Tag - electric vehicles

Everybody’s gung-ho on EVs (Electric Vehicles), are we another sheep in the herd?

 

The primary motive of any business is to earn profits. Why are we saying this now – because today, there are businesses that have hardly made any profits which in turn means that they have destroyed shareholder’s wealth, although they have been very beneficial for the consumer.

A few examples of such businesses can be airlines, which have been highly beneficial for the mankind but most of them have failed to make any profits. A recent example would be food delivery apps which provide us with the convenience of quickly delivering food at our doorstep, have been losing money.

What’s common here? Huge capital investment. A highly capital-intensive sector needs barriers to entry for the players to make money. If there are too many players, each one of them have to keep investing in order to just capture a small piece of the pie. Every player fails to make return on investment higher than their cost of capital, hence, all of them lose money.

Who benefits here – First, the consumer, who gets the products which are cheaper, with better quality and higher variety. Secondly, in the longer run, a player or just a handful of them who emerge as winners.

What does it take for the business to emerge as a winner – lower cost production, scalability and better quality of product. Achieving all three at the same time and on a consistent basis is extremely challenging when you have to face competitors who are also running towards the same goal.

Companies dealing in electric vehicles will be facing teething problems as they have to spend heavily on technology and infrastructure right from the initial stage. Legacy automobile manufacturers, which are funding their EV losses from their ICE (Internal combustion engine) business, are competing with new entrants specializing in EVs with the backing of deep pocketed private equity funds.

What is the conclusion? Are we writing obituaries of auto companies? – certainly not. There is a big market to be captured both for ICE vehicles as well as EV. The hope is that, whoever emerges as the winner may eventually turn profitable, although, nobody knows when.

  Volume data of electric vehicles sold

Source: Federation of Automobile Dealer’s Association

Consulting firm RBSA Advisors estimates Indian EV industry to grow by 90% every year for the next 10 years and will touch USD 150 bn in 2030.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.”

 

 

e-XUV 300 to be launched in 4QFY23- Mahindra and Mahindra

 

Update on the Indian Equity Market:

On Wednesday, NIFTY closed in the red at 16,523 (-0.4%) dragged by BAJAJ-AUTO (-3.7%), APOLLOHOSP (-3.3%), and HINDALCO (-2.9%). JSWSTEEL (+3.6%), COALINDIA (+2.0%), and HDFCLIFE (+1.5%) were the top gainers. Among the sectoral indices, PSU BANK (+0.7%), BANK (+0.4%), and PRIVATE BANK (+0.3%) were the top gainers, and HEALTHCARE (-1.5%), IT (-1.4%), PHARMA (-1.3%) were the top losers.

Excerpts of an interview with Mr. Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director (ED), Mahindra and Mahindra published in Moneycontrol on 30th May 2022:

  • The revenue market share for sports utility vehicles (SUVs) is back to the top position, the company is getting 9,000-10,000 bookings every month for the XUV 700. The recently launched XUV 700 has seen only 10-12 per cent cancellations despite a waiting period of 18-24 months.
  • The Company has seen huge success in its XUV 700 Utility Vehicle and is not able to match the demand despite producing more than 5000 vehicles every month. The company plans to ramp up its production once supply issues subside.
  • The Management believes the worst supply constraints are behind it. And that as the company ramps up the capacity with semiconductors supplies expected to improve further, the waiting period will come down.
  • The Company announced the launch of Scorpio-N a new newer generation model of the classic Scorpio on 27th June marks the 20th anniversary of the first launch of Mahindra Scorpio in 2002.
  • While commenting on the overall market situation, ED reiterated that some risks remain on the external environment front and supply has been disrupted due to lockdowns in China. ED, however, added that they expect to see “strong growth” in the auto business in FY23E.
  • The company reported its highest-ever standalone revenue for auto and farm segments at Rs 553 bn for FY22 with April traction in tractors being strong, better than expectations. The farm equipment sector (FES) tractors market share for FY22 is at 40 per cent, up 1.8 per cent year on year with the highest ever farm export volume of 17,500 tractors in FY22.
  • The management reiterated the company’s goal to reach an 18 per cent return on equity (RoE), adding that focus on capital allocation and improved financial metrics continue to deliver results.
  • The Company is planning to launch the fully electric version of its XUV 300 SUV in the market in the first quarter of next year and is expected to unveil its electric vehicle business strategy, ‘Born Electric Vision’ of EV concept in Aug-22.

 

Asset Multiplier Comments

  • Mahindra and Mahindra continue to cement its position as the market leader in the utility vehicles segment and with the expected launch of e-SUV, the company can better consolidate its leadership.
  • The farm Equipment segment has been performing really well for the company, increased farm incomes due to government policy, and strong monsoon forecasts will augur well for the company’s demand in the medium term.

Consensus Estimates: (Source: market screener and investing.com website)

  • The closing price of Mahindra and Mahindra was ₹ 1,047/- as of 01-June-2022.  It traded at 16x/ 11x the consensus earnings estimate of ₹ 69/ 94 – for FY23E/FY24E respectively.
  • The consensus target price of ₹ 1,150/- implies a P/E Multiple of 12x on the FY24E EPS estimate of ₹ 94/-.

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.”

 

The commuter segment has seen a slowdown over the past 3 years  – Bajaj Auto

 

 

Update on the Indian Equity Market:

The Indian indices opened the week in the red. NIFTY ended 0.2% lower at 17,069 led by INDUSINDBK (3.9%), COALINDIA (2.6%), and POWERGRID (2.1%). EICHERMOT (-3.4%), APOLLOHOSP (-3.4%), and TITAN (-2.9%) were top losers.

Among the sectoral indices, METAL (+0.6%), PRIVATE BANK (+0.5%) and MEDIA (+0.4%) were the top gainers. CONSUMER DURABLES (-2.0%), IT (-1.5%), and AUTO (-1.4%) led the sectoral laggards.

Excerpts of an interview with Mr. Rakesh Sharma, ED, Bajaj Auto with CNBC-TV18 on 28th April 2022: 

  • EV transition provides the company with a huge opportunity in the scooter segment. The company is currently not present in the ICE scooter segment, ASEAN Markets are heavily skewed towards the non-motorcycle segment, so EV Scooters provide Bajaj Auto with a global opportunity.
  • The company launched has launched Chetak EV Scooter 2 years ago and will launch soon launch a new version in June-2022. The recent EV Fire incidents will impact buyer behavior in terms of safety concerns and brand preference but the transition to EV is inevitable.
  • The Mass Market segment (~100cc) has lost over 15% volume over the last 3 years due to economic slowdown in the rural parts of the country and decreased purchasing power of low-income groups due to COVID-19 and inflation.
  • The commuter segment contributes about 50% of 2 wheeler industry’s volumes, so the company is on the lookout for how the monsoon performs as it expects a revival in demand if a robust monsoon leads to a rise in disposable incomes which will be critical for the 2 wheeler industry’s turnaround.
  • The export segment has performed steadily with the company reporting the highest-ever volumes from the export segment. The company is a market leader or the runner-up in key export markets of Latin America, Africa, and ASEAN.
  • Demand will be buoyant during Q1, due to pent-up demand and marriage season in rural India, however, that cannot ve extrapolated to the outlook for FY23. Q2FY23 will be crucial to determine whether the 2 Wheeler industry is set for a turnaround after reaching a decadal low due to structural problems of inflation and unemployment across rural India.

Asset Multiplier Comments:

  • Bajaj Auto like other mass-market producers has borne the brunt of rural slowdowns and decline in demand, increasing commodity costs, and supply chain constraints but the issues seem to have bottomed out and the industry as a whole is set for a turnaround in FY23.
  • High export exposure and a robust portfolio of premium brands like Dominar, Pulsar, and KTM-Husqvarna have insulated Bajaj Auto from the slowdown in the commuter segment and made it better placed amongst the all the players in the 2 wheeler industry.

Consensus Estimate: (Source: Marketscreener website)

  • The closing price of Bajaj Auto was ₹ 3,623/- as of 02-May-2022. It traded at 19x/ 16x the consensus earnings estimate of ₹ 194/226 for FY23E/FY24E respectively.
  • The consensus target price of ₹ 4,120/- implies a P/E Multiple of 18x on the FY24E EPS estimate of ₹ 226/-

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.”

Production levels improving gradually – Maruti Suzuki

Update on the Indian Equity Market:

On Tuesday, the benchmark index NIFTY 50 closed at 17,805 (+1.0%), 180 points higher. Among the sectoral indices, OIL & GAS (+1.3%), PSU BANK (+1.2%), and FINANCIAL SERVICES (+1.2%) led the gainers while HEALTHCARE (-0.8%), PHARMA (-0.8%), and REALTY (-0.5%) led the losers. Among the NIFTY50 components, NTPC (+5.2%), ONGC (+3.7%), and SBIN (+2.8%) were the top gainers while TATAMOTORS (-1.7%), COALINDIA (-1.7%) and TATACONSUM (-1.2%) led the laggards.

Excerpts of an interview with Mr. Shashank Srivastava, ED-Marketing & Sales of Maruti Suzuki (MSIL) with CNBC-TV18 on 03rd January 2022:

  • In December, MSIL could produce almost 90% of its planned production which was an improvement over the previous months. In September, the company did only about 40% of the production. In October it was about 60%. In November it was about 83-84% and it was close to 90% in December.
  • There seems to have been a progressive improvement on the supply side as well because of the improved situation on the semiconductor front. Going forward, the situation is still not expected to be normal and it is very difficult to pinpoint exactly at what time it will become normal. The company doesn’t believe January-22 will be normal.
  • 100% Normal Utilisation levels is a dynamic that involves the global supply chain and is a very complex issue involving not just Maruti Suzuki and India, but all the OEMs across the globe.
  • On the demand side, the momentum seems to be still pretty strong and it is across all segments. The company saw a good improvement in booking numbers as well as the overall inquiry level even in December.
  • The demand seems to be strong but in the last few months there was a supply disruption because of the semiconductor issue and that has led to the building up of waiting periods and the pending payments had gone up. Currently, MSIL has 2.3 lakh pending bookings. The demand for CNG seems to continue growing. The waiting periods for CNG models are much longer than that for the Petrol/Diesel models.
  • MSIL is very bullish about the Indian market in the long term and the company is planning to strengthen the portfolio in one of the areas where it is a little weaker as far as product portfolio is concerned. The Company plans to launch many new models in the mid SUV segment.
  • The company has no plans to launch an EV before 2025 because it believes the ecosystem which is required for sustainable large-scale, large-volume build-up in the industry is still not there. With regards to the product and investments in the product, Maruti Suzuki has been a very strong presence and along with its parent organization Suzuki Motor Corporation, the company plans to make robust investments in the e-product portfolio.
  • Commodity prices are pretty strong and there is no real relief on the cards. As a result, the company has announced a price hike. Most of the OEMs have announced a price hike in January-22 and the company plans to announce a price hike in line with that.

Asset Multiplier Comments

  • Auto Industry is undergoing a lot of turmoil due to high pent-up demand, increasing fuel prices, supply chain issues, and commodity inflation. As India’s largest carmaker- MSIL is at an inflection point as it navigates through these critical issues while maintaining its market share.
  • The migration to EV has already been started by MSIL’s peers, however, with the company delaying EV Launch to 2025, it remains to be seen how it reacts to aggressive expansion by its competitors in this segment.

Consensus Estimate: (Source: market screener and Tikr website)

  • The closing price of Maruti Suzuki was ₹ 7,630/- as of 04-January-2022. It traded at 56x/30x/25x the EPS estimates of ₹ 136/251/304/- for FY22E/FY23E/FY24E respectively.
  • The consensus target price of ₹ 8,172/- implies a P/E Multiple of 27x on FY24 EPS estimate of ₹ 304/-

 

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.”

 

 

 

Product Development for Next-Gen EVs under Focus – Sona Comstar

Update on the Indian Equity Market:

After Monday’s freefall, Indian equities recovered on Tueday as the NIFTY 50 closed at 16,771 (+0.9%). None of the sectoral indices ended with losses. METAL (+2.9%), MEDIA (+2.5%), and CONSUMER DURABLES (+2.0%) were the best performers of the day.

Among the NIFTY 50 components, HCLTECH (+4.3%), WIPRO (+3.8%), and UPL (+3.6%) were the gainers. POWERGRID (-1.7%), AXISBANK (-1.1%), and BAJFINANCE (-0.7%) led the laggards.

Excerpts of an interview with Mr. Sunjay Kapur, Chairman of Sona Comstar with CNBC-TV18 on 20th December 2021:

  • Sona Comstar has inaugurated a new state of art research and innovation center in Chennai. This facility is dedicated solely to electric vehicles with an aim to foster the development of advanced products for next-generation electrified vehicles.
  • The semi-conductor shortage situation has not improved much over the past few weeks, as the number of chips required per vehicle are increasing as OEMs shift focus towards more digitally integrated systems in vehicles.
  • This is a trend across other industries as well, where the demand for more complex and efficient chips is increasing, adding to the supply issues. Currently, the Auto industry consumes 7% of semiconductor supply, which is slated to go up to 20% in the next 5 years.
  • There’s no immediate relief in sight as there’s no anticipation of a slowdown in demand, so until the supply catches up this issue will persist in the medium term.
  • Logistics, CIF, and Raw Material Inflation are near-term headwinds for the company, the demand persists the challenge lies in solving the supply-side issues in the medium term.
  • The company has set up a state-of-the-art Testing and R&D Facility in Chennai to develop 30-50 Kw Motors and Controllers for EVs. The company is in talks with global OEMs to gauge the demand arising from a shift towards EVs.
  • Conversion from ICE to EVs in terms of the 2 Wheeler market provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all auto-ancillary companies. The company believes that in a market of this size, competition can co-exist with significant market share

Asset Multiplier Comments

  • The shift to EVs provides a massive growth opportunity for all auto and auto ancillary companies and Sona Comstar is perfectly placed to take advantage of its unique R&D-led product portfolio.
  • The Auto Industry is reeling from the semi-conductor shortage crisis and with no respite in sight, we believe the company will be under pressure in the medium term until the supply side issues are sorted out.

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

  • The closing price of Sona Comstar was ₹ 709/- as of 21-December-2021.  It traded at 118x/ 75x the EPS estimates of ₹ 6.0/ 9.5/- for FY22E/FY23E respectively.
  • The consensus target price of ₹ 708/- implies a P/E Multiple of 75x on FY23 EPS estimate of ₹ 9.5/-.

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.”

Short term challenges persist– Minda Industries

Update on the Indian Equity Market:

On Wednesday, Indian benchmarks ended in green with NIFTY closing at 17,166 (1.0%). Among the sectoral indices, PHARMA (-1.6%), HEALTHCARE (-1.9%), and CONSUMERDURABLES (-0.4%) were the only losers. PSU BANK (+2.7%), METAL (+2.3%), and BANK (+1.9%) led the gainers. Among the stocks, INDUSINDBK (+5.8%), JSWSTEEL (+5.0%), and TATAMOTORS (+4.3%) led the gainers, while CIPLA (-4.4%), DIVIS (-2.3%), and ULTRACEMCO (-1.5%) led the laggards.

Short term challenges persist– Minda Industries

Excerpts of an interview with Mr Sunil Bohra, Group CFO, Minda Industries with CNBC-TV18 on 30th  November 2021:

  • There’s a significant impact on volumes in Europe, with the numbers down significantly at ~30% sequentially. The important thing to notice is that the volume numbers are also down year on year indicating the severity of the impact on a low base.
  • The recovery is expected to be volatile as the true impact of the new variant remains to be seen. International travel has also been impacted, it is expected that volumes will continue to be depressed until restrictions are eased.
  • The Industry is currently working to minimise the impact of low volumes through various cost optimisation measures, however, there’s a lack of assurance as to when will the volumes recover whether it will be in Q3 or Q4FY22.
  • However, the Industry expects pent up demand and volume recovery post this crisis to continue and thus keeps its long term outlook of double-digit growth unchanged.
  • Semi-conductor shortage volatility is expected to continue till H1CY22. There is some recovery seen, however, it’ll take another 6-8 months to indicate a semblance of normalcy. Over-stocking of inventory due to the existing shortage crisis is creating a mismatch between actual demand and supply further worsening the situation.
  • EV segment is at a nascent stage, but the company expects demand to grow exponentially once it picks up. The company is focusing on creating a base for this additional supply. The company benefits from having an agnostic product supply- i.e. it is ICE/EV neutral and the company plans to add value-added products to specifically cater to EV segments and has already launched 9 new products.
  • The company’s ICE toolkit currently tickets at Rs 7,000/-, however, the company’s new EV Value-added toolkit tickets at Rs 28,000/- The company will benefit from increased EV volumes and it’ll be margin accretive in the long run.

Asset Multiplier Comments

  • The auto industry has been severely impacted by intermittent lockdowns and supply chain issues, however, the underlying demand for the industry is set to stay and only increase in the medium term.
  • EV segment is a very value and margin accretive segment for the company, the recent shift in demand to EVs will augur well for the company’s profitability in the medium term.

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

The closing price of Minda Industries was ₹ 899/- as of 01-December-21. It traded at 69x/ 41x/ 32x the consensus EPS estimate of ₹ 13/ 22/ 29 for FY22E/ FY23E/FY24E respectively. The consensus target price of ₹ 927/- implies a PE multiple of 33x on FY24E EPS of ₹ 29/-.

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.”

Investments in EV Business a priority – Mahindra and Mahindra

Update on the Indian Equity Market:

 

On Thursday, Indian benchmarks declined for the third consecutive session with NIFTY closing at 17,874 (-0.8%). Among the sectoral indices, METAL (+0.4%),  CONSUMER DURABLES (+0.3%) were the only gainers. REALTY (-2.3%), PSU BANK (-1.8%), PHARMA (-1.4%) led the laggards. Among the stocks, TITAN (+1.7%), HINDALCO (+1.1%), and JSWSTEEL (+0.6%) led the gainers, while SBIN (-2.8%), ONGC (-2.6%), and SBILIFE (-2.5%) led the laggards.

 

Excerpts of an interview with Mr. Manoj Bhat, CFO, Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) with CNBC-TV18 on 10th  November 2021:

  • Raw Material Inflation has been a key headwind for the industry due the commodity cycle turning, However the company is taking a calibrated approach to passing on the costs to consumers through price hikes as the commodity cycles are transient in nature.
  • The company already has taken 3 price hikes in the farm segment and 2 in the auto segment, and there’s still robust demand and thus the company plans to adopt a wait and watch policy.
  • The entire auto industry has seen margins getting contracted severely and the company thinks that the margins have bottomed out at these levels. However the impact was seen in this quarter due to volume loss as a result of semiconductor issue and new product launches which are margin dilutive in the first few quarters.
  • The Company expects margins to improve over 2HFY22 due to scale benefit from volume recovery as the semiconductor situation improves, and calibrated price hikes if necessary.
  • The semi-conductor issue is a global one and it peaked in Q2FY22, but there’s signs of improvement across the world with improving visibility and the company expects normalcy in 1HFY23.
  • Tractor volumes were impacted due to erratic monsoons, however even on an inflated base of FY21, the company expects high single digit growth in FY22. The demand fluctuation is short term the company expects demand to stabilise in 4QFY22 led by market share gain by the company.
  • EV Three Wheelers segment has shown tremendous growth of 317% YoY in Q2FY22 with a 63% market share. The company expects 20% of current 3 wheeler segment to shift to EV by FY25, and the company has plans to invest Rs 30 bn over FY23-25 to expand its dominant position.

Asset Multiplier Comments

  • We expect the raw material inflation to impact the bottom line in the medium term.
  • Notwithstanding the semiconductor shortage, it has received a positive response for its new launches such as Thar, XUV 300, and Bolero Neo. The company has indicated its loyal customers are willing to wait as long as 9-12 months to get the new cars. We like the customer loyalty and expect the company’s top line to benefit in the medium to long term.
  • While its revamping its SUV portfolio, the company has ambitious plans to launch electric varients in its UV and 3W portfolio. This may help improve the product penetration.

 

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

  • The closing price of M&M was ₹ 925/- as of 11-November-21. It traded at 24x/ 20x/ 17x the consensus EPS estimate of ₹ 39/ 46/ 54 for FY22E/ FY23E/FY24E respectively.
  • The consensus target price of ₹ 1,050/- implies a PE multiple of 19x on FY24E EPS of ₹ 54/-.

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.”

 

Semiconductor shortage to persist – Motherson Sumi

Update on Indian Equity Market:
On Thursday, markets ended on a high with Nifty closing 110 points higher to close at 17,630. INDUSINDBK (+7.3%), ITC (+6.6%), and SBI (+4.5%) were the top gainers on the index while GRASIM (-1.8%), BHARTIARTL (-1.3%), and TCS (-1.3%) were the top losers for the day. Among the sectoral indices PSU BANK (+5.4%), PRIVATE BANK (+2.7%), and BANK (+2.2%) were the top gainers, while MEDIA (-1.7%), METALS (-0.6%), and IT (-0.6%) were laggards.

Excerpts of the Interview with Mr VC Sehgal, Chairman of Motherson Sumi with CNBCTV18, dated 15th September 2021:

A lot of struggling semiconductors manufacturers are coming back on stream. However, with the uncertainty and guidance from manufacturers, the company expects this issue to persist beyond Q2CY22.
The sophistication required and the manufacturing processes of these semiconductor chips are extremely complex, the current structural barriers faced by these manufacturers can’t be removed overnight.
Demand has picked up for the entire sector, however, there’s a rise in inventory for OEMs as manufacturers wait for semiconductors to be supplied to complete the production and deliver the automobiles.
OEMs like Motherson Sumi are agnostic towards the engine that is fitted into the automobile, whether EV or ICE. However, the shift towards EV is value accretive for the company.
PLI scheme is more focused on technology transfer and development than actual production, however, these schemes coupled with the EV push by the government will result in robust demand for OEMs.
Raw Material price hikes and other margin pressures are a function of cycles and thus the company is not planning to take any aggressive steps to counter it. Right now the focus is only on delivering on the pent-up demand as fast as possible.

Asset Multiplier Comments:
Semiconductor shortage is an issue that’s going to persist for the upcoming quarters and is universal. The Auto and Ancillary Sector has to bear the brunt until things get better.
Motherson Sumi by the virtue of its product portfolio is indifferent to the ICE/EV competition, thus it is better placed for robust growth ahead once the supply side issues subside.

Consensus Estimates (Source: market screener website):
The closing price of Motherson Sumi was ₹224/- as of 16-September-2021. It traded at 32x/20x/17x the EPS estimate of ₹ 7/₹ 11/₹ 13 for FY22E/23E/24E
The consensus price target is ₹ 256/- which trades at 19x the EPS estimate for FY24E of ₹13/-
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.”

No Plans to enter EV Segment in the short term: Maruti Suzuki

 

Update on Indian Equity Market:

On Wednesday, markets ended flat with Nifty closing 10 points lower to close at 16,634.  EICHERMOT (3.7%), HDFCLIFE (2.6%), HINDALCO (2.4%) were the top gainers on the index while BAJAJFINSV(-2.9%), TITAN (-2.2%) and MARUTI (-1.3%) were the top losers for the day. Among the sectoral indices,  OIL & GAS (1.1%), IT (0.7%) and FMCG (06%) were the top gainers, while PRIVATE BANK (-0.9%), METAL (-0.8%) and REALTY(-0.8%) were the top losers.

 

Excerpts of the Address by RC Bhargava, Chairman, Maruti Suzuki at 40th AGM dated 24th August 2021:

 

  • The Company will not enter electric vehicles in the short term and will enter “only when it is feasible” to sell reasonable numbers. The sales volume of existing EV (Electric Vehicle) Players is not significant enough to threaten Maruti’s Market Share.
  • The company is a market leader in ICE (Internal Combustion Engine). It has plans to be a market leader in EVs as well but the company feels, the conditions for EV penetration in India are not adequate yet.
  • The company’s short term focus is on Hybrid CNG to manage the headwinds raised by rising fuel prices until EVs reach their inflexion point.
  • The company plans to launch an SUV in this high growth segment with the aim to capture more market share in this highly competitive field consisting of a lot of players.
  •  The company is currently facing production issues due to semiconductor shortages. This is expected to continue till the end of FY22. There’s a significant reduction in production, however, no major operational loss is evident.  
  • The Company’s planned Capex is Rs. 45 bn but the company expects there will be a significant deviation in actuals by the end of the year.
  • There’s very low penetration per capita when it comes to the passenger vehicles segment. He feels that in order for India to be fully developed, India should not be pressured to meet its carbon emission reduction norms.

 

Asset Multiplier Comments:

 

  • Maruti Suzuki has a great brand presence across all segments in the Indian markets. With its cautious stance on EV, it risks losing out on market share to more aggressive EV players like Tata Motors.
  • ICE Vehicles are not still being phased out at a very rapid pace and a complete transition to EV is still a long way off. Till then Maruti Suzuki will likely continue to enjoy its position as the market leader.

 

Consensus Estimates (Source: market screener website): 

  • The closing price of Maruti Suzuki was ₹6711/- as of 25-August-2021.  It traded at 36x/24x /19x the EPS estimate of ₹189/₹ 279/₹ 351  for FY22E/23E/24E.
  • The consensus price target is ₹ 7912/- which will put it at 23x the EPS estimate for FY24E of ₹ 351/-

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.”

 

2 Wheeler EV Segment at a growth inflexion point: Hero Electric

Update on Indian Equity Market:

On Wednesday, markets ended lower with Nifty closing 46 points to close at 16,569. EICHERMOT (+2.7%), ULTRACEMCO (+2.4%) BAJFINANCE (+2.1%) were the top gainers on the index while KOTAKBANK (-2.3%),HINDALCO (-2.3%) and ICICIBANK (-2.0%) were the top losers for the day. Among the sectoral indices,  FMCG (0.7%), CONSUMER DURABLES (0.6%) and PSU BANK (0.3%) were the top gainers, while PRIVATE BANK (-0.9%), METAL (-0.8%) and REALTY(-0.8%) were the top losers.

Excerpts of an interview with Mr Naveen Munjal, MD, Hero Electric on ET Now dated 17th August 2021:

  • Electric 2 Wheelers are the most lucrative segment in the EV Industry due to a lot of factors such as fewer infrastructure demands, simpler charging requirements, and ride distances.
  • The biggest tailwind for this segment is government support, FAME II ratings, state-specific concessions, and production-linked incentive schemes for EV Manufacturers.
  • The Total Cost of Ownership gap between ICE and EV is increasing daily due to the rise in fuel prices. Hence, the company expects demand to shift to EVs in the upcoming years to the point it’ll be 20% or a 4 billion unit segment in the next 5 years.
  • The consumer sentiment is shifting towards Electric Mobility not just in urban areas. The penetration is increasing in tier-3, tier-4, and some rural areas as well, so the sales would only go northwards from hereon.
  • The range is adequate for regular usage and for heavy usage the company offers multiple batteries as a backup. Most customers charge their bikes at home. However, the range anxiety can be addressed by installing charging stations, in which the company is investing heavily.
  • The company has also trained 6,000 mechanics and plans to train another 25,000 to solve any potential issues that may arise due to EV Malfunctions thereby creating an entire ecosystem.
  • India is leapfrogging technologies to have the most upgraded know-how as compared to other countries who took the traditional approach of innovating through the years, which is why the performance of Indian EV 2 Wheelers is best in class.
  • R&D that is being done is immense. So the vehicles in the future are going to be far better than what they are at this point. This range of vehicles is already better than what was three or five years back. This demonstrates the huge improvement in technology,

Asset Multiplier Comments:

  • Electric Vehicles are a thing of the future due to the headwinds faced by ICE Vehicles, the transition has already begun and India stands to be one of the biggest EV markets in the upcoming decade.
  • There are no pureplay EV Manufacturers that are listed on the bourses. However many 2 Wheeler Manufacturers are planning their foray into this segment. It should be noted that Hero Electric and Hero Motorcorp are two legally distinct entities with no connection to each other.
  • Hero Motorcorp has its own plans to manufacture Electric 2 Wheelers as it wants to expand into this lucrative growth-driven segment.

Consensus Estimates (Source: market screener website): 

  • The closing price of Hero Motorcorp was ₹2763/- as of 18-August-2021.  It traded at 17x/14x /12x the EPS estimate of ₹167/₹ 201/₹ 225 for FY22E/23E/24E.
  • The consensus price target is ₹ 3235/- which trades at 14x the EPS estimate for FY24E of ₹ 225/-.

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.”