ASK Automotive Ltd IPO : SUBSCRIBE

ASK Automotive Ltd IPO : SUBSCRIBE
  • Date

    7th Nov, 2023 - 9th Nov, 2023

  • Price Range

    Rs. 268 to Rs. 282

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    53

Company Overview

Incorporated in 1989 as a manufacturer of brake shoe products for two-wheelers (2Ws), ASK Automotive has since diversified its operations to include offerings such as (i) AB systems and (ii) aluminium lightweight precision (“ALP”) solutions. (iii) wheel assembly to 2W original equipment manufacturers (OEMs); and (iv) safety control cables (“SCC”) products. The company is a prominent player for 2W OEMs in India, with a market share of 9% in FY23 in production volume (Source: CRISIL Report). The company is the largest manufacturer of brake-shoe and advanced braking (“AB”) systems for two-wheelers in India, with a market share of approximately 50% in FY23 in terms of production volume for OEMs and the branded independent aftermarket (“IAM”), on a combined basis. They have in-house design and engineering capabilities that enable them to deliver complex, precision components and solutions with a focus on quality. The company supplies its products to the top six 2W OEMs (in terms of production volume and value in FY23) in India, the largest motorised 2W market in the world, with domestic sales of 16.25 million units during FY23 (Source: CRISIL Report). In FY22, they commenced commercial supplies to 2W EV OEMs in India, including TVS Motor, Ather Energy, Hero MotoCorp, Greaves Electric Mobility, Bajaj Auto and Revolt Intellicorp. They have long-standing relationships with all six of their top 2W OEM customers ranging from 16 years to 30 years.

 

Objects of the issue:

The net proceeds from the issue will be used towards the following purposes:

  • The selling shareholders will receive the entire offer proceeds.
Investment Rationale:

Established manufacturer of safety systems and critical engineering solutions to India’s largest OEMs

India is among the largest exporters of 2Ws in the world. The 2W market constituted approximately 76% by production volume of the total Indian automotive market in FY23, comprising 2Ws, 3Ws, PVs and CVs. The company supplies its products to 2W OEMs in India, the largest motorised 2W market in the world, with domestic sales of 16.25 million units in FY23. The company has a comprehensive portfolio of EV and powertrain-agnostic products and supplies safety systems and critical engineering solutions to nine 2W EV OEMs in India. In addition, it is developing capabilities for product migration from steel and plastics to aluminium for lightweight and thermal management for e-powertrain and e-powertrain products. Due to the capital-intensive nature of the business and heavy dependence on complex technology, machinery and systems, the market may be difficult for new entrants due to the high entry barriers.

Technology and innovation-driven manufacturing process, with an extensive suite of systems and solutions for EV and ICE sectors

ASK Automotive entered the EV sector in FY21 to complement its existing systems and solutions for the ICE sector. The company has developed technologically advanced products based on customer specifications in the EV sector, including e-powertrain pulleys for a 2W EV customer to help achieve lightweight for its vehicles. The global trend toward vehicle electrification provides them with growth opportunities in the EV sector. As a technology and innovation-driven company, they are well positioned to capture market share in the growing EV sector. The increased adoption of electrification is expected to result in an additional focus on lightweight, which is likely to increase usage of ALP solutions in the 2W, 3W, CV and PV sectors, increasing the average quantity of aluminium used per vehicle in India for new product innovations for use in EVs. This will enable it to improve the content of its products, systems and solutions per vehicle, which it aims to achieve through the comprehensive suite of powertrain-agnostic products.

Valuation and Outlook:

The advanced braking systems market – including the sale to domestic OEMs, aftermarket, and export – is estimated at Rs. 54,299 million in FY23. Advanced braking systems are expected to grow at 8.9% CAGR over the next five years to reach Rs. 83,202 million. The market would be majorly driven by the fast-growing passenger vehicle segment, followed by 2W and CVs. The PLI scheme for the automobile industry will likely propel exports, thereby supporting demand for auto components in India. Almost all vehicle segments would log robust production growth between FY23 and FY28. The company’s experience in developing complex critical safety systems and solutions has led to established relationships with several customers. The component manufacturer has served the top six 2W OEMs (in terms of production volume and value for FY23) for more than 16 years as of June 30, 2023. ASK Automobile’s profit grew at a CAGR of 28.6% during the FY21-23 period to reach Rs. 6,037.4 million in FY23, demonstrating robust financial performance and positioning them for future growth. The company’s strategic focus to strengthen its position in the EV market and leverage its experience in developing AB systems and ALP solutions is helping them develop new products for OEMs. This has enabled the company to achieve further weight reduction, enhanced performance and improved vehicle acceleration via high-performance driveline products and improved efficiencies, positioning it firmly in the market. On the valuation front, the issue is valued at a P/E of 39.8x on the upper price band based on Q1FY24 annualised earnings. We recommend a “SUBSCRIBE” for the benefit of listing gains for the issue, as most of the positives seem priced in the offering.

Protean eGov Technologies Ltd IPO : SUBSCRIBE

Protean eGov Technologies Ltd IPO : SUBSCRIBE
  • Date

    6th Nov, 2023 - 8th Nov, 2023

  • Price Range

    Rs. 752 to Rs. 792

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    18

Company Overview

Protean eGov Technologies Ltd (PETL) is one of the leading IT-enabled solutions companies in India engaged in conceptualizing, developing and executing nationally critical and population-scale greenfield technology solutions. The company works with the government and has gained extensive experience creating digital public infrastructure and developing innovative citizen-centric e-governance solutions. The company was initially set up as a depository in 1995 and made a systemically important national infrastructure for capital market development in India. It has been the chief architect and implementer for some of the most critical and large-scale technology infrastructure projects in India. Since its inception and as of June 30, 2023, it has implemented and managed 19 projects spread across seven ministries and autonomous bodies, ushering change in the public delivery of services. Over the years, the company has successfully adapted to technology advancements through continuous investments in new technologies. The company also has domain knowledge for various industries that allow it to develop functionalities that address the specific requirements of end-users, businesses and public entities.

Objects of the issue:

The net proceeds from the issue will be used towards the following purposes:

  • The selling shareholders will receive the entire offer proceeds.

 

Investment Rationale:

Pioneer and market leader in universal, citizen-centric, population-scale e-governance solutions

The company is among India’s leading IT-enabled e-governance service providers in terms of operating income and profitability in FY23 and among the few players in the country which are working towards the creation of open digital ecosystems. Since its inception and as of June 30, 2023, it has developed and implemented 19 projects across seven ministries across India. PETL’s market share has been 45% in PAN issuance, 58% in TIN, 94% in NPS and 100% in Atal Pension Yojana (APY). It has embraced an impact-weighted framework to guide all business decisions with a focus on the Environment, Social and Governance framework. The company also has experience implementing and managing population scale critical solutions. PETL are amongst the few private players in India in the e-governance space working towards the achievement of the Digital India initiative and creation of open digital ecosystems by leveraging open source technologies across a variety of sectors such as e-commerce, mobility, healthcare, agriculture and education, amongst others. The company focuses on building a value system, driving it to contribute towards a sustainable and responsible future.

Expertise in securing, scaling and advancing the technology infrastructure

PETL has a competitive edge as it has invested in technology platforms to increase the operating leverage while ensuring scalability, improved functionality and driving innovation. These investments have also helped to provide clients and other stakeholders with bespoke services. The company’s market-first innovations have been implemented across various sectors and products, such as TIN in taxation pilot infrastructure for GST, laying the foundation for a unified tax accounting system in India. PETL actively contributes to and supports open digital building blocks using open-source technology and protocols that power ONDC for use cases in sectors like e-commerce, mobility and available finance. The company has developed scalable platforms by adopting a differentiated technology-centric approach focusing on increasing security and risk mitigation to help drive growth. Additionally, PETL platforms require limited capital expenditure to scale when adding new offerings or when volumes increase, allowing them to offer seamless and efficient services to users. To ensure project scalability, the company has deployed techniques like multi-tasking, multi-threading, multi-processing, and caching through advanced automation tools, monitoring tools, backup methodologies and a relational database management system. PETL has also adopted secure protocols that include multi-zone and three-tier architecture, 128/256-bit encryption, dual firewalls for core and perimeter and an intrusion prevention system. Logs for its firewalls and intrusion prevention system are reviewed promptly, with exceptions immediately escalated. The company also implemented a business continuity management system to establish, manage, maintain and continually improve business continuity capabilities. 

Valuation and Outlook:

PETL has successfully adapted to technology advancements through continuous investments in new technologies and capabilities and by developing sophisticated technology architecture. Their domain knowledge for various industries has allowed them to create functionalities that address the requirements of end-users, businesses and public entities. PETL clients benefit from its delivery model, significant experience across various technologies, industry knowledge, project management expertise and proprietary software engineering tools. The company was a pioneer in the e-governance sector in terms of profitability, operating income, and operating profit in FY23. It is a professionally managed company led by an experienced senior management team whose expertise and industry experience have helped it grow operations and innovate services. The company has a track record of sustained revenue and PAT growth, growing at a CAGR of 10.9% and 7.8% during the FY21-23 period. Further, building capability around data analytics, healthy financial performance, diversifying offerings with a focus on new sectors and expanding into more contemporary geographies are key growth drivers for the IT company’s performance in the long term. The issue is valued at a P/E of 29.9x on the upper price band based on FY23 earnings, which we feel is fairly valued. We, therefore, recommend an SUBSCRIBE rating for the issue.

ESAF Small Finance Bank Ltd IPO : SUBSCRIBE

ESAF Small Finance Bank Ltd IPO : SUBSCRIBE
  • Date

    3rd Nov, 2023 - 07th Nov, 2023

  • Price Range

    Rs. 57 to Rs. 60

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    250

Company Overview

Incorporated in 1995, the promoter group ESAF Financial Holdings Private Ltd. was granted the RBI In-Principle Approval to establish a Small Finance Bank (SFB) on October 7, 2015. Later, the bank was incorporated as ‘ESAF Small Finance Bank Limited’ on May 5, 2016, in Thrissur, Kerala. Subsequently, it commenced business as a small finance bank on March 10, 2017. It is included in the second schedule to the RBI Act, pursuant to a notification dated November 12, 2018, issued by the RBI. ESAF is an SFB focusing on unbanked and under-banked customer segments, especially in rural and semi-urban centres. The bank’s advances comprise (a) Micro Loans, which comprise Microfinance Loans and Other Micro Loans; (b) retail loans, which include gold loans, mortgages, personal loans, and vehicle loans; (c) MSME loans; (d) loans to financial institutions; and (e) agricultural loans. Its liability products comprise current accounts, savings accounts, term deposits and recurring deposits. It has a network of 700 banking outlets (including 59 business correspondent-operated banking outlets), 767 customer service centres (which are operated by its business correspondents), 22 business correspondents, 2,116 banking agents, 525 business facilitators and 559 ATMs spread across 21 states and two union territories, serving 7.15 million customers as at June 30, 2023. While the bank’s operations are spread across India, its business is concentrated in South India, particularly in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. As at June 30, 2023, 62.4% of its banking outlets are located in South India (including 43.4% in Kerala and 13.9% in Tamil Nadu), 73.1% of its gross advances are from customers in South India (including 43.5% from Kerala and 22.1% from Tamil Nadu), and 86.9% of its deposits are from banking outlets in South India (including 80.0%  from Kerala and 3.4% from Tamil Nadu). The SFB use business correspondent entities to source and service customers for Micro Loans. Its business correspondents also source customers for mortgage loans, vehicle loans, MSME loans, agricultural loans and select deposit products. In addition, their business correspondents are responsible for sourcing and servicing their banking agents. Its business model focuses on the principles of responsible banking, providing customer-centric products and services through the innovative application of technology.

Objects of the issue:

The net proceeds from the fresh issue will be used towards the following purposes:

  • To augment the Bank’s Tier-1 capital base to meet future capital requirements.

 

Investment Rationale:

Primary focus on rural and semi-urban banking franchise

ESAF SFB mainly focuses on providing loans to customers in rural and semi-urban centres.  Its customers in rural and semi-urban centres (combined) have increased from 3.0 million as at March 31, 2021, to 3.9 million as at March 31, 2023, and further increased to 4.1 million as at June 30, 2023. As at June 30, 2023, its gross advances in rural and semi-urban centres (combined) were Rs. 90,951.76 million, representing 63.0% of the gross advances. As at June 30, 2023, 4.1 million of the customers were in rural and semi-urban centres (combined), representing 56.9% of the total customers, and the number of banking outlets in rural and semi-urban centres (combined) was 502, representing 71.7% of its entire banking outlets. Since April 2020, the bank has considerably expanded the number of states and territories of operations. In FY21, they expanded their operations to Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Tripura and Chandigarh by opening banking outlets and/or appointing business correspondents for these states/union territories. In FY22, the bank expanded its operations to Uttarakhand by establishing a business correspondent for that state. In FY23, they opened branches in Tripura and Uttarakhand for the first time. The SFB intends to deepen its distribution within the states and union territories it operates by opening additional branches, having business correspondents open more customer service centres, entering into relationships with new business correspondent entities and business facilitators and adding ATMs.

Customer connections driven by its customer-centric products and servicing other non-financial services

ESAF SFB’s products and services are designed to meet the various lifecycle needs of customers such as home loans, clean energy product loans, loans for agricultural activities, loans against property, personal loans, education loans, gold loans and vehicle loans. An example of its customer-centric approach is that its Micro Loans can be repaid weekly, fortnightly or monthly based on customer preferences. As at June 30, 2023, 55.3% of its Micro Loan customers repaid their loans weekly. In addition to providing financial services, their business correspondents undertake various non-financial services, including conducting financial literacy programmes, livelihood programmes, entrepreneurship training programmes and community engagement programmes. The bank recently launched three new loan products to assist their customers during the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) Income Generation Loan Top Up, which is a pre-approved loan and a variant of the Income Generation Loan and is targeted at customers who have an existing Income Generation loan; (2) Utdhan Loan Series 3 – Covid Care Loan, which was tailor-made to support the financial needs of customers adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; and (3) Pratheeksha Kiran Loan, which was mainly for the restoration of livelihoods and households of customers impacted by the pandemic. Due to its customer-centric products and processes, they have high customer retention rates.

Valuation and Outlook:

India’s financial inclusion has improved significantly from 2014 to 2021 as the adult population with bank accounts increased from 53% to 78% (Source: Global Findex Database) due to the Indian government’s efforts to promote financial inclusion and the proliferation of supporting institutions. To promote financial inclusion, the Indian banking industry has seen several changes in recent years. NBFCs such as Bandhan and IDFC received permission to set up universal banks. Also, a few microfinance companies, a local area bank, an NBFC, and one urban co-operating bank have received permission to set up small finance banks. Despite its larger contribution to GDP of 47%, the rural segment’s share in credit remains relatively low at around 8-9% of the overall credit outstanding as of March 31, 2023. This provides a vast market opportunity for SFBs and other players present in the segment. With their microfinance experience, SFBs can manage local stakeholders and maintain operational efficiency. SFBs’ cost of funds is substantially low as they are allowed to raise CASA deposits. This will also help it to lend at more reasonable rates to its customers, enhancing its cross-sell opportunity in terms of asset products, insurance, etc. ESAF SFB was the fifth largest SFB in India in terms of AUM as of June 30, 2023. Amongst the SFBs, ESAF posted the fastest AUM CAGR of 39% over FY2021-23 period. The SFB’s capital adequacy ratio, which is the ratio of capital to risk-weighted assets and current liabilities, as at June 30, 2023, was 20.6%, which is the best asset quality amongst comparable peers as of June 30, 2023. As the lender will utilise the net proceeds of the fresh equity shares issue to augment its Tier-I capital base, its capital adequacy will enhance and lead to a stable leverage position. At the current P/BV multiple of 1.6x, we believe the company is attractively valued and advise investors to “Subscribe” from a medium to long-term perspective.

Honasa Consumer Ltd IPO : Avoid

Honasa Consumer Ltd IPO : Avoid
  • Date

    31th Oct, 2023 - 2nd Nov, 2023

  • Price Range

    31th Oct, 2023 - 2nd Nov, 2023

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    46

Incorporated in 2016, Honasa Consumer Limited, in a matter of few years, has managed to become the largest digital-first beauty and personal care (“BPC”) company in India in terms of revenue in FY23. The company possesses multiple brands, with the premier and flagship brand being Mamaearth. Mamaearth was built to service a core customer need for safe-to-use natural products, and focuses on developing toxin-free beauty products made with natural ingredients. While Mamaearth was a brand built from scratch in 2016, Honasa Consumer Limited has strengthened its position in the market by acquiring five other major brands, namely The Derma Co., Aqualogica, Ayuga, BBlunt and Dr. Sheth’s, and have built a ‘House of Brands’ architecture. Honasa’s portfolio of brands with differentiated value proposition includes products in the baby care, face care, body care, hair care, colour cosmetics, and fragrances segments. All new products are designed and developed by Honasa’s in-house innovation team of 47 members located at their dedicated innovation centres in Gurugram and Thane. For manufacturing, the company has set up an asset-light model through contract manufacturing. During the three-month period ended June 30, 2023, Honasa worked with 37 contract manufacturers to produce products in small batch sizes which gives it the benefit of economies of scale while providing the flexibility to scale up production as needed.

Objects of the issue:

The net proceeds from the fresh issue will be used towards the following purposes:

  • Funding capital expenditure towards setting up of the eight new stores;
  • Advertisement expenses towards enhancing the awareness and visibility of the      company’s brands;
  • Capital expenditure to be incurred by the company for setting up new EBOs;
  • Investment in the company’s subsidiary, Bhabani Blunt Hairdressing Private Limited (“BBlunt”) for setting up new salons; and
  • General corporate purposes and unidentified inorganic acquisition.
Investment Rationale:

Brand-building capabilities and repeatable playbooks augur well for growth

Honasa launched at least 5.7 times the number of new SKUs than the BPC industry median in FY23. This ability to successfully introduce new innovations and conceptualize and build new brands has been and will continue to be critical to their success. As of FY23, their flagship brand, Mamaearth, has emerged as the fastest growing BPC brand in India to reach an annual revenue of Rs. 1,000 crores (in the preceding 12 months) within six years of launch and was India’s largest digital-first BPC brand in terms of revenue in FY23. In a short period of time since its launch in 2016, Mamaearth became India’s most searched BPC brand on Google Trends between January 2020 and June 2023. Additionally, Mamaearth was one of the leading brands recalled spontaneously by consumers in the skincare and haircare categories between April 2021 and June 2023. The experience and success with Mamaearth helped develop a brand building playbook that enables Honasa to replicate its success with Mamaearth across newer brands. These playbooks extend from its innovation engine to its distribution strategy to its marketing and customer engagement capabilities. Leveraging these playbooks, Honasa has demonstrated a track record of introducing new brands to the market, namely The Derma Co., Aqualogica, Ayuga, BBlunt and Dr. Sheth’s.

Data-driven marketing and customer-centric product innovation key cornerstone for success

The company has adopted a marketing model through which it activates consumer engagement initiatives across multiple media platforms and channels. With a combination of digital and traditional marketing, they deliver a consistent narrative about their brands and proposition across all touch points relevant to the consumers. As millennials are most influenced by other millennials and respond better to content that is meaningful and contextualized to their specific needs and preferences, Honasa has created an in-house Content and Creative Excellence (CCE) team that leverages their wealth of consumer data to develop educational and engaging content that is relevant for their consumers. Product innovation powered by the company’s continuous consumer listening and engagement model is also a key strength of their business. The key innovation tools are Social Listening, Online Competitive Intelligence, and User Conversational Research (UCR). These consumer-insights and informed product development has helped them focus on new and emerging trends before they become mainstream opportunities and in turn, translated into share gain in key categories and need spaces.

Valuation and Outlook:

The BPC products market in India is undergoing a fundamental re-industrialization owing to the convergence of technology, demographic dividend, and growing consumer aspirations. Moreover, India’s per capita spend on BPC products is currently one of the lowest in comparison to some of the other developing countries and is at the cusp of growth as GDP per capita nears USD 2,000, which is a critical inflection point as observed in other developing economies. Honasa’s focus on building thoughtfully designed and purpose-driven brands has helped it cultivate trust, brand resonance, and affinity among its consumers and has enabled them to grow its business, as demonstrated by the growth of Mamaearth which has become the largest brand in the Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) BPC market in India within six years of its launch. Honasa, through its strategic focus on cultivating thoughtfully curated and purpose-centric brands, has effectively fostered consumer trust, brand resonance, and affinity, demonstrated in the rapid ascension of Mamaearth as the foremost player in India’s DTC BPC domain within a mere six-year span. Bolstered by a commendable gross margin of over 70% and an asset-light business model, the company has charted an impressive trajectory marked by exponential growth over the last half-decade, indicating promising future prospects. However, along with its recent attainment of profitability, the organization’s ongoing struggle to fortify its bottom line and ensure sustainable earnings growth demands cautious consideration. Honasa reported a revenue CAGR of 80% during FY21-23 period to reach Rs. 14,927 million vs. 28% CAGR for other BPC companies and it swung to a EBITDA of Rs. 228 million in FY23 from a loss of Rs. 13,340 million posted in FY21. Based on its annualized FY24 EPS, the IPO appears to be aggressively priced at 97x, discounting all immediate positive factors and seems like the company is leveraging its proven track record to justify a premium valuation. We, therefore, recommend an “AVOID” rating for the issue and would revisit the company following consistent and sustainable improvement in profitability. 

Cello World Ltd IPO : SUBSCRIBE

Cello World Ltd IPO : SUBSCRIBE
  • Date

    30th Oct, 2023 - 01st Nov, 2023

  • Price Range

    Rs. 617 to Rs. 648

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    23

Incorporated in 2018, Cello World Ltd. is a prominent player in the consumer ware market in India with a presence in consumer houseware, writing instruments and stationery, moulded furniture and allied products and consumer glassware categories. The six decades of experience of the company’s promoters (through their family) in the consumer products industry has enabled them to understand the preferences and needs of consumers in India, diversify the product portfolio and grow their multi-channel distribution network. This has enabled the company to curate an extensive product portfolio that caters to a diverse range of consumer requirements and offers a broad range of contemporary products across different ranges, types of material and price points. Cello owned/leased and operated 13 manufacturing facilities across five locations in India as of June 30, 2023, and is establishing a glassware manufacturing facility in Rajasthan. It has a robust pan-India distribution network supported by its 721-member sales team as of June 30, 2023. The company trades in houseware, insulated ware, electronic appliances and cleaning aids products. While most of the products it trades in are manufactured by its subsidiaries, others are manufactured by third parties.

Objects of the issue:

The net proceeds from the fresh issue will be used towards the following purposes:

  •  The selling shareholders will receive the entire offer proceeds.
Investment Rationale:

Well-established brand name and strong market position

Cello has a strong market position in consumer products, reflecting their vast experience, continuous product development and consumer understanding. To enhance brand awareness and strengthen brand recall for their brands and sub-brands, the company utilizes a diverse array of promotional and marketing efforts, including in-shop displays, merchandising, advertisements in print and social media, retail branding and product branding. This diversified offering is a buffer against seasonality in demand by catering to various seasons, age categories, and occasions like home, office, gym, and outdoor settings. By providing options suitable for different needs, Cello maintains a more consistent level of demand throughout the year, minimizing the impact of seasonal fluctuations. Additionally, the company’s ability to address diverse consumer preferences using raw materials such as plastic, steel, glass, and more ensures a broad appeal. It enhances customer satisfaction, bolstering brand loyalty. The company has developed a strong brand identity through effective brand advertisements and marketing campaigns, including “Cello – Companion for Life”, “Cello – Rishta Zindagi Bhar Ka”, “Hot Chahive Toh Cello” and “Don’t Just Write, Glide”.

Diversified product portfolio across price points catering to diverse consumer requirements

Cello focuses on identifying the needs and preferences of its consumers through its network of distributors and innovating its products to cater to their differing requirements and preferences. The company’s products are available across various price points and meet the quality standards expected by its consumers. As of June 30, 2023, the company offered 15,891 SKUs across its product categories. To cater to evolving consumer demands, they seek to constantly develop and launch a new range of products by leveraging their vast experience, market knowledge and innovation capabilities. The company has been innovating and introducing new range of products such as its recently launched writing instruments, cleaning aids, opalware, glassware and cookware range of products and appliances, along with moulded furniture and allied products, to increase its market share. Cello’s diversified product portfolio has allowed it to build a resilient business model to grow its business despite adverse events. The company’s focus on a diversified product portfolio, which caters to a wide range of consumer uses across different age groups, festive seasons and occasions, has allowed it to maintain stable growth in its revenue over the years by enabling it to withstand fluctuations in demand arising from the seasonality of demand for some of its products. The company’s widespread presence and scale of operations allow it to increasingly focus on branding and promotional activities to enhance its visibility in the consumer products industry and promote its products.

Valuation and Outlook:

The Indian retail market has historically been characterized as largely fragmented and unorganized. By FY27, the total retail and organized retail are expected to reach USD 1,418 billion and USD 325 billion, respectively, exhibiting a CAGR of around 11% and 24% for total and organized retail, respectively, during the FY22-27 period. The emerging economies like India have a growing middle class willing to explore modern retail and seek organized retail formats as they offer both awareness and access to global brands. Cello has a diverse range of products across different product categories, types of material and price points, enabling it to serve as a “one-stop-shop”, with consumers across all income levels. Cello’s extensive product range spans Drinkware, Insulatedware, Dinnerware, Serveware, and Glassware, and across categories like Cleaning supplies, Stationery, Small kitchen appliances, Moulded furniture, and Air coolers. Cello’s utilization of various raw materials across its wide product range helps safeguard profit margins when facing fluctuations in raw material prices. By leveraging a mix of materials based on market dynamics, the company has adapted and prioritized those with more stable or favourable pricing, effectively managing costs and preserving margins. Moreover, Cello benefits from a distribution advantage due to its large off-take per retailer. Retailers, too, find it advantageous to stock Cello’s products due to the comprehensive range, enabling them to fulfil diverse customer demands through a single brand. This results in higher sales volume per retailer. The company’s revenue from operations grew at a CAGR of 30.8% during the FY21-23 period to reach Rs.17,966.95 million in FY23. Also, their profit grew at a CAGR of 31.2% during the FY21-23 period to reach Rs. 2,850.55 million in FY23. Cello World had the highest ROCE among its peers in FY23, at 44.5%. The issue is valued at a P/E of 44.4x on the upper price band based on FY23 earnings, which is fairly valued compared to the average industry P/E of 45.5x. We, therefore, recommend a “SUBSCRIBE” for the benefit of listing gains for the issue.

Blue Jet Healthcare ltd : SUBSCRIBE

Blue Jet Healthcare ltd : SUBSCRIBE
  • Date

    25th Oct, 2023 - 27th Oct, 2023

  • Price Range

    Rs. 329 to Rs. 346

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    43

Blue Jet is a specialty pharmaceutical and healthcare ingredients and intermediates company, offering niche products targeted towards innovator pharmaceutical companies and multi-national generic pharmaceutical companies. The company has established a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) business model with specialized chemistry capabilities in contrast media intermediates and high-intensity sweeteners on the back of strategic and early investments in R&D and manufacturing infrastructure. The company manufactures a range of products in-house, including the key starting intermediate and advanced intermediates, allowing it to control production processes for consistent quality and cost-effectiveness. The company has also built a long-term customer base with innovative and multi-national generic pharmaceutical companies, supported by committed multi-year contracts. Further, the company has collaboration, development, and manufacturing approaches critical to success and a key factor for growing CDMO business. Their operations are primarily organized into three product categories: (i) contrast media intermediates, (ii) high-intensity sweeteners, and (iii) pharma intermediates and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The company currently operates three manufacturing facilities, which are located in Shahad (Unit I), Ambernath (Unit II) and Mahad (Unit III) in the state of Maharashtra, India, with an annual installed capacity of 200.60 KL, 607.30 KL and 213.00 KL, respectively, as of June 30, 2023.

Objects of the issue:

The net proceeds from the fresh issue will be used towards the following purposes:

  • Achieve the benefits of listing the Equity Shares on the Stock Exchanges;
  • Carry out the Offer For Sale of up to 24,285,160 equity shares by the Selling Shareholders;
  • General corporate purposes. 
Investment Rationale:

Focused and one of the leading manufacturers of contrast media intermediates

Blue Jet Healthcare has over two decades of experience manufacturing contrast media intermediates in India. The company manufactures contrast media intermediates and supplies a critical starting intermediate and several advanced intermediates primarily to three of the largest contrast media manufacturers in the world, including GE Healthcare AS, Guerbet Group, and Bracco Imaging SpA, directly. Over the past three years, they have supplied over 75% of the value of exports of a selected contrast media intermediate from India. The global contrast media formulation market had a size of US$5.9 billion in moving annual turnover for June 2023. The market is expected to grow at a 6-8% CAGR between 2023 and 2025, primarily driven by higher volumes. Seven iodinated contrast media APIs contributed to ~99% of the iodinated contrast media market, and seven gadolinium-based contrast media APIs contributed to almost 99.5% to 100% of the gadolinium-based contrast media market in terms of MAT for June 2023. The company supplies the key starting intermediate as the building block and several functionally critical advanced intermediates for manufacturing seven of these iodinated contrast media. In 2020, another contrast media intermediate was developed and commercialized as the building block for all gadolinium-based contrast media, significantly increasing the total addressable market. The company is now moving up the value chain from the building blocks by developing advanced intermediates to cater to customers.

Long-standing relationships and multi-year contracts with multinational customers enable strong and consistent financial performance

As a CDMO, Blue Jet collaborates and not compete with customers. The company has been able to establish long-standing customer relationships in each of the product categories owing to its research and development capabilities, process optimization, technical know-how, knowledge of the regulatory environment, track record of timely fulfilment of customer orders and ability to ramp up manufacturing capacities in close coordination with key customers. Due to long-standing customer relationships, the company has garnered a significant share of the addressable market. The company entered into annual and multi-year supply contracts ranging from one to four years, thus providing strong revenue predictability and cash flow visibility. Over 70% of total sales from the last three financial years were backed by contracted sales volumes through annual and multi-year contracts. The company has been supplying contrast media intermediates as building blocks for manufacturing contrast media manufactured by the world’s four largest contrast media manufacturers, including three of such manufacturers directly. In the high-intensity sweetener category, the ability to deliver quality products has enabled the company to establish long-term relationships with several key customers including Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited, Unilever, Prinova US LLC, and MMAG Co. Ltd., which has provided a stable revenue stream. Blue Jet provides innovator pharmaceutical companies with pharma intermediates under a CDMO model for manufacturing NCEs in the pharma intermediate and API category. The company manufactures these pharma intermediates for Hovione Farmaciência, Olon SpA, Esperion Therapeutics Inc., and Bial–Portela & CA, SA.

Valuation and Outlook:

Blue Jet Healthcare has established a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) business model with specialized chemistry capabilities in contrast to media intermediates and high-intensity sweeteners. The CDMO model allows the company to benefit from the accessibility to innovations of new molecules and helps lessen research costs and concentrate on efficient product development on a large scale. It also offers an advantageous position to continue to provide such products after they go off-patent in concurrence with customers. Further, Blue Jet plans to expand production capacities in Unit III from 213 KL as of June 30, 2023 to 499 KL by FY2025. The company also acquired a greenfield manufacturing site (Unit IV) on a leasehold basis in Ambernath in 2021 to build several multi-purpose blocks dedicated to pharma intermediate and API business which allowed it to increase the manufacturing capacity and scale its business. Once the capacity expansion at Unit III is completed and Unit IV is operational, the total annual production capacity is expected to reach 1,513.6 KL by the end of FY25. Further, the company has a track record of sustained revenue and PAT growth, growing at a CAGR of 20.2% and 8.6% during the FY21-23 period, with strong RoE and ROCE of 26.6% and 31.9%, respectively, in FY23. Further, the growth in the CDMO model, robust financial performance and expanding production capacity are expected to drive the company’s performance going ahead. On the upper price band, the issue is valued at a P/E of 37.5x based on FY2023 earnings which we feel is fairly valued. We, therefore, recommend an SUBSCRIBE rating for the issue.

IRM Energy Ltd IPO : SUBSCRIBE

IRM Energy Ltd IPO : SUBSCRIBE
  • Date

    18th Oct, 2023 - 20th Oct, 2023

  • Price Range

    Rs. 480 to Rs. 505

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    29

Incorporated in 2015, IRM Energy Ltd. is involved in the business of storage, supply, distribution, and sale of natural gas and working on laying, operating, maintaining, and expanding the city’s gas distribution networks. Authorized through PNGRB (which allows exclusivity to operate in a particular geographical area (GA) for a limited period), the company develops its natural gas distribution projects catering to both CNG (Compressed Natural Gas – 50.73% revenue mix) and PNG (Piped Natural Gas – 49.27% revenue mix) customers. Presently, IRM’s customer network comprises 66 CNG stations with its application in automobiles and PNG is directed to use by domestic households (serving 52,454 customers) along with commercial (269 customers) and industrial units (184 customers).  The company operates its business in Banaskantha (Gujarat), Diu & Gir Somnath (Union Territory of Daman and Diu/Gujarat) which are predominantly CNG-focused areas whereas Fatehgarh Sahib (Punjab) focuses on the supply of PNG. The company has further received authorization in Namakkal and Tiruchirappalli for creating the infrastructure of a 1,450-inch km gas pipeline (consisting of steel pipelines), 17,74,000 PNG domestic connections, and 290 CNG stations in Namakkal & Tiruchirappalli. For its gas procurement needs, the company sources its gas through RIL and GAIL for its mid to long-term gas sale and purchase agreements while it fulfils short-term requirements through its subscription to the Indian Gas Exchange (IGX).

Objects of the issue:

The net proceeds from the fresh issue will be used towards the following purposes:

  • Funding capital expenditure requirements for the development of the City Gas Distribution network in the GAs of Namakkal and Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu) in Fiscal 2024, Fiscal 2025 and Fiscal 2026.
  • Prepayment or repayment of all or a portion of certain outstanding borrowings availed by the company.
  • General corporate purposes.
Investment Rationale:

Expanding presence in newer GAs and enjoying exclusivity rights in the existing ones

In the next three fiscals, the company envisions adding 24,000 PNG domestic connections, 62 PNG commercial connections, 10 PNG industrial connections, along 63 CNG retail outlets. To achieve this, the company has ventured to expedite the development of the CGD (City Gas Distribution) network in the newly awarded GA of Namakkal & Tiruchirappalli districts in Tamil Nadu which has a high urban population. Additionally, favourable regulation like the ban by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on the usage of polluting fuels in Fatehgarh Sahib has resulted in overall volume growth from its industrial segment, with its industrial customers increasing to 170 in FY23 compared to 56 in FY21. Currently, the company enjoys network exclusivity rights of 25 years for infrastructure creation for all its GAs, including the laying down of pipelines and CNG distribution. This helps the business in creating entry barriers in its respective GAs and increases the requirement of large investments by its competitors to establish a natural gas distribution network post the expiry of its marketing exclusivity. Meanwhile, the company’s marketing exclusivity is valid up to September 2028 for the Diu & Gir Somnath GA, and until March 2030 for Namakkal & Tiruchirappalli GA. For Banaskantha GA and Fatehgarh Sahib GA, the company’s marketing exclusivity expired in June 2023 and September 2023, respectively.

Optimizing operations through a higher focus on technology

The company has prioritized the use of technology to improve its efficiency and cut down on its operational costs by implementing supervisory control and data acquisition (“SCADA”) at all operational CNG stations and awarding technology study assignments to the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology for the faster adoption of PNG in steel re-rolling mills in Mandi Gobindgarh, Fatehgarh Sahib. Going ahead, the business aims to increase its efficiency further and imbibe technical expertise through its association with ShizGas which is an energy provider in Japan. The business is also evaluating opportunities with ShizGas for sourcing R-LNG from outside India at competitive prices and tapping into new growth opportunities in the natural gas market in India. Moreover, the business has also signed a MoU with Mindra EV Private Limited for setting up an EV charging infrastructure at its CNG stations for a period of five years with the intention of driving another source of revenue for the business.

Valuation and Outlook:

It is expected that natural gas demand from the CGD sector in India is set to grow at a CAGR of around 19-20% between FY23 and FY30 to 117-120 MMSCMD, with healthy demand for both CNG and PNG. As discussed earlier, favourable government regulations have supported increased adoption of PNG wherein it is forecast that total household PNG connections are expected to grow from around 78.2 lakhs in FY21 to around 190-200 lakhs by FY26. Presently, the share of natural gas in India’s primary energy mix has increased from 6.3% in 2020 to 6.5% which is still significantly lower than the global average share of 24%. This provides the company with an ample amount of room to expand further in the coming years. IRM Energy Ltd. also benefits from its strong parentage of Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (49.5% stake) which has aided the business in overcoming certain entry barriers such as the requirement of large investments in this sector. Coming to the financial performance, the business has recorded a healthy volume CAGR growth of 76.58% to 196 MMSCM in FY23 compared to 63 MMSCM in FY21 while its ROE and ROCE ratios stood at 18.2% and 14.2% in FY23, respectively. On the upper price band, the issue is valued at a P/E of 24.1x based on FY2023 earnings, which is fairly valued compared to the average industry P/E of 43.9x. We, therefore, recommend a “SUBSCRIBE” rating for the issue.

Plaza Wires Ltd IPO : Avoid

Plaza Wires Ltd IPO : Avoid
  • Date

    29th Sept, 2023 -04th Oct, 2023

  • Price Range

    Rs. 51 to Rs. 54

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    277

Operating under its flagship brand “PLAZA CABLES” and home brands such as “Action Wires” (economical range) and “PCG”, Plaza Wires Ltd. (PWL) is involved in the business of manufacturing and selling wires along with selling and marketing of LT aluminum cables and fast moving electrical goods (“FMEG”). The company’s product mix includes products of different types of wires and cables, and FMEG such as electric fans, water heaters, switches, and switch gears, PVC insulated electrical tape, and PVC conduit pipe & accessories. In its prime business segment i.e. wires and cables (94.06% revenue mix in FY23), the company offers house wires, single & multicore round flexible industrial cables, and industrial cables for submersible pumps & motors up to 1.1kv grade. The company forays into arrangements with third-party manufacturers for its other wires and cable products such as LT power control cables, TV dish antenna co-axial cables, telephone & switchboard industrial cables, computer & LAN networking cables, close circuit television cables and solar cables, PVC insulated tape, and PVC conduit pipe & accessories. Presently, the company enjoys a network of 1,249 authorized dealers and distributors spread across pan India and C&F agents in Punjab. The company supplies its products, mainly in the states of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Kerala, and Rajasthan. To cater to its customer requirements, the company is equipped with a manufacturing unit located at Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, which is set with a production capacity of 12,00,000 coils per annum.

Objects of the issue:

The net proceeds from the fresh issue will be used towards the following purposes:

  • Funding the capital expenditure towards setting up a new manufacturing unit for house wires, fire-resistant wires & cables, aluminum cables, and solar cables to expand the product portfolio.
  • Funding the working capital requirements of the company.
  • General corporate purposes.
Investment Rationale:

Expanding its manufacturing capabilities to target a wider customer pool

In the process of diversifying its customer base, PWL is expanding its manufacturing capacities for its existing products along with introducing additional capacities for its new product lines such as fireproof / survival wires, LT aluminum cables, and solar cables. To accomplish this, the business has purchased an additional land parcel in Himachal Pradesh, India with a composite sale value of Rs. 2,65,00,000 and has proposed to add an installed capacity of 8,37,000 coils per annum and 8,700 km per annum to its existing capacity of 12,00,000 coils per annum. Along with this, PWL is also taking measures to increase its dealer network visibility in the southern parts such as Karnataka, Telangana, Puducherry, and other states in Central and Eastern India. Additionally, it aims to deepen its penetration levels in its existing location on the northern side.

Industry tailwinds in the wires and cables industry to augment business growth

The Indian wires and cables market is valued at about Rs. 1,033 billion in FY23 and is expected to grow at a robust pace going forward. The various government initiatives is likely to boost demand, with power and infrastructure aiding demand for wires and cables, growth in fire survival cables supported by metro, airport, and commercial real estate projects, and Smart Cities Missions supporting demand for underground cables. As discussed above, the company plans to increase its production capabilities in other categories to cater to the increasing demand. Additionally, the business aims to expand its market share in key growth sectors such as mining, oil and gas, shipping, power, infrastructure, construction, automotive, telecommunication, and agriculture to slice on a larger pie of opportunities.

Valuation and Outlook:

The Indian wires and cables industry is poised to benefit from the strong growth trajectory in the residential projects post the central government’s aim of building 20 million affordable houses in urban areas across the country by 2022, under the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) scheme of the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. On the upper price band, the issue is valued at a P/E of 22x based on FY2023 earnings which prices in most of the positives of the company. Moreover, it is important to note that Plaza Wires Ltd. operates in an industry which has high raw material volatility (which is in an uptrend over the years). Additionally, the business operates in a highly competitive industry with multiple big players which can challenge the pricing power of the company. Thus, considering the above factors, we recommend an “Avoid” rating for the issue.

Valiant Laboratories Ltd. IPO : Subscribe

Valiant Laboratories Ltd. IPO : Subscribe
  • Date

    27th September, 2023 - 03rd October, 2023

  • Price Range

    Rs. 133 to Rs. 140

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    105

Valiant Laboratories Ltd. is an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) / Bulk Drug manufacturing company focusing on manufacturing Paracetamol. These Bulk drugs/APIs are raw materials for manufacturing finished dosage forms or formulations. Paracetamol is one of the most commonly taken analgesics worldwide and is recommended as the first-line therapy in pain conditions by the World Health Organization. Paracetamol has several applications, such as in treating headaches, muscle aches, arthritis, backaches, toothaches, cold and fever. The company manufactures Paracetamol in various grades, such as IP/BP/EP/USP, as per the pharmacopeia requirements of customers. Paracetamol was initially approved by the USFDA in 1951 and is available in various forms, including syrup, regular, injections, and other forms. Paracetamol is often found combined with other drugs in many over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medications, cold medications, sleep medications, pain relievers, and other products. The company’s manufacturing facility is located at Plot nos. L-13 and L-30, Tarapur Industrial Area, Boisar, Palghar, in the state of Maharashtra, India, which is spread over an aggregate parcel of land admeasuring about 2,000 sq. mts. with an aggregate annual total installed capacity of 9,000 MTPA.

Objects of the issue:

The net proceeds from the fresh issue will be used towards the following purposes:

  • Investment in its wholly-owned subsidiary, Valiant Advanced Sciences Private Limited (VASPL) for part-financing its capital expenditure requirements in relation to the setting up of a manufacturing facility for specialty chemicals at Saykha Industrial Area Bharuch Gujarat (Proposed Facility);
  • Investment in VASPL for funding its working capital requirements;
  • General corporate purposes.
Investment Rationale:

Implement backward integration at planned facility to improve operational efficiency

The company intends to implement backward integration measures to improve operational efficiencies by manufacturing ketene and diketene derivative products. The company will consume one of such derivative products as a raw material, i.e. acetic anhydride, used in manufacturing paracetamol. The remaining products manufactured at the proposed facility will be sold to external customers, including agrochemical, pharma intermediary, dyes, pigments, food and fragrance industries. These backward integration measures will allow the company to gain a competitive advantage by reducing product costs, controlling the oversupply of raw materials, minimizing supply failure risk and reducing dependency on third parties. With backward integration, the company will have greater control over the manufacturing process and quality standards and benefit from cost efficiencies. As a result, Valiant expects to fulfill customer needs in a timely manner, increase sales per customer, and improve working capital and supply chain processes.

Focus on increasing penetration into overseas markets to become the ideal supplier of Paracetamol to pharma companies.

The company seeks to enhance its presence in international geographies, including regulated markets, where the strategy is primarily to become the preferred supplier of Paracetamol API to pharmaceutical companies. The company intends to obtain approvals to sell in the regulated markets. The growth strategy will vary from country to country depending on applicable regulatory norms. The company has a relationship with existing customers and would help to further strengthen the relationship with these companies. Valiant’s existing manufacturing facility at Tarapur Industrial area, Palghar, Maharashtra, operates a management system by the requirements of ISO 9001:2015. The company will also continue to evaluate additional markets and relationships, which will be beneficial to increase its presence in domestic and export markets and drive profitability.

Valuation and Outlook:

Valiant Laboratories Ltd. is an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient / Bulk Drug manufacturing company focusing on manufacturing Paracetamol. The company manufactures Paracetamol in various grades and sizes per customers’ specifications, like powder, fine powder, dense, free flowing, etc. These grades represent different pharmacopeia standards. The company sells products through an existing set of customers and new customers. Further, the paracetamol API industry grew from Rs. 22 billion in FY17 to Rs. 39 billion in FY23, led by growth in the pain and analgesics therapy area, which focuses on the treatment of common fever, cough, and cold, as well as volume rise coupled with strong realization levels for players. The paracetamol API industry is expected to clock a CAGR of 5-7% between FY23 and FY27, primarily driven by domestic formulation manufacturers’ demand and export markets’ demand. Further, the company has a track record of sustained revenue growth, growing at a CAGR of 35.3% during FY21-23. With strong operational efficiency, Valiant Laboratories has demonstrated high ROCE, positive operating cash flows, strong balance sheet, pursued growth opportunities and better managed unanticipated cash flow variations, which will drive the company’s performance going ahead. On the upper price band, the issue is valued at a P/E of 15.7x based on FY2023 earnings, which is fairly valued compared to its peers. We, therefore, recommend an SUBSCRIBE rating for the issue.

Updater Services Ltd IPO : Avoid

Updater Services Ltd IPO : Avoid
  • Date

    25th Sept, 2023 - 27th Sept, 2023

  • Price Range

    Rs. 280 to Rs. 300

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    50

Updater Services Ltd. was founded by Raghunandana Tangirala, who has over 30 years of experience in the integrated business services industry. The company is India’s leading, focused, integrated business services platform. It offers its customers integrated facilities management (IFM) and business support services (BSS) with a pan-India presence. Updater is India’s second-largest player in the IFM market and has the most comprehensive service offering in the industry, making it a unique and differentiated player. In their BSS segment, the company offers Audit and Assurance services through its Subsidiary, Matrix. According to the F&S Report, Matrix is a leading Audit and Assurance company for dealer/distributor audits and retail audits, and its substantial branch reach and field associate reach have driven the company to reach the top spot in India, with a market share of 19.2% in FY23. They also offer employee background verification check services through Matrix, and in this segment, Matrix is the third largest company in India, with a share of 5.4% in FY23. In addition, it provides sales enablement services through its subsidiaries, Denave and Athena. As per the F&S Report, Denave is the most significant player in this segment, with a market share of 20.1% in India in FY23. In addition, they offer mailroom management services through its subsidiary, Avon, a market leader in India with a share of 11.1% in the mailroom management services market in FY23. The company’s portfolio of services has also evolved over the years to cater to the needs of diverse customer segments across a range of sectors, including FMCG, manufacturing and engineering, banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), healthcare, information technology/information technology-enabled services (IT / ITeS), automobiles, logistics and warehousing, airports, ports, infrastructure and retail, among others.

Objects of the issue:

The net proceeds from the fresh issue will be used towards the following purposes:

  • Repayment and /or prepayment of certain borrowings availed by the Company;
  • Funding the company’s working capital requirements;
  • Pursuing inorganic initiatives; and
  • General corporate purposes.

 

Investment Rationale:

Longstanding relationship with customers across diverse sectors leading to recurring business

Updater primarily provides IFM and other services and BSS to customers across various industries and sectors. Within the IFM & other services segment, they offer services to industries including such as healthcare, manufacturing, automobile, BFSI and consumer products, with some of its marquee customers being TTK Healthcare Limited within healthcare, Saint-Gobain within manufacturing, Hyundai, Honda Motorcycle and Eicher Motors Limited within automobile, Shriram Transport, SBI Life Insurance and IIFL Finance within BFSI, and Sony within consumer products, among others. Within the BSS segment, they offer their services to industries including retail, IT / ITeS, consumer products, global technology, IT and electronics, airlines, and telecom and communications, with some of its marquee customers being More Retail Private Limited and ABFRL within retail, TCS and Mindtree within IT / ITeS, P&G and Hershey India Private Limited (“Hershey”) within consumer products, Microsoft within global technology, Logitech (Electronics) India Private Limited within IT and electronics, SpiceJet Limited (“SpiceJet”) and AIX Connect Private Limited (“AIX Connect”) within airlines sector and Tata Communications within telecom and communications. Such a diverse base of customers has allowed the company to reduce its vulnerabilities to economic cycles and dependence on any particular set of customers.

Track record of successful acquisition and integration of high-margin business segments

The company has established a track record of successful inorganic growth through strategic acquisitions to supplement its business segments, diversify its revenue streams, and further integrate such acquired businesses to strengthen its services portfolio. Their acquisitions have added a new customer segment, service line, or geography. Their acquisition of Avon Solutions and Logistics Private Ltd. allowed them to provide mailroom management services, logistics consulting, asset movement and niche logistics services customised to the specific requirements of its customers. The company’s acquisition of Matrix Business Services Private Limited added critical services for them, such as employee background verification check services and Audit and Assurance services to its portfolio. Through Washroom Hygiene Concept Private Ltd.’s acquisition, they provide feminine hygiene care solutions and products and services such as air fresheners, sanitisers and washroom solutions such as sanitiser dispensers and refills, surface sanitising system services, vending and utility machines, hand hygiene system and solutions, amongst others. Updater has historically introduced operating efficiencies and revenue growth and has increased the profitability of its acquired businesses, resulting in increased operating margins on a consolidated level.

Valuation and Outlook:

The global Facility Management (FM) market is witnessing a significant transformation driven by technology innovation, new business models, emerging value propositions, competitive disruption, and new service offerings as value propositions shift to service outcomes, user experience, and business productivity. Outsourcing is evolving rapidly worldwide; in the past decade, the main objective of outsourcing was cost optimisation, but today, organisations want to outsource FM services to free up internal resources to deliver strategic value. The IFM market in India has been growing steadily over the last decade and is set to witness significant growth momentum over the next five years. The total IFM market in India in the Financial Year ended March 31, 2023, is valued at Rs. 100,386.7 crores and around 39.3% of this is outsourced to third-party companies. Between FY18 and FY23, the outsourced Indian IFM market grew at a CAGR of 9.5%. The demand for IFM services has increased as people’s preferences for a safe, clean, and secure environment have grown. Over the years, Updater has become a pan-India player, with a widespread network consisting of 4,331 locations (excluding staffing locations) managed from 129 points of presence with 116 offices in India and 13 overseas offices as of June 30, 2023. The company’s widespread network enables it to service many customers and render customised services across India, where they are required to provide services per the customer’s specific needs through a combination of workforce, materials, supervision, technology and economic models. Their contracts with most of its customers are for at least one year, which subsequently gets renewed on an ongoing basis. As a result, their business is on an annuity-based model where a customer, once secured, generates revenue over a long period. If we attribute FY23 earnings to the post-IPO fully diluted paid-up equity capital of the company, the asking price is at a P/E of 44.8x, and we believe it to be priced aggressively. We, therefore, recommend an “Avoid” rating for the issue. However, we would reassess the company on improvement in financial metrics over a sustained period.