies with a strong connection to India and catering to large addressable market opportunities in India or other developed geographies such as Americas and Europe.”

Second, management is targeting an enterprise within the broad technology sector, mentioning subsegments like information technology (IT) services, business process management (BPM), engineering research and development and e-commerce, among others. Further, Vahanna has narrowed its fiscal preferences with an enterprise value ranging from $750 million to over $1.0 billion.

Third, the prospectus revealed the framework for a potential business combination: “India has emerged as the destination for global technology solutions driven by an expanding talent base, unique digital infrastructure, burgeoning middle class, strong policy support and proximity to underpenetrated markets. The technology sector (including e-commerce) contributed to approximately 8% of India’s estimated GDP of approximately $2.8 trillion and accounted for more than 50% of services exports from India for the year ended March 31, 2021.”

To clarify, the above metrics are not empty marketing overtures but represent trustworthy information that institutions like the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) corroborate. Moreover, the IBEF cites other information that supports the bullish narrative for VHNAU stock, including India’s robust publicly traded tech market.

Notably, IT consulting and business process service specialist Wipro (NYSE: WIT) announced in July 2021 plans to invest $1 billion over the next 3 years to expand its cloud technology capabilities. Further, multinational companies like SAP (NYSE: SAP) and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) have teamed up to promote tech-based training for young women hailing from underprivileged regions.

Therefore, VHNAU stock doesn’t just tap into the sheer fiscal scope of India’s tech market. Rather, the country itself is undergoing holistic social changes that promote equity and inclusivity, issues that resonate with American investors.

Vahanna Tech Edge Potential

According to information from accounting firm PwC, the U.S. in 2016 ranked second in terms of GDP based on purchasing power parity (PPP), with India coming in third place and China topping the chart. According to leading economists, by 2050, China will still have a firm grip on pole position. However, India will swing past the U.S., which has significant potential implications for VHNAU stock and similarly geographically positioned investments.

While it’s shocking to see the U.S. possibly lose its share of economic influence, this dynamic reflects a simple math problem. Basically, China and India each have populations that exceed a billion people. With the latter investing more of its resources in women and underprivileged communities, a greater proportion of that population base can advantage the nation’s technology renaissance.

At the same time, investors will want to be careful about lending too much credibility to global economic predictions. In prior years, experts have ended up exaggerating the forecasted prowess of emerging nations. Also, while India may be a counterweight for U.S. foreign policy, its own conflict with China could send unexpected shockwaves to the market.

How to Buy Vahanna Tech Edge IPO (VHNAU) Stock

As Vahanna is on the cusp of its IPO, interested participants must acquire shares at the open, which is easy enough if you know how to buy stocks. If not, just follow the simple steps below.

Step 1: Pick a brokerage.

Thanks to a healthy mix of competition and technology, most investing institutions feature similar financial incentives. Similarities in pricing allow you to narrow your list of best brokers to platforms that provide attributes you care most about.

Step 2: Decide how many shares you want.

Because of the unknown, IPOs are much riskier than stocks with an established track record. To mitigate downside, choose a balanced share count.

Step 3: Choose your order type.

Before trading, understand these market concepts.

• Bid: The buyer’s best offer for a stock.
• Ask: The seller’s lowest acceptable price.
• Spread: The difference between the bid-ask price, the spread indicates market risk as this is also the profit margin for market makers.
• Limit order: Buy or sell requests at a predetermined price, limit orders provide transparency but no execution guarantees.
• Market order: Market orders guarantee fulfillment but only at the current rate.
• Stop-loss order: Stop-loss orders automatically exit your position at either a predetermined price or anything lower.
• Stop-limit order: Stop-limit orders only leave positions at a specified price, but they also carry non-fulfillment risks.

Step 4: Execute your trade.

Follow these steps to execute a market order:

1. Select your action type (buy or sell).
2. Enter the shares you want to acquire (or sell).
3. Hit the Buy (or Sell) button.

Follow the same sequence for limit orders (but include your execution price).

VHNAU Restrictions for Retail Investors

Review the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) rules on restricted persons before participating in an IPO. Don’t invest in companies in which you have privileged information to avoid scrutiny from regulators.

VHNAU Pre-IPO

While you cannot acquire VHNAU at its initial offering (pre-IPO) price, platforms like SoFi Invest allow you to apply for select opportunities before they open. Better yet, SoFi members with an active investing account can participate with no minimums.

A Geopolitically Relevant SPAC

While a SPAC is inherently risky due to its relative lack of disclosures, Vahanna Tech Edge intrigues because of its long-term relevance. Focused on a tech-based merger with an India-connected enterprise, the underlying market is robust in its own right. Mix in the China ballast argument, and you have an enticing (albeit risky) narrative for VHNAU stock.