Highway Infrastructure IPO: Good or Bad? [150x Subscription, 51% GMP]

The Highway Infrastructure IPO isn’t about fundamental investing—it’s about pure probability.

Why?

The supply is tiny. The company is raising just ₹130 crores from the public. But the demand is massive. On its very first day, the IPO has already been oversubscribed more than 150 times.

This creates a classic lottery situation. There are far too many applications chasing far too few shares.

Your chance of getting an allotment doesn’t depend on your research, but on pure luck in a computerized draw.

So the real question becomes: should you apply for Highway Infrastructure IPO?

The Verdict Upfront: Is Highway Infra IPO Worth Applying?

For most retail investors:YES. The cost of applying is zero (if no allotment). The only “cost” is having your ₹14,770 blocked for about a week. Given the potential to make a ~51% return, the risk-reward ratio is heavily in your favor, even if it is a game of pure luck.

For active traders who need liquidity: ⚠️ MAYBE NOT. If you actively use your capital daily and cannot afford to have ~₹15,000 blocked for a week, then you might give this lottery a pass.

1. Highway Infra IPO: Chances of Allotment

Here’s the data that shows why getting an allotment will be so difficult.

MetricData
Total Issue Size₹130 Crores (Very small, leading to high demand)
Retail Investor Portion~₹45.5 Crores (35% of the issue)
Minimum Investment₹14,770 (for one lot of 211 shares)
Max. Retail Allotments~30,800 lots available (₹45.5 Cr / ₹14,770)
Applications Received (Day 1)Subscribed ~150x, meaning at least ~4.6 Million applications have already been received for those ~30,800 slots.
Your Chance of AllotmentCurrently less than 1 in 150 (under 0.7%). This is one of the biggest IPO lotteries of the year.
(Source: BSE, NSE, and Live Market Data as of August 7, 2025, 3:51 PM IST)

2. Highway IPO GMP & Potential Listing Gain

Every lottery has a grand prize. For the Highway IPO, that prize is fueled by a powerful market indicator: the Grey Market Premium (GMP).

This is the unofficial price at which shares are being traded before they are even listed. It’s the clearest sign of how much of a “pop” the market expects on listing day. Let’s break down the exact potential profit that has investors so excited.

GMP Trend: The Hype is Accelerating

The GMP isn’t just high; it’s rapidly increasing, showing that demand is snowballing as more people learn about the opportunity.

DateGMP per Share
August 7, 2025 (close)₹36 (~51%)
August 6, 2025₹40
August 5, 2025 (open)₹40
August 4, 2025₹25
August 3, 2025₹15
(Source: GMP data as reported by IPO-tracking platforms like Chittorgarh / Moneycontrol.)

Calculating Your Potential Profit on One Lot

So, what does a ₹40 GMP mean for your wallet if you win the allotment lottery? Let’s do the simple math, assuming you apply for one lot at the upper price band.

  • Your Total Investment: 211 Shares × ₹70 per Share = ₹14,770
  • Your Potential Profit (Based on GMP): 211 Shares × ₹40 GMP per Share = ₹8,440
  • Potential Listing Price: ₹70 (Issue Price) + ₹40 (GMP) = ₹110 per Share
  • Return on Your Investment: (₹8,440 Profit / ₹14,770 Investment) × 100 = ~57.1%

Key Takeaway:

A potential profit of over ₹8,400 on an investment of less than ₹15,000—with your money only being blocked for about a week—is an extraordinary potential return. This is the “grand prize.” This is the reason why millions of applications are flooding the system for a handful of available lots.

It’s a compelling prize, but the odds of winning are low. In the next section, we’ll look at those odds more closely.

3. Highway IPO Subscription Status: A Deeper Look

We’ve established that the allotment odds are low. Now, let’s look at the official subscription data to understand exactly who is driving this unprecedented demand. This tells us a story about the market’s confidence.

Live Subscription Figures

Investor CategorySubscription (Times)
QIB (Institutions)417x
NII (HNIs/Corporates)444x
Retail (RII)~150x
Total295x
(Source: BSE, NSE, and Live Market Data as of August 7, 2025, 3:51 PM IST)

In short, the data paints a picture of a retail-led frenzy, backed by overwhelming HNI and QIB interest.

4. The Highway IPO Application Process: Understanding Blocked Funds

What does it ‘cost’ to apply for the Highway IPO?

The application is free. The only real cost is time, having your money blocked for about a week. Here’s a breakdown of the process and timeline.

How it Works (ASBA via UPI)

When you apply on your brokerage app, you will receive a UPI mandate for ₹14,770.

After you approve this, the money is not debited from your account. It is simply blocked by your bank until the allotment is finalized. This is known as the Application Supported by Blocked Amount (ASBA) process.

Timeline: When Your Money Gets Unblocked

This table shows the key dates for the IPO process. Your funds will be blocked from the day you apply until the allotment is finalized i.e. 5-6 days.

EventDate
IPO Open DateTuesday, Aug 5, 2025
IPO Close DateThursday, Aug 7, 2025
Allotment FinalizationFriday, Aug 8, 2025
Funds Unblocked (if no allotment)Monday, Aug 11, 2025
Shares Credited to DematMonday, Aug 11, 2025
IPO Listing DayTuesday, Aug 12, 2025

As you can see, you should expect your money to be blocked for approximately one week.

The Opportunity Cost

The real ‘price’ of applying is the opportunity cost. For that week, your blocked ₹14,770 cannot be used for any other trades. For active traders who need daily liquidity, this is a key consideration. For most casual investors, it’s a minor inconvenience for a chance at a huge prize.

5. Final Verdict: Is It Worth Applying for the Highway IPO?

So, we have a classic dilemma.

On one hand, there’s the spectacular prize: a potential ~57% return ✅ in about a week.

On the other hand, there are the daunting odds: a less than 5% chance ‼️ of actually getting the shares, a number that will only get smaller.

How do you decide?

Let’s simplify it. The decision is not about the company’s long-term future. It is a straightforward cost-benefit analysis of playing a lottery.

  • The Benefit: The potential reward is exceptional. An ~₹8,400 profit on a ₹14,770 investment is a rare opportunity.
  • The Cost: The cost is minimal. Your money is blocked for one week with zero application fees.

Given this equation, here is our final verdict for different types of investors.

For the Vast Majority of Retail Investors:

✅ YES, it is absolutely worth applying.

The financial upside is so disproportionately high compared to the minor inconvenience of blocked funds that it’s a logical choice. Think of it as a free lottery ticket with a massive prize. If you don’t win the allotment, you lose nothing but a few days of access to your capital.

For Active Traders:

⚠️ IT DEPENDS on your capital needs.

If you are a high-frequency trader who needs every rupee of your capital for daily F&O margins or swing trades, the opportunity cost of blocking ~₹15,000 might be too high. For you, this is a business decision about capital allocation, not just a lottery ticket.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Can I apply multiple times to increase my chances?

No. Multiple applications from the same PAN number will be rejected. To increase a household’s chances, you can apply from the unique Demat accounts of different family members (e.g., yourself, your spouse, your parents).

Q2: When is the expected listing date for the Highway IPO?

Based on the current timeline, the IPO is expected to list on the stock exchange on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.

Q3: What should I do if I get an allotment?

This depends on your goal. Given the high GMP, many will choose to book profits on listing day. Investors with a long-term view on the infrastructure sector might choose to hold a portion of their shares.

Kushal Utreja
Follow me

Leave a Comment