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S Chand & Company LtdQ3 FY23

S Chand & Company Ltd Q3 FY23 Earnings Call Analysis

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

Price: 149P/E: 11.4Market Cap: ₹568 CrSector: Printing & Publication

Management growth scorecard

Revenue

Category 2

Margin

Category 4

Fundraise

N/A

Order

N/A

Capex

N/A

0 of 2 growth signals are positive — mixed outlook.

Full analysis

Revenue guidance

Category 2
  • Revenue guidance for FY23 is set at well over Rs 600 crores, representing a 25%+ growth rate, considered conservative.
  • Price hikes of around 20% have been implemented to offset rising paper costs, with expectations of volume growth if market share increases.
  • Volume growth is being approached conservatively due to uncertainty but is anticipated to be decent if quality sales and better market share are achieved.
  • New syllabus introduction under the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for K3-K12 (expected next 2-3 years) is viewed as a major growth driver, potentially boosting revenue and profitability.
  • Market share gains are possible due to smaller players facing paper procurement and liquidity challenges.
  • Sales season majorly picks up in Q4, thus clearer volume growth trends will be evident later in the year.
  • Overall, company expects steady improvement in working capital and strong growth supported by school reopenings and increased enrollments, especially in affordable private schools.

Margin guidance

Category 4
  • S. Chand expects over Rs 600 crore in annual revenues for FY23, reflecting a 25%+ growth, with conservatism pending the main sales season (Page 5).
  • EBITDA guidance is maintained in the range of Rs 100-120 crores, targeting 18%+ EBITDA margins for next year, subject to paper price fluctuations (Pages 7, 10).
  • Gross margins projected between 53%-55%, with a possible 1%-2% dip due to paper price inflation (Page 10).
  • Net working capital optimized with the lowest receivables and inventory days in 5 years, aiding cash flow and profitability (Page 5).
  • Price hikes of ~20% are implemented to offset paper cost increases; volume growth is expected to be decent but conservatively forecasted (Pages 6, 7, 16).
  • New National Curriculum Framework (NCF) adoption expected to drive strong revenue and profitability growth over next 2-3 years (Pages 5, 7, 16).
  • Companies anticipate recovery in school enrollments and reopening of private schools, supporting volume and revenue growth (Page 11).

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Fundraise plans

  • No mention of any current or planned new fundraising through debt or equity in the provided transcript.
  • The company is focused on becoming net debt free by the end of the current financial year.
  • Net debt has reduced significantly on a year-on-year basis, and good collections in Q4 are expected to allow the company to reach a net debt free position.
  • The company is optimizing working capital and focusing on cost control, aiming for positive cash flows.
  • No indications or discussions about raising new equity capital during the call.

Order book

  • The management is cautious with order placements, especially for school books.
  • For example, if a school orders 100 books, they rationalize the order by about 20%, supplying only 75%-80% to avoid excess returns.
  • This year, they have tightened the return policy to not accept more than 12% returns, aiming for 10% from next year.
  • They monitor market inventory and returns to plan production properly.
  • The company does not aim to increase volumes by accepting low-quality or non-profitable orders.
  • They have secured close to 90% of the raw material (paper) inventory for the year, ensuring supply capability for fulfilling orders.
  • Market conditions and the upcoming new National Curriculum Framework may impact large order placements, but the company expects steady demand due to schools changing book lists.
  • Overall, the company emphasizes quality and disciplined order management rather than sheer volume growth.

Capex plans

  • No explicit mention of current or future capex or strategic capital investments was made in the provided transcript.
  • The focus is primarily on working capital optimization, inventory management, and operational efficiencies.
  • Emphasis on securing raw material (paper) inventory early due to price increases and supply challenges.
  • Mention of merger application for DS Digital and Safari Digital with Blackie and Nirja Publishers, indicating strategic consolidation rather than new capital investments.
  • Investments detailed relate mainly to digital assets like TestCoach app, Madhubun Educate 360 LMS, and Learnflix app, showing a strategic emphasis on digital transformation.
  • The company is prioritizing maintaining financial discipline, reducing net debt, controlling costs, and improving margins rather than disclosing new capital expenditure plans.

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