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HFCL LtdQ2 FY23

HFCL Ltd Q2 FY23 Earnings Call Analysis

Revenue, margin, capex, fundraise and order book outlook from management commentary.

Price: 202P/E: 72.6Market Cap: ₹22.6K CrSector: Telecom - Services

Management growth scorecard

Revenue

Category 2

Margin

Category 3

Fundraise

N/A

Order

Yes

Capex

Yes

2 of 4 growth signals are positive.

Full analysis

Revenue guidance

Category 2
  • The company aims for strong revenue growth driven by increased product sales, especially in 5G telecom products, expected to contribute around 70% of product revenue by next year.
  • Revenue from products is targeted to be around INR 800-1,000 crores in the next financial year, nearly doubling current levels.
  • Export revenue will continue growing significantly, supported by expansion into international markets with focus on proprietary IPR and distribution networks.
  • Revenue mix is planned at about 70% from telecom and 30% from defence and railways for product sales.
  • The company will prioritize projects with good margins and cash flow, avoiding low profitability orders.
  • Overall, consistent margin levels (~20%) alongside revenue growth are expected, resulting in improved profitability and better stakeholder value.
  • Long-term strategy is to increase product share (~70%) while maintaining profitable project execution.

Margin guidance

Category 3
  • The company aims for growth driven more by profitability than just revenue growth, focusing on good margin projects and strong cash flow.
  • Product revenue is expected to increase sharply, especially with 5G product introductions, projected to reach INR 800-1,000 crores in FY25 with margins around 20%.
  • EBITDA margins improved to 16.04% in Q1FY24 from 12.35% in Q1FY23; PAT margin also increased to 7.59%. Margins are expected to stay consistent or slightly improve with new products and better product mix.
  • Export revenues have grown significantly (156% YoY in Q1FY24) and will contribute increasingly to profit growth.
  • Management strategy focuses on increasing product revenue share (currently 67%), reducing low-cash-flow projects, and expanding international presence.
  • Overall, the company expects higher profitability and EPS growth through margin-accretive product expansion, capacity increases, and new product launches, especially in telecom 5G equipment.

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Fundraise plans

  • The company is currently considering fundraising options, but no final decision has been taken yet.
  • As per Mahendra Nahata's response, they are still in the consideration phase regarding fundraising.
  • Once a final decision is made on fundraising, the company will provide an update.
  • No specific details about the mode of fundraising (debt or equity) or the amount have been disclosed as of now.

Order book

Yes
  • Current order book stands at around INR 6,000 - 6,600 crores, providing approximately 1.5 years of revenue visibility.
  • Around INR 1,500 crores of the order book is related to Operations & Maintenance (O&M).
  • The EPC (Engineering, Procurement & Construction) component is about INR 4,500 - 5,000 crores.
  • Export order book is approximately INR 200 - 250 crores.
  • New large orders are expected in the next couple of months, which may increase the order book.
  • Orders for telecom products keep flowing regularly, while project orders come in larger chunks.
  • Some milestones pending for contracts with Indian Army and BSNL, leading to receivables of around INR 800 crores.
  • The company expects to maintain or improve the current order book level with upcoming tenders and contracts.

Capex plans

Yes
  • Major ongoing capex is focused on expanding optical fiber production capacity from 11-12 million fiber km per year to 33 million fiber km in two stages.
  • Optical fiber cable capacity is being enhanced across three factories, primarily targeting export-specific cables.
  • R&D capex is significant, especially for developing new telecom 5G products, with around INR125-150 crores already spent.
  • Plans for capital expenditure of INR70-80 crores for assembly and testing of products, with a large portion outsourced to contract manufacturers.
  • Overall capex includes capacity expansion, product development, and backward integration to increase revenues from products and exports while reducing reliance on projects.
  • No final decision reported yet on proposed fundraising announced in the last AGM; under consideration.

How does HFCL Ltd rank vs peers in Telecom - Services?

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1HFCL Ltd
Rev 2Mar 3

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