Ircon International Ltd
Q4 FY24 Earnings Call Analysis
Construction
fundraise: Yescapex: Yesrevenue: Category 4margin: Category 3orderbook: Yes
💰fundraise
Any current/future new fundraising through debt or equity?
- Currently, Ircon International Limited is not planning any equity buyback despite the depressed equity market valuation, as stated by Ragini Advani.
- The company intends to reinvest its profits primarily into highway, coal JV connectivity projects, and renewables to support growth and diversification.
- There is ongoing equity infusion planned into SPVs and JVs, with about ₹500-600 crores expected in FY24, mainly for highway projects and partially for renewable and coal projects.
- Some borrowing from the market is involved to fund equity contributions in these SPVs, but no specific new large-scale debt or equity fundraising announcements were mentioned.
- The focus is on internal accruals and strategic investments rather than fresh equity issues or debt raising at this stage.
🏗️capex
Any current/future capex/capital investment/strategic investment?
- Ircon plans a total equity/quasi-equity investment of about ₹900 crores over the coming years, mainly spread across highway projects, renewable energy, and coal JVs.
- For FY23, an additional ₹50 crores equity investment is expected; FY24 is forecasted to see a larger CAPEX of around ₹500-600 crores.
- Of this, roughly ₹400-450 crores will be invested in highway SPVs, with ₹50-100 crores allocated to JV projects.
- Standalone CAPEX (routine assets, plant & machinery for EPC projects) for the current year is around ₹242 crores.
- The company is borrowing funds from the market to support equity infusion into large projects via SPVs.
- Investment focus aligns with ongoing highway projects and renewable/coal JV expansion.
📊revenue
Future growth expectations in sales/revenue/volumes?
- FY23 revenue expected between ₹9,000 to ₹9,500 crores, possibly crossing ₹10,000 crores depending on execution efforts.
- FY24 revenue projected to grow by 5% to 10% over FY23, targeting over ₹10,000 crores.
- On a conservative basis, 10% growth; bullish scenario up to 15% growth.
- Growth dependent on project execution speed and external factors beyond control.
- Focus on winning large, niche, high-value railway projects with less competition to sustain margins.
- Expansion in highway projects ongoing, with some SPVs starting to contribute profits in 1-2 years.
- Bidding activity expected to resume strongly post-March/April for sustaining and increasing turnover.
- Bullet train project and high-speed rail expected to provide new opportunities, leveraging experience with Japanese technology.
📈margin
Future growth expectations in earnings/operating earnings/profits/EPS?
- FY23 revenue expected around ₹9,000–9,500 crore; confident to cross ₹10,000 crore.
- FY24 projected revenue growth: 5% to 10%, possibly up to 15% in a bullish scenario, aiming for slightly above ₹10,000 crore.
- EBITDA margin guidance: 10% to 11%; core EBITDA around 8.5%.
- PAT margin guidance: approximately 7.5% to 8%, expected to be sustainable into FY24.
- Margins to be maintained through selective bidding, focusing on niche, large-size railway projects (e.g., bullet train, J&K projects) to avoid low-margin small contracts.
- Operating income from SPVs/JVs expected to increase as projects stabilize in 1-2 years, enhancing profitability.
- No significant buybacks planned; profits to be reinvested into highway, coal connectivity, and renewables projects for growth.
- Order book expected to sustain turnover with healthy margins; focus on profitable orders rather than volume-driven bidding.
📋orderbook
Current/ Expected Orderbook/ Pending Orders?
- Current consolidated order book stands at approximately ₹30,000 crores.
- The bullet train project order is about ₹6,200 crores, included within the total order book.
- The company is consciously selective in bidding, focusing on larger, technically demanding projects to maintain margins.
- Bid wins are largely from L1 (lowest bid) or QCBS (quality-cum-cost based) categories for larger projects.
- Plans to resume focused bidding from March/April 2023 to sustain or grow order book.
- Expecting to add quality projects aligned with strengths in railway infrastructure, highways, and niche areas.
- Some satellite projects, like highway SPVs and coal connectivity JVs, are at various construction stages.
- The company projects 5-10% top-line growth next fiscal with a steady inflow of high-value orders.
- No emphasis on merely increasing order book size at the expense of profitability.
