16 Mar

Will incur Rs 10000 mn Capex per year over next 3-4 years – Aarti Industries

 Update on the Indian Equity Market:

On Tuesday, Nifty closed in the red at 14,910 (-0.1%). Among the sectoral indices, IT (+1.3%), FMCG (+0.9%), and AUTO (+0.2%) closed higher. PSU Bank (-1.3%), PVT Bank (-1.0%), and Financial Services (-0.8%) closed in the red. Asian Paints (+4.7%), Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (+2.6%), and HUL (+1.59%) closed on a positive note. CIPLA (-1.6%), Tata Steel (-1.6%), and ICICI Bank (-1.5%) were among the top losers.

Excerpts from an interview of Mr. Rajendra V Gogri, Chairman and MD, Aarti Industries with CNBC-TV18 dated 15th March 2021:

  • Gogri said the demand is higher. The discretionary sector demand has picked up.
  • Considering China plus one factor, demand is diverted to India. India comes ahead of other countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Malaysia when it comes to specialty chemicals.
  • The company is expecting pre-Covid demand in Q4FY21E.
  • Speaking on capacity, he said the company will incur a Capex of Rs 10,000 mn each year for the next 3-4 years.
  • This Capex will be utilized to introduce new products as well as the expansion of existing products.
  • The company will not directly participate in the Pharma PLI scheme, however, the Pharma PLI Scheme is expected to benefit the general chemical sector indirectly.
  • The company has posted single-digit revenue growth in 9MFY21 and a flat bottom line YoY is expected in FY21E. However, Mr. Gogri guided for a 20% growth in top-line as well as in bottom line in FY22E.
  • Exports are usually 40-45% of total revenues and the rest is domestic sales. The major growth is expected on the discretionary side which was badly affected in 1FY21.
  • Speaking on capacity utilization, he said some plants are running at 80-90% utilization levels and new capacities are running at 20-30% utilization levels.
  • Speaking on the demerger of the Pharmaceutical business, he said a committee has been set up to look at the available option. The decision of the committee is yet to come on board.

 

Asset Multiplier comments:

  • As per a study conducted by McKinsey & Company, the Indian specialty market is expected to grow to $40bn over the next 4 years from $28bn in 2018.
  • Within the specialty chemical segments in India, surfactants, specialty polymers, and textile chemicals and dyes are among the top segments expected to further grow in line with market demand.
  • Indian specialty companies need to ramp up capacities and infrastructure to get maximum advantage from specialty chemical sector growth prospects.

 

Consensus Estimate: (Source: Market screener website)

  • The closing price of Aarti Industries was ₹ 1,286 as of 16-March-2021.  It traded at 41x/29x/25x the consensus Earnings per share estimate of ₹ 31.0/44.0/52.1 for FY21E/FY22E/FY23E respectively.
  • The consensus average target price is ₹ 1,241/- which implies a PE multiple of 24x on FY23E EPS of 52.1/-.

Disclaimer: “The views expressed are for information purposes only. The information provided herein should not be considered as investment advice or research recommendation. The users should rely on their own research and analysis and should consult their own investment advisors to determine the merit, risks, and suitability of the information provided.”

 

By Aarti Ind, Chemicals , 0 Comments Read more...
15 Mar

Three-box framework for SUV-focus in EV space – M&M

Update on the Indian Equity Market:
On Monday, Nifty closed in the red at 14,930 (-0.7%), recovering from the day’s low due to a rebound in the metals and technology stocks. JSWSTEEL (+2.4%), TECHM (2.4%), and TATASTEEL (+2.3%) led the index gainers while DIVISLAB (-2.9%), BAJAJFINSV (-2.7%), and GAIL (-2.6%) led the laggards. Among the sectoral indices, METAL (+1.0%), IT (+0.6%), and PSU BANK (+0.2%) were the only gainers while MEDIA (-1.4%), PHARMA (-1.3%), and FINANCIAL SERVICES (-1.2%) led the laggards.

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) recently reorganized its EV (Electric Vehicle) strategy by setting up 2 new verticals, one for last-mile mobility, and the other for EV tech center. Mr. Rajesh Jejurikar, ED- Auto and Farm Sectors, M&M explained the rationale behind this strategy on CNBC TV-18 on 12th March 2021. Here are the excerpts of the interview:

  • To undertake a comprehensive look at the future, M&M has deployed a three-box framework. This framework suggests different businesses need different kind of attention and focus depending on company strategy and goals. Box 1 is the one that has the ability to scale up/Box 2 and 3 are more mid-long-term focus and need more technology and know-how.
  • According to M&M, Last mile mobility is a box 1 business, which has a ready customer market today and they have to drive growth and penetration. Their box 2 business is the SUV focus IC-derived electric vehicles, and box 3 is EV which is preparing M&M’s strategy for the longer term.
  • They have created a strong talent pool with good products at Mahindra Electric, which will help them in the future as well.
  • They want to be SUV-focused in EV space as well. Currently, there are no plans of manufacturing EVs in shared mobility space (Sedans and hatchbacks).
  • They believe the EV market penetration to be much higher by 2025-30, hence the need for a comprehensive SUV EV portfolio. They hope to have an electric variant for all price points they operate in.
  • The level of readiness should be for 50-80% conversion in FY2025-30. The extent of conversion is very hard to predict at this stage so they are not setting any targets per se.
  • They will launch eKUV100 and eXUV300 between CY21-CY22.
  • The last-mile mobility segment is at an inflection point and the pace of sales should pick up significantly. The goods carrier segment is completely ready and a committed sales team and channel will help drive sales for this segment. The PV (Passenger Vehicle) was also ready but the slowdown due to Covid-19 has hampered the sales and M&M expects sales to pick up in 2HCY21.
  • For last-mile mobility, export is a huge opportunity. M&M is already getting leads for alliances and partnerships in different markets across the world. Some of their key customers in the B2B segment are planning to take M&M products in their global ecosystem. While these deals will take some time to fructify, the initial response has been good.
  • When M&M canceled their JV with Ford, the rationale was the money saved from JV will be put into the EV business. Rs 30,000 mn has been set aside for creating a strong EV portfolio.

Asset Multiplier Comments

  • With the Covid-19 outbreak, the personal mobility demand has increased. Though Gen Z and millennials would prefer EVs for personal mobility, the success of EVs would largely depend on increasing penetration and availability of the infrastructure, which is currently lacking.
  • M&M has been stressing on reducing investments in non-profitable subsidiaries and focusing on the core business. This three-box framework for EV vertical is a step in the right direction.

Consensus Estimate: (Source: market screener and tickr websites)

  • The closing price of M&M was ₹ 846/- as of 15-March-2021. It traded at 31x/ 21x/ 18x the consensus earnings estimate of ₹ 27.4/ 41.1/ 46.8 per share for FY21E/FY22E/FY23E respectively.
  • The consensus target price of ₹ 959 implies a PE multiple of 20x on FY23E EPS of ₹ 46.8/-.

Disclaimer: “The views expressed are for information purposes only. The information provided herein should not be considered as investment advice or research recommendation. The users should rely on their own research and analysis and should consult their own investment advisors to determine the merit, risks, and suitability of the information provided.”

By Auto, Mahindra & Mahindra , , 0 Comments Read more...
14 Mar

This week in a nutshell (March 8th to March 12th)

Technical talks

  • NIFTY opened the week on 8th March at 15,002 and closed on 12th March at 15,031. As expected the index traded in a range with no clear trend. The index is trading above its 20DMA of 15,015, which might act as a support. On the upside, the recent all-time of 15,432 might act as resistance. The index might trade in the range of the above-mentioned levels before making a strong move on either side.

Weekly highlights

  • Markets continued to rise for the first three days of the week before falling off to end the holiday-shortened week on a flat note. IT (2.6%) and Bank (0.6%) led the indices higher while Realty (-2.3%), Auto (-1.3%) and Bank (-1.2%) ended the week with most losses.
  • India’s life insurance sector registered a strong new business premium (NBP) growth of 21% in February, bucking its recent trend where it registered either tepid growth or a decline since November. The latest data from the Insurance & Regulatory Development Authority of India (IRDAI) indicated that the NBP, which is a key metric to gauge the performance of life insurers grew to Rs 224 bn in February for India’s 24 life insurers, compared with Rs 185 bn a year ago. 
  • The US markets hit a new closing high as investors cheered on the passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. President Biden signed the bill and the IRS will begin sending payments out as soon as 14th March. 
  • Brent crude futures jumped above $70 a barrel during the week for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began; while WTI crude touched its highest in more than two years, following reports of attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. The front-month WTI price touched $67.86 a barrel earlier, the highest since October 2018.
  • The government, which owns 54% in BEML, invited expressions of interest for the stake sale in the defense equipment maker, along with the transfer of management control. At least six companies, including Tata Motors, Mahindra and Mahindra, and Ashok Leyland, are looking to buy a 26% stake in BEML Ltd. 
  • Wholesale dispatches from auto OEMs reported mixed volume performance in February 2021. Dispatches of passenger vehicles (PV) increased by 17.9% YoY in February 2021, according to the data released by SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) on 10th March 2021. This is the seventh time in a row that PV wholesale dispatches were positive. Total sales in the two-wheelers segment witnessed a YoY growth of 10.2%. 
  • The trend in FII flows continued as they pumped in Rs 11280 mn while DIIs turned net buyers with Rs 12,390 mn purchases during the week.

Things to watch out

  • The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation and Manufacturing data along with Export-Import data for the month of February are expected to be released in the next week. 
By #WeekInANutshell 0 Comments Read more...
10 Mar

Expect to take another price hike from April – Bluestar

 Update on the Indian Equity Market:

On Wednesday, Nifty closed in the green at 15,175. Among the sectoral indices, Metal (+1.9%), IT (+1.7%), and Pharma (+1.8%) closed higher. PSU Bank (-0.2%) was the only sector that closed in the red. Eicher Motors (+3.1%), JSW Steel (+3.0%), and Hindalco (+2.3%) closed on a positive note. SBI Life (-3.5%), ONGC (-1.8%), and HDFC Life (-1.5%) were among the top losers.

Excerpts from an interview of Mr. B Thiagarajan, MD, Bluestar with CNBC-TV18 dated 09th March 2021:

  • The demand for cooling products has picked up since the festival season. 20% sales growth is expected in Q4FY21E.
  • The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has indicated for hotter than usual summer season in 2021.
  • Thiagarajan expects 25% sales growth in the summer season for Bluestar.
  • The demand recovery is primarily due to people spending more time at home.
  • The disposable income is expected to be higher in the hands of people as there is saving due to no summer vacations and less travel.
  • The company has taken a price increase by 3-5% since Jan-21 on its products. The second price hike has not yet been taken by the company.
  • The second price hike might come from April 1. The rise in raw materials, transportation charges, and ABS plastic costs are not coming down.
  • The dealers are stocking up ahead of the season.
  • Room AC market share for the Bluestar was ~12.8% last year and currently it is 13%. The company targets to maintain a 15% market share by FY23E.
  • Food delivery and the pharma sector are driving the growth of commercial refrigeration.
  • In the Electromechanical projects segment, growth is coming from the manufacturing sector.
  • Thiagarajan says Room air conditioners are poised for growth in coming years led by positive announcements under the PLI scheme.

 

Asset Multiplier comments:

  • The coming summer season will be crucial for Air cooling products as last summer season was a washout led by lockdowns.
  • Industry players are bullish on the upcoming summer season as early sales indicate an uptrend.
  • On the commodity cost front, inflationary pressure is witnessed by the industry. Most AC players have resorted to taking price hikes.
  • Increased demand due to rise in temperature bodes well for the industry but an increase in commodity cost might hurt operating margins in the coming next 2 quarters.

 

Consensus Estimate: (Source: Market screener website)

  • The closing price of Bluestar was ₹ 932 as of 10-March-2021.  It traded at 94x/47x/36x the consensus Earnings per share estimate of ₹ 9.87/19.9/26.1 for FY21E/FY22E/FY23E respectively.
  • The consensus average target price is ₹ 761/- which implies a PE multiple of 29x on FY23E EPS of 26.1/-.

Disclaimer: “The views expressed are for information purposes only. The information provided herein should not be considered as investment advice or research recommendation. The users should rely on their own research and analysis and should consult their own investment advisors to determine the merit, risks, and suitability of the information provided.”

By Blue star, Consumer durable , , 0 Comments Read more...
09 Mar

Investments in generics getting validated now – LUPIN

Update on the Indian Equity Market:

On Tuesday, the equity market reversed from the day’s lows and the Nifty50 index closed 1% higher led by the BFSI sector. The top gainers in the index were SBILIFE (+5.0%), KOTAKBANK (+3.1%), and HDFCBANK (+2.9%) while the losers were BPCL (-4.6%), TATASTEEL (-3.9%), and GAIL (-3.3%). The sectoral gainers were FINANCIAL SERVICES (+2.2%), FINANCIAL SERVICES 25/50 (+1.9%), and PRIVATE BANK (+1.8%). METALS (-2.5%), MEDIA (-1.4%), and REALTY (-1.1%) led the sectoral losers.

On Women’s Day, CNBC-TV18 conducted interviews with some women leaders from India Inc. Here are the excerpts of an interview with Ms. Vinita Gupta, CEO, Lupin with CNBC TV18 on 8th March 2021:

  • Ms. Gupta believes that all the investments made to drive the generics business, and affordable medicines business to the next level are getting validated now. They have been investing in therapies like inhalation, biosimilars, complex injectables, and women’s health products over the past 5 years, and have made tremendous progress in the last 12-18months.
  • In the inhalation therapy, they have received the first major approval for Albuterol in Sept-2020. The timely approval despite the pandemic will be beneficial for asthma and COPD patients who are at a high risk of complications due to Covid-19 infection. Lupin was able to launch the product and is ramping up the production.
  • With more inhalation products pending approval from the US FDA, she believes the inhalation therapy will drive growth in the generics business.
  • There is still a very large number of Corona cases in particular in the US. From a lockdown point, some states have more of a lockdown than others. The elective procedures are still below pre-Covid levels, suggesting things aren’t yet back to normal. They hope things would be in the second half of this year with vaccinations ramping up over the next couple of months.
  • Lupin supplies medicines for about 5% of prescriptions in the USA so maintaining the supply continuity was essential through the pandemic.
  • Despite the pandemic, Lupin was able to achieve QoQ growth in both revenues and profits. She expects the growth to continue on FY22E as well. The Albuterol approval will be a significant growth driver in FY22E.
  • There are 5 other inhaler products in the pipeline in the next 2 years for Lupin in the USA. The FY23 will be a significant year as they intend to launch products like Albuterol, Fostair in Europe, Spiriva in 2023.
  • Price Erosion in the generics will continue to be one of the biggest challenges in FY22E. The price erosion has reduced from earlier periods to low-mid single digits now. The complex generics launches and operating efficiency will help offset the price erosion impact.
  • They have acute and chronic care products within their India portfolio. The chronic care areas such as diabetes, CNS, Cardiovascular, Respiratory have done extremely well. Acute care products have been struggling, in line with the overall acute market in India.

Asset Multiplier Comments

  • Domestic pharma companies have been facing price erosion pressures in generic products in the US for quite some time now. Hence, they have shifted focus on complex generics, and biosimilars which require a higher degree of specialization and are margin accretive. Some of these companies have shifted to a direct-to-market (DTM) approach rather than being partnered companies of US pharma majors.
  • Some domestic Indian companies such as Lupin and Cipla have specialization in respiratory/inhalation therapies. These companies expect Albuterol Sulfate inhaler products to be one of the key growth drivers in the near term. Apart from Albuterol Sulfate, these companies expect an incremental USD 100-150mn opportunity from the respiratory pipeline in the USA.

Consensus Estimate: (Source: market screener website)

  • The closing price of LUPIN was ₹ 1,033/- as of 09-March-2021. It traded at 43x/ 28x/ 23x the consensus earnings estimate of ₹ 23.9/ 37.5/ 45.7 per share for FY21E/FY22E/FY23E respectively.
  • The consensus target price of ₹ 1,045 implies a PE multiple of 23x on FY23E EPS of ₹ 45.7/-.

Disclaimer: “The views expressed are for information purposes only. The information provided herein should not be considered as investment advice or research recommendation. The users should rely on their own research and analysis and should consult their own investment advisors to determine the merit, risks, and suitability of the information pro

By Lupin, Pharmaceuticals , 0 Comments Read more...
08 Mar

Disbursement growth will be higher than AUM growth– CHOLAFIN

Update on the Indian Equity Market:

 

On Monday, Nifty closed 0.1% higher at 14,956. Within NIFTY50, UPL (+7.1%), GAIL (+4.3%), and LT (+3.4%) were the top gainers, while INDUSINDBK (-2.2%), SHREECEM (-2.2%), and BAJFINANCE (-2.1%) were the top losing stocks. Among the sectoral indices, PSU BANK (+1.6%), MEDIA (+1.0%), and METAL (+0.8%) were the top gainers while REALTY (-1.1%), FMCG (-0.5%), and FINANCIAL SERVICES (-0.4%) were the top losers.

 

Disbursement growth will be higher than AUM growth– CHOLAFIN

 

Excerpts of an interview with Mr. D Arul Selvan, Executive VP and CFO, Cholamandalam Investment and Finance (CHOLAFIN), aired on CNBC-TV18 on 4th March 2021:

  • Commercial Vehicles (CV) replacement has been delayed by about 2 years now due to a series of factors such as axle load norms, BS6 implementation, and covid-19 impact. Mr. Selvan expects the replacement demand to kick in as CVs have to be replaced sooner or later. February 2021 itself saw good growth across CV segments.
  • Disbursements will have good growth in FY22E, but the AUM growth will not be the same. During the moratorium period, disbursements dropped but AUM was not impacted in the absence of repayments. Now as repayments also happen, disbursement growth will be higher while the AUM growth will be lower.
  • CHOLAFIN is adequately provided and won’t see higher credit costs. The collections are also improving. February as a 28-day month generally has lower absolute collections. However, collections in February 2021 have been marginally higher than January 2021.
  • Selvan is seeing that the earning potential of customers is improving and they are now able to service loans comfortably.
  • CHOLAFIN’s 4QFY21E RoE should be significantly better than FY20 reported numbers and directionally, the RoE would now improve.
  • Mr Selvan expects that the NIMs will be stable. NIMs could have marginally improved but CHOLAFIN is now scaling up on M&HCV segment which has lower NIMs. M&HCV lending business has a lower yield but it is compensated by much lower operating expenses and lower loan losses.

 

Asset Multiplier Comments:

  • CV cycle recovery has been a matter of debate between industry players for some time now. Some companies seem to be banking on the hope that CV recovery is here, while some players think we are still some time away from the upcycle.
  • Lenders across board have been witnessing improvement in collection efficiency. This is attributable to opening up of the economy post lockdown.

 

Consensus Estimate (Source: investing. com and market screener websites)

  • The closing price of CHOLAFIN was ₹ 537 as of 8-March-2021. It traded at 4.5x/ 3.8x/ 3.1x the consensus BVPS estimate of ₹ 119/142/171 for FY21E/ FY22E/ FY23E respectively.
  • The consensus target price of ₹ 444/- implies a PB multiple of 2.6 on FY23E BVPS of ₹171/-.

 

Disclaimer: “The views expressed are for information purposes only. The information provided herein should not be considered as investment advice or research recommendation. The users should rely on their own research and analysis and should consult their own investment advisors to determine the merit, risks, and suitability of the information provided.”

By Cholamandalam Investment & Finance, NBFC , , , 0 Comments Read more...
07 Mar

This week in a nutshell (March 1st to March 5th)

Technical Talks

NIFTY opened the week on 1st March at 14,703 and closed on 5th March at 14,938, it made a weekly gain of 1.6%. The index is trading below its 20DMA of 15,027, which might act as a resistance. On the downside, 10DMA of 14,894 might act as a support. The index might trade in the range of the above-mentioned levels before making a strong move on either side.

Weekly highlights

  • After three sessions of gains, the Market snapped for the last 2 days of the week as Nifty ended below 15,100, dragged by losses in metal, financial stocks amid weak global cues as bond yields rose again.
  • The NITI Aayog, which is in the process of selecting public sector units for privatisation, is likely to put out its first list, focusing on companies in non-strategic sectors, along with those that have got Cabinet approval for stake sale or are in the final stage of due diligence.
  • Saudi Arabia had decided to maintain its voluntary cut of 1 million barrels per day through April even after oil prices rallied over the past two months.
  • U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures climbed 17 cents, or 0.3%, to $64.00. Brent crude rose 10 cents, or 0.2%, to $66.84 a barrel, but down from a high of $67.75 hit on Thursday. 
  • Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) continued to be net buyers in Indian equity of Rs 22,000 mn, but the quantum of inflows declined from the previous week of Rs 1,81,700 mn, which was due to the bulk deal of Bosch. Conversely, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) continued to be net sellers with an increased net outflow of Rs 26,350 mn.

                                                                       Things to watch out

  • With the quarterly result season out of the way, market moves are reliant on macroeconomic developments & global markets.  
  • On March 10, RBI will purchase four government securities of different maturity dates aggregating to Rs 20,000 crore and sell three securities aggregating to Rs 15,000 using the multiple price auction method. The decision was taken after a review of current liquidity and financial conditions
By #WeekInANutshell 0 Comments Read more...
04 Mar

Demand for Housing loans is strong – HDFC

Update on the Indian Equity Market:

On Thursday, Nifty closed in the red at 15,081. Among the sectoral indices, Media (+1.6%), and Realty (+0.1%) closed higher. Metals (-2.0%), Financial Services (-1.8%), and Financial Services 25/50 (-1.6%) closed in the red. Ultratech Cement (+3.9%), Adani Ports (+3.0%), and Shree Cement (+2.9%) closed on a positive note. JSW Steel (-2.9%), HDFC (-2.6%), and Hindalco (-2.6%) were among the top losers.

Excerpts from an interview of Mr. Keki Mistry, Vice Chairman  & CEO of HDFC with CNBC-TV18 dated 03rd March 2021:

  • Interest rates may bottom out by March-end and there is not much downside expected from current levels.
  • The demand for housing loans is extremely strong. In Q3FY21, individual loan disbursements were ~26% higher YoY for HDFC.
  • 3rd quarter of last year (2019) was not impacted by covid, which indicates that the growth was not on a lower base.
  • HDFC manages COF (Cost of funds) carefully which helps to manage spread in higher/lower interest rate scenarios. The incremental cost of borrowings is coming down, which led to rate cut by some players. HDFC will also take an ALM meeting to take a decision on this front.
  • He said that on a 9-month basis individual loans constituted 76% of total loans and 24% is non-individual loans.
  • In non-individual loans, 11% is construction finance and the rest is lease rental discounting. 80% of the growth came from individual loans and the rest from non-individual loans in 9MFY21.
  • There is a pickup in demand in every segment.
  • Speaking on projects, he said the builders are able to finish projects. Some projects are stuck and they are taking a bit more time to come around.
  • The company is not looking to raise capital.
  • The company is looking to list HDFC ERGO and HDFC Credila, however, it is still in the planning stage.

 

Asset Multiplier comments:

  • Cheaper home loan rates have helped people to buy homes. The Home loan rates are already at a 15 year low. This has acted as a trigger for rising home loans.
  • RBI has lowered its repo by 115 bps since March 2020, the bank has also passed these benefits by offering lower interest rates.
  • Many players like SBI, Kotak Mahindra Bank have announced a reduction in home loan interest rates.
  • Lower interest rates and lower stamp duty in some regions might act as a demand driver for residential real estate in India.

 

Consensus Estimate: (Source: Market screener and Investing.com website)

  • The closing price of HDFC was ₹ 2,585 as of 04-March-2021.  It traded at 4.4x/4.0x/3.6 the consensus Book value per share estimate of ₹ 582/633/699 for FY21E/FY22E/FY23E respectively.
  • The consensus average target price is ₹ 2,921/- which implies a PB multiple of 4.1x on FY23E BVPS of 699/-.

Disclaimer: “The views expressed are for information purposes only. The information provided herein should not be considered as investment advice or research recommendation. The users should rely on their own research and analysis and should consult their own investment advisors to determine the merit, risks, and suitability of the information provided.”

By HDFC, Housing Finance 0 Comments Read more...
03 Mar

Demand remains strong, expect 4QFY21 to be better than 3QFY21 – Berger Paints

Update on the Indian Equity Market:

On Wednesday, Nifty50 ended in the green at 15,246 (+2.2%), lifted by heavyweight Reliance Industries which gained after winning INR 571 bn worth of airwaves in the recently concluded spectrum auction.  The stock gainers in Nifty50 were TATASTEEL (+5.3%), BAJAJFINSV (+5.0%), and RELIANCE (+4.8%) while the auto companies HEROMOTOCO (-1.5%), MARUTI (-1.2%), and BAJAJ-AUTO (-1.2%) topped the losers. Among the sectoral indices, METAL (+3.3%), PSU BANK (+3.2%), and FINANCIAL SERVICES 25/50 (+2.9%) led the gainers. AUTO (-0.7%) was the only index to close in the red.

Excerpts of an interview with Mr. Abhijit Roy, MD &CEO, Berger Paints (BERGEPAINT) with CNBC TV18 on 2nd March 2021:

  • In 3QFY21, BERGEPAINT reported a 32% rise in volumes. The demand scenario is quite similar to 3QFY21 and with a low base of 4QFY20, the company expects to report strong growth in 4QFY21.
  • The management expects good growth from the waterproofing business and construction chemicals.
  • A part of the volume growth was partly on account of pent-up demand.
  • There is a shift towards premium and luxury categories which were suffering in the initial Covid-19 days. Overall, the demand scenario is strong, though 30%+ growth may not be sustainable.
  • There has been an increase in input costs, especially for solvent-based products and the industrial segment is affected. To compensate for the higher input costs, they have received price hikes from some customers. Discussions with some clients regarding price hikes is still pending.
  • The impact of cost hikes has been lesser on the decorative paints. The management expects an impact on gross margins but EBITDA margins are expected to be retained on account of cost-saving measures undertaken. The management believes a price hike may have to be taken for decorative paints as well if the material cost uptrend continues.
  • The company is currently operating at ~95% of its capacity due to the uptick in volumes. Hence, they are undertaking both brownfield and greenfield expansion projects. A new plant at Lucknow is being commissioned for ~Rs 7,000 mn. The new plant is expected to be operational by Jan 22.
  • The decorative paints segment is growing at a faster rate compared to Automobiles. The Auto segment is a mixed bag, with Commercial vehicles, and Tractors doing well and passenger vehicles and 2-wheeler lacking compared to expectations.
  • The protective coatings category is growing in double digits, albeit at a slower pace compared to decorative and automotive.
  • The premium category has picked up significantly after Oct-20.

Asset Multiplier Comments

  • The paint companies reported strong growth in the decorative paints segment due to pent-up demand, delayed festive season, strong momentum in tier 3-4 markets, and share gains from small, unorganized players.
  • The weak macro environment impacted the industrial coatings while auto coatings did well. The auto coatings recovery was in line with the recovery in the Passenger and Commercial vehicles.
  • We believe as the metros and cities return to normalcy, the premiumisation trend will be stronger.

Consensus Estimate: (Source: market screener website)

  • The closing price of BERGEPAINT was ₹ 729/- as of 03-March-2021. It traded at 101x/ 77x/ 65x the consensus earnings estimate of ₹ 7.2/ 9.5 /11.3 per share for FY21E/FY22E/FY23E respectively.
  • The consensus target price of ₹ 620 implies a PE multiple of 55x on FY23E EPS of ₹ 11.3/-.

Disclaimer: “The views expressed are for information purposes only. The information provided herein should not be considered as investment advice or research recommendation. The users should rely on their own research and analysis and should consult their own investment advisors to determine the merit, risks, and suitability of the information provided.”

 

By Berger Paints, Paints , 0 Comments Read more...
02 Mar

Expect 400,000 + volumes in March 2021– Bajaj Auto

Update on the Indian Equity Market:

 

On Tuesday, Nifty closed 1.1% higher at 14,919. Within NIFTY50, TATAMOTORS (+5.1%), M&M(+4.6%), and WIPRO(+4.5%) were the top gainers, while ONGC (-2.6%), HDFC(-1.2%), and DRREDDY (-1.1%) were the top losing stocks. Among the sectoral indices, AUTO (+3.2%), IT (+3.0%), and FMCG (+1.4%)were the top gainerswhile PSU BANK (-0.2%) was the only sector to end with losses.

 

Expect 400,000 + volumes in March 2021– Bajaj Auto

 

Excerpts of an interview with Mr. Rakesh Sharma, ED, Bajaj Auto, aired on CNBC-TV18 on 1st March 2021:

  • Bajaj Auto reported total wholesale volumes of 375,017 units for February 2021, a growth of 6% YoY. According to Mr. Sharma, there was a shortfall in the volumes due to several factors.
  • Domestic 2-wheeler retails were higher than wholesale as Bajaj Auto was deliberately clearing stock. February onward, Bajaj Auto has started to focus aggressively on the entry-level segment.
  • The 2nd big shortfall was in exports, as there was a big spill over due to shipping container schedule. Bajaj Auto also lost some volumes in premium segment in domestic as well as exports market.
  • As all the above factors go away, Mr. Sharma expects monthly volumes to again go beyond 400,000 units in March 2021.
  • A 4% hit from raw material inflation is expected in 4QFY21. Bajaj Auto’s response to this will be after a very careful view of the fragile demand recovery.
  • Sharma estimates that the domestic 2-wheeler industry retails had a YoY decline in February 2021.Bajaj Auto saw a YoY retail growth. But a decline in retail volumes is not a good sign for the industry.
  • Bajaj Auto has taken a price hike in 3QFY21, but that has not impacted the customers significantly. The strategy is to increase the prices and simultaneously improve the product proposition for the customer. Further hikes will have to be taken in fragments, and cannot be taken at once.
  • Bajaj Auto is seeing a steady increase in 3-wheeler sales which is an important segment for the company. This is the tipping point for Bajaj to reach out to the customer with innovative financing schemes.
  • As Bajaj Auto was gaining market share in above 125 cc segment, they were losing in the below 125 cc segment. To address this, Bajaj Auto has now taken some initiatives which will help them grow both the segments. But for the industry, the below 125 cc segment has suffered.

 

Asset Multiplier Comments:

  • For the month of February 2021, Hero Motocorp has reported domestic 2-wheeler wholesales of 484,433 units, a growth of 0.8% YoY. For the same period, TVS Motors has reported 195,145 units, a growth of 15% YoY. Against this, Bajaj Auto’ s domestic 2-wheeler segment reported 1% YoY growth.
  • For domestic 3-wheelers in February 2021, Bajaj Auto reported a 27% YoY decline in wholesales while TVS Motors reported a 24% YoY decline.
  • Sales in the 3-wheeler segment saw steeper declines since the covid-19 pandemic on account of lower mobility. Several banks and NBFCs had taken a very cautious approach to auto lending. As 3-wheelers are predominantly purchased through loans, low finance availability put a roadblock in 3-wheeler volume recovery.

 

Consensus Estimate (Source: investing. com and market screener websites)

  • The closing price of BAJAJ-AUTO was ₹ 3,950as of 2-March-2021. It traded at 25x/ 20x/ 18x the consensus EPS estimate of ₹ 158/193/221 for FY21E/ FY22E/ FY23E respectively.
  • The consensus target price of ₹ 3,950/- implies a PE multiple of 18x on FY23E EPS of ₹221/-.

 

Disclaimer: “The views expressed are for information purposes only. The information provided herein should not be considered as investment advice or research recommendation. The users should rely on their own research and analysis and should consult their own investment advisors to determine the merit, risks, and suitability of the information provided.”

 

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