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Vardhman Special Steels LtdQ3 FY24

Vardhman Special Steels Ltd Q3 FY24 Earnings Call Analysis

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

Price: 279P/E: 22.2Market Cap: ₹2.7K CrSector: Industrial Products

Management growth scorecard

Revenue

Category 3

Margin

Category 1

Fundraise

Yes

Order

N/A

Capex

Yes

3 of 4 growth signals are positive.

Full analysis

Revenue guidance

Category 3
  • Expecting single-digit volume growth over the next three years due to current capacity constraints.
  • Tested and increased melting capacity to 285,000 tonnes; aiming to expand further to 300,000 tonnes.
  • Rolling mill expansion to be completed by September next year, enabling 270,000 tonnes of rolled product.
  • New plant planned with announcement expected in the next six months; operational in about five years.
  • Targeting deeper market penetration in four-wheelers, increasing share from 38% to 50%.
  • Anticipate growth driven by Indian automobile industry expansion, including Maruti Suzuki's capacity doubling plans.
  • Export focus increasing, especially to Southeast Asia, aiming to grow export share from 5-7% to 20%.
  • Exploring other segments like railways and export opportunities to Africa in the medium to long term.
  • EBITDA per tonne expected to rise from current Rs. 7,000-10,000 range to Rs. 8,000-11,000 with ongoing improvements.

Margin guidance

Category 1
  • Target to increase car segment sales from 38% to 50%, focusing on higher margin auto components business.
  • Capacity expansion underway: rolling mill expansion to 300,000 tonnes billet input leading to ~270,000 tonnes rolled product by Sept next year.
  • EBITDA per tonne expected to improve from current Rs. 7,000-10,000 range to Rs. 8,000-11,000 due to solar power commissioning, in-house processing, bigger billet sizes, and new Kocks Block benefits.
  • Aim to reach Rs. 10,000-12,000 EBITDA per tonne in 3-4 years, targeting approx. Rs. 250 crore EBITDA eventually.
  • Solar power plant commissioning by March 2025 will reduce power cost by ~45%, positively impacting margins.
  • Increasing exports to Southeast Asia and potential future exports to Africa.
  • Slight increase in operating earnings anticipated once full capacity and quality improvements stabilize.
  • Management optimistic about medium- to long-term growth despite current market softness.

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Fundraise plans

Yes
  • The company anticipates a need for capital infusion in the next one or two years related to the new proposed plant.
  • Fundraising plans, including debt or equity, will be finalized and announced once the project details are firmed up.
  • They have already engaged with bankers, indicating sufficient funds are available for future requirements.
  • Currently, the company manages working capital with reasonable debt levels to fund ongoing expansions.
  • For the new plant, there will be some combination of borrowing and equity infusion, aiming to keep the overall debt-to-equity ratio below 0.5:1.
  • No immediate or specific fundraising commitment has been made at this stage; plans are contingent on project finalization and will be communicated concretely in the future.

Order book

  • The transcript does not explicitly mention the current or expected order book or pending orders volume or value.
  • However, it indicates growing demand that the company is preparing to meet by expanding capacity.
  • The company has tested a melting capacity of 285,000 tonnes and plans to achieve 300,000 tonnes after rolling mill expansion by September next year to meet market growth.
  • There is mention of customers and OEs increasing interest in green steel and sustainability, signaling potential future orders.
  • The company is pursuing direct supply status to some OEs, indicating efforts to secure more stable orders.
  • The management is optimistic about growth visible over the next three years and actively working on new product approvals with large automobile OEs.
  • Overall, the company is gearing up capacity and product capability in anticipation of increasing orders, but concrete orderbook figures are not provided in this transcript.

Capex plans

Yes
  • Current rolling mill expansion underway; expected completion by August next year, boosting billet input capacity to 300,000 tonnes and rolled product capacity to 270,000 tonnes.
  • Ongoing CAPEX of around Rs. 300 crore for existing plant improvements.
  • Investment of Rs. 160 crore in Kocks Block and reheating furnace aimed at capacity increase, better quality, higher yield, and lower inventory.
  • New proposed Greenfield plant with a capacity of 350,000 tonnes under detailed discussion; final announcement expected mid-next year.
  • Possible strategic minority stakes being considered in scrap processing/scrapping companies to secure raw material supplies.
  • Joint venture for a 55 MW solar power plant (26% owned), expected commissioned by March next year, to reduce power costs and carbon footprint.
  • No immediate CAPEX for forging plant; discussions ongoing with Japanese partners, but no immediate plans.

How does Vardhman Special Steels Ltd rank vs peers in Industrial Products?

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1Vardhman Special Steels Ltd
Rev 3Mar 1

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