Reduction of share capital simply means a reduction of issued, subscribed, and paid-up share capital of the company. A company can reduce its share capital, by making payments to shareholders at the Fair Value of Companies shares. Capital reductions of Shares are mostly done through share cancellations, paid-back capital, or share repurchases (buybacks and exit offers). Reduction of share capital is used to make the capital structure more efficient & easier. The capital reduction can be used to distribute surplus cash, reserves & dividends to shareholders. A company must comply with rules & regulations and must obtain Regulator's & Legal authority’s approvals, before reducing share capital.
Many Unlisted and Delisted companies opted for a reduction of share capital in India. Details of some companies where shares of Minority shareholders were canceled or reduced are as under.