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S Chand & Company LtdQ4 FY24

S Chand & Company Ltd Q4 FY24 Earnings Call Analysis

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

Price: 151P/E: 11.4Market Cap: ₹568 CrSector: Printing & Publication

Management growth scorecard

Revenue

Category 2

Margin

Category 3

Fundraise

N/A

Order

N/A

Capex

No

0 of 3 growth signals are positive — mixed outlook.

Full analysis

Revenue guidance

Category 2
  • FY23 revenue expected around Rs 640-650 crores, targeting 25%+ growth for the year.
  • If New Curriculum Framework (NCF) implementation occurs, company expects higher double-digit growth; otherwise, low double-digit growth.
  • Regular growth drivers include population increase, more students shifting back to private schools post-COVID, and strengthened sales/marketing efforts.
  • Market share improvement anticipated by capturing business from smaller players impacted by recent disruptions.
  • Introduction of new syllabus post-NCF across classes 3-12 expected to drive strong revenue and profitability growth over next 2-3 years.
  • Q4 seasonality is high due to academic calendar and book purchasing patterns; Q1 revenues becoming more significant recently.
  • Online sales growth potential exists (~Rs 30-35 crores annually), but print sales remain core.
  • Normal price increases expected at 7-8% per year moving forward after exceptional hikes this year (~18-20%).

Margin guidance

Category 3
  • The company expects strong revenue growth fueled by the phased rollout of the New Curriculum Framework (NCF) for classes 3 to 12, covering about 80% of school education revenues.
  • Guidance for FY23 indicates revenues around Rs 640-650 crore with EBITDA margins of 16-17%.
  • If NCF implementation does not happen, the company anticipates low double-digit growth driven by increasing student population, shifting enrollment back to private schools post-COVID, and stronger sales and marketing efforts.
  • Normal growth in unit sales is estimated at 4-5% annually, plus price increases, with market share gains expected from smaller players facing financial headwinds.
  • Profitability gains are expected over the next 2-3 years post-NCF with improved margins despite paper price pressures, supported by price hikes and operational efficiencies.
  • The company sees FY24 as a strong growth year with positive operating cash flow anticipated.

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Fundraise plans

  • No explicit mention of any current or planned new fundraising through debt or equity in the provided transcript.
  • The company is focused on reducing debt and is close to becoming net debt free by the end of the year (Page 5, Page 10).
  • Capital allocation discussions mention potential dividends or buybacks, indicating strong cash flow rather than raising new funds (Page 16).
  • No plans for acquisitions currently, but open to opportunities if they arise (Page 7).
  • No references to upcoming equity fundraising or debt issuance. The emphasis is on using internal cash flows and improving working capital.
  • The company is financially strong and focused on leveraging growth opportunities from new curriculum policy (NCF) and market share gains without external fundraising.

Order book

  • As per the transcript, no specific figures or detailed commentary on the current or expected order book or pending orders were provided during the Q3 FY23 earnings call.
  • However, it was mentioned that:
  • - The company expects robust demand for the upcoming sales season, indicated by increased inventory, including raw material paper inventory.
  • - There is mention of a large volume of state board government tenders, over 120,000 tons, to be fulfilled before March 31, suggesting active and significant ongoing orders in the market.
  • - The company has been balancing paper inventory orders to ensure optimum supply without overstocking, implying steady order inflow aligned with demand.
  • Overall, while exact order book numbers are not disclosed, the discussion implies a healthy pipeline driven by syllabus changes (NCF), government tenders, and school demand for print books.

Capex plans

No
  • Currently, S Chand and Company Limited is not actively seeking acquisitions, focusing instead on the growth opportunity provided by the new National Curriculum Framework (NCF) rollout over the next 2-3 years (Page 7).
  • The company remains open to acquisitions if extraordinary opportunities arise but has no immediate plans (Page 7).
  • There are inbound queries for minority investments, with the company evaluating only those that meet internal metrics such as near profitability and appropriate size and valuation (Page 7).
  • The company focuses on prudent capital allocation, expecting steady cash flows, and potentially implementing dividend policies when no attractive investments or acquisitions are identified (Page 16).
  • No specific capex details or major strategic capital investments were explicitly mentioned in the provided excerpts.

How does S Chand & Company Ltd rank vs peers in Printing & Publication?

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1S Chand & Company Ltd
Rev 2Mar 3

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