APL Apollo Tubes - 3QFY22 Result Update - Healthy Volume and Better Product Mix to Aid Margins

 

APL Apollo Tubes - 3QFY22 Result Update - Healthy Volume and Better Product Mix to Aid Margins

APL Apollo Tubes (APAT) has delivered a strong operating performance, despite volume decline, beating our estimate on all fronts. Revenue grew by 24% YoY (up 5% QoQ) to Rs32.3bn vs our expectation of Rs25.3bn on the back of better realisation of Rs77,569/ton (up 51% YoY and up 19% QoQ) despite volume de-growth of 17% YoY and 6% QoQ. The company recorded EBITDA/tonne of Rs5,023 vs. our estimate of Rs4,157bn. Its EBITDA margin contracted by 266bps YoY and 94bps QoQ to 6.3% vs. our estimate of 6.6%, due to the lag effect of commodity cost inflation pass-on to consumers and higher RM prices. PAT stood at Rs1.2bn (down 12% YoY and down 12% QoQ), 29% above our estimate. The management’s current plan of capacity expansion by 1.5mnT at Raipur by FY22-end and a full ramp-up in FY23, and the focus to increase the share of value-added products would aid the company’s margins, going forward. 

In view of the strong products basket, improving volume traction from value added products, healthy order book, likely margin expansion from current level, introduction of new high margin products from Raipur plant and improving return ratios, it  BUY rating on the stock, with an unrevised Target Price of Rs1,100. 

Healthy Demand Outlook; Margins to Expand 

We expect the demand for structural steel pipes and newer framed structures in various projects would keep rising over the next decade. Moreover, the company’s new product launches in various applications with strength would provide comfort to the end user to increase its usage in various projects like hospitals, new plant & projects and office structures. APAT’s ongoing projects of a 2mn sqft hospital and a 0.1mn sqft oxygen plant in Delhi have proved its efficiency in terms of 20% less steel consumption and 10% project cost saving. This would establish it to gain market share and win new orders from various industries, going forward. The company aims for a sizable volume traction in its high-margin tricoat segment and stable volume in the low-margin general structure, resulting into superior mix and leading to an expansion in overall margins. Moreover, its Raipur facility would launch all the value added products i.e. Apollo Column, Coated tubes and Coated products in FY23, which would help volume growth and margin expansion going ahead. Thus, we expect its EBITDA margin to expand to 9.2% in FY24E, from the current 6.3%.  

Outlook & Valuation 

IAPAT’s estimated volume to witness 9% CAGR over FY21-FY24E. Considering the lower volume and subdued financial performance in 3QFY22, we lower our revenue/EBITDA/PAT estimates by 2%/12%/15%, for FY22E. Factoring the company’s capacity expansion plan at Raipur, we raise our revenue/PAT estimates by 3%/4% for FY23E and broadly maintain it for FY24E. In view of the expected healthy volume growth ahead, better product mix, improved earnings visibility, new margin territory and return ratios of 20%, hence , The  BUY rating on APAT and maintain the Target Price to Rs1,100, valuing the stock at 30x FY24E EPS. 

As on 28th-Jan2022,  Apl Apollo Tubes Ltd has provided 78%return in last 1 year .

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