Steps to take if you hold delisted shares in demat (2024)

The primary requisite to close a demat account is that the balance in the account should be nil. This means that you have to exit or transfer all the shares held in that account. Do check if you have shares of companies that are no longer listed in the market. The process to exit such shares is relatively easier in cases where companies delist from the stock exchanges voluntarily.

“If the company delists voluntarily, the account holder will get one year time to approach the RTA (Registered Transfer Agent) and tender the shares through an offline process. The company will have to honour the delisting price. If the company has been delisted for over a year, the shareholder can approach the company and enter into a private negotiation to sell the shares back to the promoters. This will be an off-market transaction and the price will be determined between the buyer and seller," said a spokesperson for ICICIdirect .

The account holder also has the option to re-materialise the shares by converting them from electronic to paper form. For this, they have to approach their DP (Depository Participant) with a re-materialisation request for each of the company they hold a share of. The ICICIdirect spokesperson said this is a long drawn process and can take about 4-6 weeks, depending on the company.

However, re-materialisation will not go through if the company doesn’t respond, which typically happens when the company is involuntarily delisted. In such cases, the customer can transfer the balance to a different demat account using a delivery instruction slip.

The same procedure is to be followed for listed shares with thin trading volumes, making it difficult for the investor to sell them. “The investor will have to keep trying online to sell them. Alternatively, they can gift those shares or transfer the balance to another demat account," said a Zerodha spokesperson.

There could also be instances where an investor holds shares of an entity which is not listed–in the form of ESOPs or by way of demerger from a listed entity. The investor can shed such shares only through off-market transactions. “Such investors can get in touch with specialized brokers who deal with unlisted shares," the ICICIdirect spokesperson said.

Once the balance is nil, the account holder can close the account online. “The customer has to visit DP office if they don’t have an Aadhaar-linked mobile to sign closure request, if it’s a joint demat account, or if account is a non-individual one," said the spokesperson for Zerodha.

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Steps to take if you hold delisted shares in demat (1)

Shipra Singh

Shipra covers tax, credit cards, banking and investments for the personal finance section of Mint. Her features and deep dives on money trends capture how people’s habits around saving, spending and wealth creation are evolving. Shipra hosts Friday episodes of the Why Not Mint Money podcast.

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Published: 19 Aug 2022, 12:13 AM IST

Steps to take if you hold delisted shares in demat (2024)

FAQs

Steps to take if you hold delisted shares in demat? ›

Transfer to Physical Form: You can convert your de-listed shares into physical certificates. Contact your Depository Participant (DP) for guidance on the process. Sell in the Over-the-Counter (OTC) Market: Check if there's an OTC market where de-listed shares are traded.

What can I do with delisted shares in demat account? ›

Though delisting does not affect your ownership, shares may not hold any value post-delisting. Thus, if any of the stocks that you own get delisted, it is better to sell your shares. You can either exit the market or sell it to the company when it announces buyback.

What to do in case of delisting of shares? ›

While delisting doesn't impact ownership, the shares may lose value post-delisting. If your stocks face delisting, consider selling them. Exit the market or sell during the company's buyback announcement.

What happens when you hold shares of a delisted company? ›

Investors holding shares after a delisting will only be able to sell them OTC. That generally means less liquidity, finding it harder to locate buyers at the price you want, and potentially being left in the dark about what the company is up to. Nasdaq. “Listing Center.”

How do you value delisted shares? ›

How Are Unlisted Stocks Valued?
  1. Book Value Approach. ...
  2. Method of Last Transaction Price. ...
  3. Discounted cash flow method or price to earnings ratio. ...
  4. Value of Net Assets (NAV) Including Goodwill. ...
  5. Value of Net Assets (NAV) Excluding Goodwill.

How can I transfer delisted shares from one Demat account to another? ›

Transfers shares from one demat to another - step by step process
  1. Step 1: Fill out the DIS (Delivery Instruction Slip) and give it to your broker.
  2. Step 2: The broker sends your request to the depository.
  3. Step 3: The Depository moves your shares to your new Demat account.

Can you hold delisted stock? ›

Once a stock is delisted, stockholders still own the stock. However, a delisted stock often experiences significant or total devaluation. Therefore, even though a stockholder may still technically own the stock, they will likely experience a significant reduction in ownership.

Do I lose my money if a stock is delisted? ›

You don't automatically lose money as an investor, but being delisted carries a stigma and is generally a sign that a company is bankrupt, near-bankrupt, or can't meet the exchange's minimum financial requirements for other reasons. Delisting also tends to prompt institutional investors to not continue to invest.

Can you relist after delisting? ›

Many companies can and have returned to compliance and relisted on a major exchange like the Nasdaq after delisting. To be relisted, a company has to meet all the same requirements it had to meet to be listed in the first place.

How are delisted shares taxed? ›

What are the tax implications on sale of shares before delisting? Any gain from sale of shares is called capital gain. In case of delisting of shares within a year of their purchase, a 15% short-term capital gains tax is applicable .

How to transfer delisted shares from Zerodha? ›

To close an account with delisted shares, they must be transferred to a different demat account using DIS or CDSL easiest if the ISIN is active. Delisted shares cannot be gifted.

How to get rid of a stock that no longer trades? ›

If the security cannot be sold in the market, it may be possible to dispose of the worthless security by gifting it to another person who can be related or unrelated to you. If you gift the worthless security to a family member, you will need to ensure that the person is not your spouse or minor child.

What is the delisting process in India? ›

The delisting process in India is overseen by SEBI, ensuring adherence to regulatory norms. Voluntary delisting involves a reverse book building process where promoters buy back shares. Involuntary delisting occurs when companies violate listing regulations, leading to forced removal from stock exchanges.

Can a delisted stock pay dividends? ›

Even if a stock's value doesn't take a nosedive after delisting, it can still be a sign of financial trouble at the company. If you own delisted dividend-paying stocks, for instance, dividend payments may shrink or dry up altogether if the company begins making cutbacks to preserve capital or reduce expenses.

What happens if a stock goes to zero? ›

A drop in price to zero means the investor loses his or her entire investment: a return of -100%. To summarize, yes, a stock can lose its entire value. However, depending on the investor's position, the drop to worthlessness can be either good (short positions) or bad (long positions).

Where can I trade delisted stocks? ›

Failure to meet these requirements results in the shares being delisted. If you own delisted shares, you can still sell them on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board (OTCBB) or on the Pink Sheets, which have more relaxed regulations and few listing requirements.

How do you deal with unlisted shares? ›

All you need to do is approach a trustworthy wealth manager, investment bank, or broker. They will introduce you to the best-unlisted companies in India and facilitate buying and selling of unlisted shares. The dealers and brokers also connect you with the promoters of the companies via private placements.

How do you get rid of non traded stocks? ›

How to get rid of blocked/suspended shares? Since the blocked/suspended shares cannot be sold on the open market (stock exchanges) the only way out is to transfer them to somebody else. However, in case the shares were blocked/suspended by depositories, then transferring them to somebody else is not an option.

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