Krishna Defence & Allied Industries Ltd Q1 FY27 Earnings Analysis

- Krishna Defence & Allied Industries targets a 30% CAGR revenue growth over the next 3-5 years. - Growth is expected primarily from the defence segment, particularly naval projects and the existing product mix. - Product mix will remain similar, with about 60% revenue from Bulb bars, 15-20% from armoured steel profiles, and 15-20% from weld consumables. - New products like smart ammunition and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) are under development but are not expected to contribute significantly to near-term revenue. - Order pipelines for naval projects (next-gen corvettes, LPDs, MCM vessels) are strong and expected to materialize, supporting growth targets. - Existing infrastructure can support INR400-500 crore revenue with some modernization. - Margin improvements and operational leverage are also expected alongside revenue growth.

- The company targets a **30% CAGR growth in revenue** over the next 3-5 years, driven primarily by the defence segment and ongoing naval projects (Page 29). - Growth will mainly come from existing products like **Bulb Bars (60% of revenue), armoured steel profiles (15-20%), and weld consumables (15-20%)**, with proportionate increases expected in all segments (Pages 29, 22). - Margin expansion is expected to continue, with an aspiration for **incremental margin improvement** over FY27 and FY28, maintaining around 21% EBITDA margin, supported by product mix and operating leverage (Pages 13, 12). - Profit and order book growth visibility is strong, with management confident of achieving the growth targets based on a healthy tender pipeline and new projects like next-gen corvettes, playground projects, and aircraft arresting gear (Pages 22, 18). - Associate companies Conceptia and Waveoptix are forecasted to grow at **20% and 30% respectively**, contributing to overall earnings (Page 13).

- The company made major CapEx investments in the Chennai plant and land acquired in Halol. - A joining shed of about 50,000 square feet was purchased for capacity expansion. - Manufacturing at the joint venture (JV) with VABO has started with trial production; further traction is expected this financial year. - The JV with VABO requires additional funding of about INR 4-5 crores from Krishna Defence, funded internally without debt. - No further stake increase is planned in the JV beyond 51%. - The CapEx related to the JV will be recorded on the JV’s books, not standalone. - The company continues to focus on modernization and automation within existing infrastructure to support growth. - New ventures such as smart weapons development with Taharabadkar Solutions will require investments but are in early stages with revenues expected in 2-3 years.

- No specific current or future fundraising through debt or equity was mentioned in the call. - The company discussed internal funding for the JV with VABO, estimating a required funding of about INR4-5 crores, which will come from internal resources without the need for debt. - There is no indication of plans to raise additional equity or increase stake beyond the existing 51% in the JV. - The company aims to maintain positive operating cash flow and manage CapEx through internal accruals. - Overall, funding needs, including CapEx and JV investments, are being met internally with no immediate plans for external debt or equity fundraising.

- Closing order book as of March 31, 2026: INR 100-103 crores (pending/unexecuted orders). - Order pipeline as of the same date: INR 200-220 crores, with expectations that much of this will materialize in the first half of FY27. - Total active order book including pipeline around INR 300-320 crores as of March 2026. - FY26 executed orders approximately INR 244 crores; starting order book INR 190 crores. - Management aims for 30%+ year-on-year growth for the next three years. - Orders tend to be split into smaller batches by customers, typical order size is smaller but frequency is steady. - Company will bid for all available tenders, no firm cap on order bidding for full year FY27.