AksharChem (I)
Q1 FY19 Earnings Call Analysis
Chemicals & Petrochemicals
revenue: Category 3margin: Category 2orderbook: No informationfundraise: Nocapex: Yes
💰fundraise
Any current/future new fundraising through debt or equity?
- The company has borrowed Rs.11.5 Crores during the year as working capital loan but remains a net cash company with a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04x as of March 2019.
- Management does not expect borrowing to exceed 0.2x even after six months when all plants start.
- No specific mention of plans for new fundraising through debt or equity during the call.
- Expansion projects like precipitated silica and possible pigment division expansion are planned to be funded through existing cash/investments.
- Backward integration proposals, like setting up an acid plant, are on the agenda but no funding plans disclosed yet.
- Overall, no active or announced new fundraising through debt or equity is indicated as of the call date (May 2019).
🏗️capex
Any current/future capex/capital investment/strategic investment?
- Precipitated Silica Project at Dahej: New Greenfield project with 10,000 MTPA capacity. Commercial production expected in the second half of FY2020. Total capex planned around Rs. 80 to 85 Crores, with Rs.39 Crores spent so far.
- Capex includes infrastructure investment for future phases, so subsequent expansion phases will require less capex.
- H-Acid Expansion: Completed with a capacity of 1,200 MTPA. Rs.38 Crores capex spent.
- Future strategic investments may include pigment green expansion depending on market conditions, potentially post-silica project.
- Backward integration (acid plant) is being considered but no final decision yet; plan to decide by Diwali (2019).
- Focus currently on starting silica project; subsequent project plans to be finalized later.
📊revenue
Future growth expectations in sales/revenue/volumes?
- The company expects around 15% year-on-year topline growth going forward.
- H-Acid utilization is expected to reach 95%, adding to the topline.
- Specialty chemicals division (precipitated silica) is expected to start within the current year, contributing to revenue.
- Precipitated silica plant at 85% utilization is projected to generate revenues of approximately Rs.70 to 80 Crores initially.
- Expansion focus is currently on precipitated silica, with pigment expansion planned later depending on market conditions.
- Dye intermediates may see minor debottlenecking but no significant expansion planned now.
- The company aims to capitalize on China's rising costs, with India's share in dye intermediate exports growing at 15-20% annually.
- Overall, stable growth in sales and volume is anticipated driven by new product lines and better capacity utilization.
📈margin
Future growth expectations in earnings/operating earnings/profits/EPS?
- Topline growth expected around 15% annually due to increased capacity utilization (up to 95%) and new specialty chemicals division starting.
- Margin improvement anticipated post stabilization of H-Acid plant, with a potential 2-3% increase in EBITDA margins.
- EBITDA margins likely to stabilize between 10-12% given current market scenario.
- H-Acid plant now stabilized; quality approved with exports started, potentially improving both revenues and profits.
- Precipitated silica project to add revenue (~Rs. 70-80 Crores at 85% utilization) with EBITDA margins projected at 12-15%.
- Pigment division to maintain EBITDA margins around 20%; possible future expansions depending on market recovery.
- Debt levels expected to remain low with cautious working capital borrowing; company remains nearly net cash.
- Volatility in chemical raw material prices may affect short-term profitability, but long-term outlook is positive.
📋orderbook
Current/ Expected Orderbook/ Pending Orders?
The transcript does not explicitly mention the current or expected order book or pending orders for AksharChem (India) Limited. However, relevant insights include:
- The company is focused on starting the new Dahej project for precipitated silica and planning future expansions, possibly deciding by Diwali (Page 16).
- They have developed seven new customer relationships in the last six months, expected to contribute to long-term business growth (Page 4).
- Precipitated silica project expected to start in the current year before December with revenue projections around Rs.70-80 Crores at 85% utilization (Page 14).
- Capacity utilization for CPC Green is around 80-85%, indicating ongoing demand (Page 14).
- H-Acid exports are expected to increase, reducing working capital requirements driven by credit offered in H-Acid segment (Page 9).
No specific figures on order book or pending orders are disclosed.
