Aeroflex Industries Ltd: Subscribe

Aeroflex Industries Ltd: Subscribe
  • Date

    22nd Aug, 2023 - 24th Aug, 2023

  • Price Range

    Rs. 102 to Rs. 108

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    130

Aeroflex Industries Ltd. (AIL), a subsidiary of SAT Industries Ltd., is engaged in the business of manufacturing and supplying metallic flexible flow solution products which include braided hoses, unbraided hoses, solar hoses, gas hoses, vacuum hoses, braiding, interlock hoses, hose assemblies, lancing hose assemblies, jacketed hose assemblies, exhaust connectors, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) tubes, expansion bellows, compensators, and related end fittings. The company’s flexible flow solutions are made with stainless steel corrugation conforming to BS 6501 Part 1, ISO 10380, and PED CE with diameter sizes ranging from 0.25 inch to 14 inches and designed to handle temperatures levels from negative 196 degrees celsius to 982 degrees celsius and pressure handling capacity of up to 300 bars. The business product offerings (1,700+ SKUs) enable the flow of all forms of substances – air, liquids and solids and cater to a wide range of end-user industries like steel, oil and gas, refineries, fire sprinklers & fire fighting, chemicals & petrochemicals, metals & mining, solar and other industries. The company has a manufacturing facility located at Taloja, Maharashtra. As of March 31st 2023, the export side of the business contributed to 80.6% of the revenue from operations, by serving 217 customers across 51 countries. The remaining business was domestically driven which catered to 506 customers in FY23

Objects of the issue:

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

  • Full or part repayment and/or prepayment of certain outstanding secured borrowings (including foreclosure charges, if any) availed by the company.
  • Funding working capital requirements of the company.
  • General corporate purposes and unidentified inorganic acquisitions.
Investment Rationale:

High entry and exit barriers with no listed peers

AIL’s customer base includes distributors, fabricators, maintenance repair and operations companies (MROs), and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). OEMs are subject to tighter regulatory and industry standards with any change in the vendor of the product requiring significant time and expense on their part. This places companies like AIL in a favorable spot and creating an effective exit barrier for the industry. The company provides customized solutions to its customers as per the design and specifications provided by them through its manufacturing facility located in Taloja, Maharashtra which has an installed capacity of 11 million meters per annum. As on 31st March 2023, the company’s design and R&D team had a pipeline of 57 products under various phases. Going forward, the business aims to develop its design capabilities to offer upfront design services to customers as well which will further enhance its customer service and allow it to tap into a larger value chain of the flow solutions. Thus, the company’s continuous focus on R&D and sound manufacturing infrastructure has enabled it to meet the high volume demands of its customers, leading to high entry barriers for smaller firms.

Diversifying customer offerings, with an increasing focus on international expansion

The company is involved in developing and manufacturing flexible flow solutions made with stainless steel of various grades. Moving ahead, the business aims to further strengthen its domestic and global market positioning by foraying into flexible flow solutions made with other high-end materials which include bronze, polytetrafluoroethylene, haste alloy, inconel, and monel. This will not only aid in increasing its customer base but also in optimizing its operating margins on the way ahead. On the international front, the business aims to expand its presence into geographies such as the USA, Europe, Far East Region, and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by opening up warehouses, distribution centers, and business development offices. The company incorporated “Aeroflex Industries Limited” in 2019 as a wholly-owned subsidiary in the United Kingdom (UK) to create a better presence in its export business.

Valuation and Outlook:

The global SS flexible hose industry is estimated to be worth USD 25 billion in 2020 with the size of SS corrugated hose estimated at USD 12.5 billion. This is expected to expand to USD 38 billion and USD 18 billion, respectively by 2027. The short-term growth is expected to be driven by the traditional industry segments like manufacturing, automotive, oil & gas (Exploring & Refineries), and HVAC system. Meanwhile, the increasing focus on industries with government support like electric vehicles and renewables (increase in solar power generation capacity) and high precision products like semiconductor and robotic applications are poised to drive the long-term growth of the business. A key monitorable for the business remains the low cost of rubber/ polymer hose which is expected to narrow with increasing awareness of stainless steel corrugation. On the financial front, the business has effectively scaled its operational margins to 20.05% in FY23 compared to 15.43% in FY21 and its debt/equity ratio has declined to 0.39x in FY23 as against 0.9x in FY22. On the upper end of the price band, the issue is valued at a P/E of 41x based on FY23 earnings which we feel is fairly valued given the large headroom for growth. We, therefore, recommend a “Subscribe” rating for the issue.

Pyramid Technoplast Ltd: Avoid

Pyramid Technoplast Ltd: Avoid
  • Date

    18th August, 2023 - 22ndAugust, 2023

  • Price Range

    Rs. 151 to Rs. 166

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    90

Incorporated in 1997, Pyramid Technoplast Limited is an industrial packaging company involved in the business of manufacturing polymer-based molded products (Polymer Drums) mainly used by agrochemical, specialty chemical, and pharmaceutical companies for their packaging requirements. They are one of the leading manufacturers of rigid Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC) in India and manufacture 1,000-litre capacity IBC. IBCs are industrial-grade containers engineered for the mass handling, transport, and storage of liquids, semi-solids, pastes, or solids. The company also manufactures MS Drums made of mild steel (MS) used in the packaging and transport of chemicals, agrochemicals, and specialty chemicals. Presently, they have six strategically situated manufacturing units out of which four are in Bharuch, GIDC, and two are situated at Silvassa. The seventh manufacturing unit is under construction at Bharuch, GIDC.

Objects of the issue:

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

  • Repayment and/or pre-payment, in full or part, of certain outstanding borrowings availed by the company;
  • Funding working capital requirements of the company;
  •  General corporate purposes.

 

Investment Rationale:

Long-standing relationships with key customers to accelerate growth

The company caters to bulk packaging requirements of their clients from diverse industries like chemicals, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, lubricants, and edible oil by supplying them with Polymer Drums, IBC, and MS drums for packaging. The company has over the years established relationships with various clients across these industries and continues to serve them with product offerings. The clients have stringent quality and qualification requirements which the company is required to follow for continued supply of products. Pyramid enjoys long-term relationships with most of its clients and the repeat business from them allows it to have strong visibility on future revenues and a stable client base. The company has served more than 376 customers regularly during the past three financial years and expected to add more customers to drive revenue performance going ahead.

Comprehensive product portfolio and continued evaluation of organic growth      opportunities bodes well for the business

The company offers complete bulk industrial packaging solutions to their clients since they manufacture both polymer-based bulk packaging drums and IBC, as well as MS Drums for packaging. The product offering in polymer-based packaging by way of drums ranges from 20 litres to 250 litres and IBC which is 1,000 litres.  The company also offers the alternative packaging option of MS Drums manufactured from MS, aiding them to offer and provide alternative packaging solutions to customers as per their preferences and requirements. With the comprehensive product portfolio, the company also plans to explore acquisition of businesses, assets, and machines in new geographies where considerable business opportunities would be available to grow their business. Strategic acquisitions targeted to increase capacity and penetrate new markets will be the focus of the company going ahead.

Valuation and Outlook:

Pyramid Technoplast is an industrial packaging company involved in the business of manufacturing polymer-based molded products mainly used by chemical and pharma companies for their packaging requirements. The company uses blow molding technology to manufacture Polymer Drums and IBCs. Their products are marketed and sold under the brand name Pyramid. The company also has long-term relationships with distributors both domestic and international, and has multiple vendors for particular components rather than relying on single sources to de-risk themselves from supply chain problems. This allows them to ensure the continued availability of raw materials as well as enables them to secure the best possible prices for their products. The company has a track record of sustained Rev/EBITDA/PAT growth which rose at a CAGR of 23.7%/29.3%/36.9% during the FY21-23 period. On the upper price band, the issue is valued at a P/E of 16.2x based on FY2023 earnings. The high competitive intensity, thin margins and volatility due to commoditized nature of the business (dependent on crude and steel prices) and consistent levels of debt makes us     cautious on the issue. We, therefore, recommend a “Avoid” rating for the issue.

TVS Supply Chain Solutions Ltd: Avoid

TVS Supply Chain Solutions Ltd: Avoid
  • Date

    10th August, 2023 - 14th August, 2023

  • Price Range

    Rs. 187 to Rs. 197

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    76

TVS Group commenced its operations as ‘TVS Logistics’, a division of TVS & Sons in 1995 before being incorporated as a separate company in 2004. As per the Redseer Report, TVS Supply Chain Solutions Ltd. is India’s largest and fastest growing integrated supply chain solutions provider among Indian listed supply chain solutions companies in terms of revenues and revenue growth, respectively, in FY23. The company’s operating segments consist of Integrated Supply Chain Solutions (ISCS) and Network Solutions (NS). The integrated end-to-end supply chain solutions include sourcing and procurement, integrated transportation, logistics operation centres, in-plant logistics operations, finished goods and aftermarket fulfilment. In fiscal 2023, they provided services to 412 customers in the ISCS segment. In Network Solutions (NS), they offer customers Global Forwarding Solutions (“GFS”) and Time Critical Final Mile Solutions (“TCFMS”). In fiscal 2023, they provided services to 8,376 customers in the NS segment. Over a span of more than 16 years, the company has managed large and complex supply chains across multiple industries in India and select global markets through customized tech-enabled solutions. Globally, they have provided supply chain solutions to 11,546, 10,531 and 8,788 customers during FY21, FY22 and FY23, respectively. In India, they have provided their solutions to 1,120, 1,044 and 902 customers in the same years, respectively. The company added an aggregate of 1,179; 152 and 177 new customers (i.e. new customers whom the company did not provide any services in the immediately preceding year) in FY21, FY22 and FY23, respectively. TVS has developed long-term relationships with several clients, which has provided resilience to its revenue and profitability. Some of its customers with whom they have had long-term relationships as of March 31, 2023, include Sony India Private Limited (12 years), Hyundai Motor India Limited (13 years), Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited (3 years), Ashok Leyland Limited (17 years), TVS Motor Company Limited (17 years), Diebold Nixdorf (8 years), TVS Srichakra Limited (10 years), to name a few.

Objects of the issue:

The net proceeds from offer for sale and fresh issue will be used towards the following purposes:

  • Payment to existing shareholders under the offer for sale;
  • Prepayment or repayment of all or a portion of certain outstanding borrowings availed by the company and its subsidiary, TVS LI UK; and
  • General corporate purposes.
Investment Rationale:

Market leader in end-to-end solutions enabled by domain expertise, global network and knowledge base

The demand for complex integrated solutions is driving enterprises to increasingly seek a single or smaller set of more strategic third-party logistics service providers. TVS acts as a complete ‘one-stop’ solution for customers from sourcing to distribution through its end-to-end capabilities, which include sourcing and procurement, integrated transportation, logistics operating centre, in-plant logistics operations, finished goods and aftermarket fulfilment, import and export freight, closed-loop logistics and support, and secondary transportation. TVS can significantly add value to its customers for their revenue and cost optimization by solving their complex problems and requirements with innovative and customized solutions and implementation at scale. They use intelligence, automation and dynamic optimization capabilities that enable customers to achieve their supply chain objectives, increase supply chain visibility and lower total cost of operations.

Robust in-house technology differentiation

With increasing technological advancements in the logistics and supply chain industry, TVS follows a ‘technology-first’ supply chain solutions approach and aims at delivering innovative and responsive technology solutions to optimize its customers’ supply chains. Their solution tools for transport, warehouse, order and labour management enable them to develop customized solutions. They also utilize their deep knowledge of technology, data and experience in catering to customers’ needs to construct robust and flexible technology services that cater to customers’ needs. Their ‘plug-and-play modules’ can be easily integrated with its customers’ internal systems, including their existing enterprise resource planning systems. These can be replicated across geographies and industries for customers, enabling them to scale their services faster. Their technology capabilities comprise (i) a software suite, which primarily includes in-house technology systems and software such as i-Loads, Visibility, Msys, TRACE, Courier Alliance, LCL Consolidated and e-Connect as well as third-party technologies such as CargoWise; and (ii) technology infrastructure which is supported by TVS’ smart centre control tower, development centres and ‘Centre of Excellences’.

Valuation and Outlook:

The Indian logistics sector is one of the largest in the world and is critical for the country’s economic growth. After contracting by 2% in FY21, the market witnessed a strong post-COVID recovery in FY22. The market grew by 14% and was valued at US$435 billion in FY22 and is projected to grow to US$591 billion by FY27, driven by factors such as strong demand from manufacturing (led by the “Make in India” campaign), retail, automotive and pharmaceutical sectors. Other drivers for industry growth include the need for efficiency improvement in the newly created demand, increasing shift of industry preferences towards integrated supply-chain services and other sophisticated solutions like inventory optimization and data analytics from isolated offerings like transportation or warehousing, and growth of e-commerce in India that demands specialized needs of online delivery (amongst others, faster delivery, return management and cash on delivery). Over the years, the company’s operations, backed by the strong parentage of TVS Group, have significantly grown, with a presence in 26 countries including India, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Australia and Singapore. As of March 31, 2023, the company managed 4,686,032 square feet of logistics warehouse space in North America, Asia, Australia, the United Kingdom and Europe. In fiscal 2023, the company carried 28,524 tons of air freight and 74,558 TEU of sea freight in the rest of the world (i.e. geographies other than India). In FY23, they provided ISCS services to 104 customers and NS services to 7,782 customers in the rest of the world (i.e. geographies other than India). On the financial performance front, TVS has posted growth in its top line and has turned the corner for FY23 after marking reduced losses for the reported periods. On the upper price band, the issue is valued at a P/E of 193.3x based on FY23 earnings which we feel is richly valued, as it is higher than other industry players such as TCI Express, Delhivery, and Mahindra Logistics. Hence, we recommend an “Avoid” rating on the issue and would reconsider the company following sustained improvement in financial metrics (especially margin expansion) and reasonable valuation.

SBFC Finance Ltd: Subscribe

SBFC Finance Ltd: Subscribe
  • Date

    03rd Aug, 2023 - 07th Aug, 2023

  • Price Range

    Rs. 54 to Rs. 57

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    260

SBFC Finance Ltd. (SBFC) is a systemically important, non-deposit taking non-banking financial company offering loans including secured Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises loans and loans against gold, with a focus on ticket size in the range of Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs. 30 lakhs. As of March 31, 2023, it had a footprint in 120 cities, spanning 16 Indian states and two Union Territories, with 152 branches. Among MSME-focused NBFCs in India, SBFC has one of the highest assets under management growth, at a CAGR of 44% in the period from FY19 to FY23 (Source: CRISIL Report). It has also witnessed healthy disbursement growth, at a CAGR of 40% between FY21 and FY23. SBFC primarily focuses on small enterprise borrowers, whose monthly income is up to Rs. 1.5 lakhs, with a demonstrable track record of servicing loans such as gold loans, and loans for two wheeler vehicles and have a CIBIL score above 700 at the time of origination. SBFC has a diversified pan-India presence, with an extensive network in its target customer segment. Their  geographically diverse distribution network spread across the North, South, East and West zones, allows it to penetrate underbanked populations in tier II and tier III cities in India. As of March 31, 2023, their AUM is diversified across India, with 30.84% (Rs. 1,524.2 crores) in the North (in the states of Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand), 38.53% (Rs. 19,04.8 crores) in the South (in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry), and 30.63% (Rs. 1,513.8 crores) in the West and East collectively (in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Assam and Bihar). They source customers directly through their sales team of 1,911 employees as of March 31, 2023, and have adopted a direct sourcing model through branch-led local marketing efforts, repeat customers or walk-ins.

Objects of the issue:

The IPO proceeds will be used towards the following purposes:

  • To utilize the Net Proceeds towards augmenting the Company’s capital base to meet its future capital requirements arising out of the growth of the business and assets.
Investment Rationale:

Diversified pan-India presence with an extensive network to cater to its target customer segment

SBFC is a lender that provides loans to entrepreneurs, small business owners, self-employed individuals, and salaried and working-class individuals. As of March 31, 2023, they had an expansive footprint in 120 cities, spanning 16 Indian states and two union territories, with 152 branches. The extent of SBFC’s network allows them to service its existing customers and attract new customers as a result of personal relationships cultivated through proximity and frequent interaction by its employees. Their extensive and geographically diverse distribution network allows them to penetrate the underbanked population in tier II and tier III cities in India. The branches are also spread across India to reduce concentration risk, with 28.95% in the North, 31.58% in the South, and 39.47% in the West and East collectively, as of March 31, 2023. Through its 152 branches, the company strategically focuses on untapped customers with the potential for beneficial yield.

Healthy liability franchise with low cost of funds

SBFC has the ability to access borrowings at a competitive cost due to its stable credit history, credit ratings, conservative risk management policies and brand equity. Their average cost of borrowing was 8.11%, 7.65% and 8.22% for FY21, FY22 and FY23, respectively, and their incremental cost of borrowings (which represents the weighted average rate of interest on fresh borrowings in the relevant period) was 8.76% for FY23. As of March 31, 2023, their outstanding borrowings included Rs. 2,912.2 crores from public and private sector banks and Rs. 3,67.3 crores from NBFCs and other financial institutions. As of March 31, 2023, their total borrowings aggregated to Rs. 3,745.83 crores, comprising primarily of term loans of Rs. 3,279.4 crores, working capital demand loans from banks of Rs. 60.0 crores, non-convertible debentures of Rs. 43.0 crores and other collateralized borrowings of Rs. 3,63.4 crores.

Valuation and Outlook:

NBFCs have shown remarkable resilience and gained importance in the financial sector ecosystem, growing from less than Rs. 2 trillion AUM at the turn of the century to Rs. 34 trillion at the end of FY23. CRISIL MI&A expects NBFC credit to grow at 12-14% CAGR between FY23 and FY25. Their share in the overall credit pie has increased from 12% in FY08 to 18% in FY23 and is projected to remain stable in FY24. NBFCs will remain a force to reckon with within the Indian credit landscape, given their inherent strength of providing last-mile funding and catering to customer segments that are not catered by banks. We believe that SBFC is one of the decent NBFCs in the space growing at a healthy pace. With the management having vast experience, an HDFC background and an in-house sales team, we remain comfortable on the credit profiling and corporate governance front. Moreover, the lender has a strategic focus on diversifying its loan portfolio across the states, thereby avoiding concentration risk and helping it to grow at a faster pace. With the company’s limited leverage position and the current P/BV multiple of 2.9x, we believe that the company is fairly valued and advise investors to “Subscribe” from a medium to long-term perspective

Concord Biotech Ltd:IPO

Concord Biotech Ltd:IPO
  • Date

    04h August, 2023 - 08th August, 2023

  • Price Range

    Rs. 705 to Rs. 741

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    20

Concord Biotech is an India-based biopharma company that is into the development and manufacturing of select fermentation-based APIs. The company manufactures biopharmaceutical APIs through fermentation and semi-synthetic process across the therapeutic areas of immunosuppressants, oncology, and anti-infectives; and formulations that are used in therapeutic areas of immunosuppressants, nephrology drugs, and anti-infective drugs for critical care. The company is among a few companies globally that have successfully and sustainably established and scaled up fermentation-based API manufacturing capabilities. The company is one of the leading global developers and manufacturers of select fermentation-based APIs across immunosuppressants and oncology in terms of market share, based on volume in 2022, supplying to over 70 countries including regulated markets such as the United States, Europe, Japan, and India.

Objects of the issue:

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

  • To carry out the offer for sale
Investment Rationale:

Well-established presence across the fermentation value chain to cater to future  demand

Concord has established capabilities across the fermentation value chain. The fermentation value chain includes aspects such as R&D, patents, key starting materials, API and formulation manufacturing as well as marketing and distribution of fermentation-based products. In addition, they have improved their capabilities across the fermentation value chain which they leveraged to build a track record across multiple products in various therapeutic areas. Over the years, Concord has built difficult-to-replicate technical expertise in the fermentation process which has enabled them to develop and commercialize a wide spectrum of fermentation-based APIs. Further, the company’s business model aims to capture opportunities within the fermentation segment across APIs, formulations, and other adjacencies by combining their R&D and production capabilities. Their integration of R&D, patents, key starting materials, API and formulations manufacturing, and marketing and distribution allows them to cater to their customer’s specific requirements and provide them with customized solutions. Their ability to do so further enhances their business profile and strengthens their customer relationships.

Well-diversified market reach and long-standing relationships with key customers to sustain growth

Concord has established long-standing relationships with key customers including leading global generic pharmaceutical companies. Over the years, Concord has built strong relationships with Intas Pharmaceuticals and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, two of their top-10 customers. A majority of their customers are from regulated markets. In addition, they have developed relationships with 60 new customers during FY23. Further, Concord APIs are provided under a B2B model to pharmaceutical companies globally. For the formulation business as well, the company operates through a B2B model across the United States and emerging markets under arrangements with distributors. In India, the company markets immunosuppressant, nephrology, and anti-infective drugs for critical care, which they supply under their brands and through their sales force model. We, thus, expect Concord to focus on growing its presence through its own sales force as well as through its distribution network with its own brands.

Valuation and Outlook:

Concord is an Indian biopharma company and one of the leading global developers and manufacturers of select fermentation-based APIs across immunosuppressants and oncology in terms of market share, based on volume in 2022, supplying to over 70 countries including regulated markets such as the United States, Europe and Japan, and India. The company has an established presence in these therapeutic areas and is well-poised to benefit from the industry growth tailwinds. In the domestic market, they had a portfolio of 27 brands across immunosuppressants, nephrology drugs, and anti-infective drugs for critical care, with presence across 20 states and 5 union territories in India through their sales team. They also have a B2B CDMO business where they supply immunosuppressants to the Indian market. Further, as of FY23, Concord had over 200 customers in over 70 countries for both their APIs and formulations and. have entered into long-term supply agreements with some of their customers. The company has a track record of sustained revenue growth which rose at a CAGR of 17.6% during the FY21-23 period. On the upper price band, the issue is valued at a P/E of 32.2x based on FY2023 earnings which we feel is richly valued, as it is higher than other industry API players such as Suven Pharma, Laurus Labs, and Glenmark Lifesciences. It is interesting to note that the entire IPO issue is by way of an OFS and no fund is being received by the company. We, therefore, recommend an “Avoid” rating for the issue

Yatharth Hospital and Trauma Care Services Ltd: Subscribe

Yatharth Hospital and Trauma Care Services Ltd: Subscribe
  • Date

    26th July,2023 - 28th July,2023

  • Price Range

    Rs. 285 to Rs. 300

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    50

Headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, Yatharth Hospital and Trauma Care Services Ltd. commenced operations in 2008 with a clinic and thereafter established its first hospital in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh in November 2010. The hospital has since then seen a transformational journey to become a super-speciality tertiary care hospital. The company then expanded via the inorganic route through the acquisition of a multi-speciality hospital in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh which commenced commercial operations on April 10, 2022, and is one of the largest hospitals in that region in terms of the number of beds. The company’s hospitals are amongst the largest private hospitals in the Delhi NCR region in terms of the number of beds in FY23. Currently, they operate three super specialty hospitals with a total bed capacity of 1,405 beds. In addition, their critical care program comprises 394 critical care beds, as of March 31, 2023. The company’s USP is its super specialty hospitals that involve equipping these specialties with (i) advanced medical infrastructure; (ii) trained and experienced doctors, nursing, paramedical and other staff; and (iii) resources to provide a better healthcare experience to the patient and attendants. The company’s hospitals are accredited by the NABH, with hospitals at Greater Noida and Noida Extension accredited by NABL as well. The company has taken a leap of faith and started bone marrow and kidney transplant operations and also intends to introduce new specialties such as radiation therapy in its oncology department. The company has deployed advanced medical equipment such as Azurion catheterization laboratory, 1.5 Tesla whole-body MRI with optical digital broadband and embedded express coil technology for minimal patient repositioning and advanced non-contrast MR Angiography, 128 slice CT scan, endo bronchial ultrasound, nerve conduction velocity (“NCV”), advanced surgical equipment including Thulium Uro laser, flexible scope, advance laparoscope, advance microscopes, and Cusa set. The advanced equipment provides for better and more accurate diagnosis, as well as further insight into the surgical procedure, which increases the surgical success rate.

Objects of the issue:
  • Repayment/ prepayment, in full or part, of certain borrowings availed by the Company
  • Repayment/ prepayment, in full or part, of certain borrowings availed by its subsidiaries, namely, AKS Medical & Research Centre Private Limited (“AKS”) and Ramraja Multispeciality Hospital & Trauma Centre Private Limited (“Ramraja”)
  • Funding capital expenditure expenses of the Company for two hospitals, namely, Noida Hospital and Greater Noida Hospital.
  • Funding capital expenditure expenses of the subsidiaries, AKS and Ramraja, for respective hospitals operated by them.
  • Funding inorganic growth initiatives through acquisitions and other strategic initiatives.
  • General corporate purposes.
Investment Rationale:

Advanced and high-end medical equipment and technology

Yatharth’s hospital chains are well-equipped with machines and devices with sophisticated technology. The hospitals have well-equipped modular and other operation theatres with three-stage air filtration and laminar flow to ensure patient safety, as well as operating microscopes, image intensifiers, and laparoscopic equipment. The hospital’s blood bank meets several standards and has been set up with facilities such as aphaeresis and blood component separation. The critical care units are equipped with high-end patient monitoring devices, ventilators and dedicated isolation rooms. Facilities for haemodialysis, sustained low-efficiency dialysis, endoscopy and bronchoscopy are available 24×7 by the bedside. They have a well-equipped laboratory in all their operating hospitals for diagnostic services in haematology, biochemistry, microbiology, molecular biology and histopathology.

Leading super-speciality hospital in Delhi NCR with diverse speciality & payer mix 

The hospitals (i.e., Noida Extension and Greater Noida) are the eighth and tenth largest private hospitals in the Delhi NCR region in terms of the number of beds in FY23. The company’s advanced facilities coupled with its diverse specialisations and tailored best practices differentiate it from the regional competitors. The company generates revenue from different customers, which include government bodies established by the GoI under prevailing statutes such as ESIC, EGHS, ECHS, public and private insurance companies working directly or through registered third-party administrators (“TPAs”), various institutions, public and private corporates and walk-in customers. The company offers a range of healthcare services across specialities and super specialities, which include its Centres of Excellence such as the Centre of Medicine, Centre of Cardiology, Centre of Neurosciences, Centre of General Surgery, Centre of Nephrology & Urology, Centre of Paediatrics, Centre of Gastroenterology, Centre of Pulmonology, Centre of Gynaecology and Centre of Orthopaedics & Spine & Rheumatology and other specialities. The company also plans to introduce new specialities, namely radiation therapy to its oncology department at their Noida Extension and Jhasi Orccha hospitals. Further, the company has started bone marrow and kidney transplant operations at its hospitals located at Noida Extension and Greater Noida.

Valuation and Outlook:

India accounts for nearly a fifth of the world’s population, but has an overall bed density of merely 15, with the situation being far worse in rural than urban areas. India’s bed density not only falls far behind the global median of 29 beds, but it also lags that of other developing countries such as Brazil (21 beds), Malaysia (19 beds), and Vietnam (26 beds). CRISIL estimates the Indian healthcare delivery industry to post a healthy 11.3% CAGR between FY23-27, driven by long-term structural factors, increasing affordability and the potential of the Ayushman Bharat scheme. We believe that growing healthcare infrastructure and increasing penetration of medical insurance will benefit Yatharth Healthcare and Trauma Care Services in the long run. On the financial front, the company has witnessed steady growth in its top and bottom lines, with the PAT margin growing from 8.57% to 12.64% and its ROE improving from 25.06% to 35.95% during the FY21-23 period. Moreover, the company is likely to retire debt from the IPO proceeds which is expected to improve its profitability going ahead. On the upper end of the price band, the issue is valued at a P/E of 29.7x based on FY23 earnings which we feel is fairly valued. We, therefore, recommend a “Subscribe” rating for the issue

Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Ltd:Subscribe

Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Ltd:Subscribe
  • Date

    12 Jul 2023 - 14 Jul 2023

  • Price Range

    ₹23 - ₹25

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    600

On October 7, 2015, Utkarsh Core Invest Limited received the RBI in-principle approval to establish a Small Finance Bank (SFB), following which it incorporated Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Limited as a wholly-owned subsidiary on April 30, 2016. Subsequent to obtaining the RBI license on November 25, 2016, to establish and carry on business as an SFB, Utkarsh CoreInvest Limited transferred its business of providing microfinance, as a going concern into the bank, which commenced operations from January 23, 2017, and expanded its SFB operations strategically in states where they have been able to leverage the prior microfinance experience of Utkarsh Core Invest Limited. Utkarsh SFB, headquartered in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, is the third fastest growing SFB with a gross loan portfolio of more than Rs. 60 billion. The bank’s operations are spread across India and are present in 26 States and Union Territories with 830 banking outlets and 15,424 employees. As of March 31, 2023, it has 3.59 million customers (both deposit and credit), majorly located in rural and semi-urban areas in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Objects of the issue:
The IPO proceeds will be used towards the following purposes:
  • 1.)To utilize the Net Proceeds from the Fresh Issue towards fully augmenting its Tier – 1 capital base to meet its future capital requirements
Investment Rationale:

Sound understanding of the microfinance segment and presence in rural and semi-urban areas

Utkarsh CoreInvest Limited commenced operations as a NBFC in FY10 and later converted to an NBFC – MFI. Utkarsh CoreInvest Limited has a history of serving customers in the microfinance segment with a particular focus on financial inclusion for unserved and underserved customer segments in rural and semi-urban areas of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand. The erstwhile business of Utkarsh CoreInvest Limited was primarily based on the joint liability group-lending model for providing collateral-free, small ticket-size loans to economically active poor women for income generation purposes. Utkarsh Core Invest Limited also offered micro-enterprise loans to the economically poor segments. Following its SFB operations, the bank has further strengthened its engagement with borrowers by continuing to focus on microfinance and diversifying the product offerings to include savings accounts, deposit products and other loan products. The bank’s focus on rural areas of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the most populous states in India, offer them the potential for growth on account of being under penetrated and their understanding of the customer segments in rural and semi-urban areas in these geographies.

Diversified distribution network with significant cross-selling opportunities

Utkarsh SFB has an extensive physical network of banking outlets and as of March 31, 2023, they have 830 banking outlets across 26 states and Union Territories covering 253 districts in India. The company has 522 banking outlets located in rural and semi-urban areas (combined). The network of banking outlets allows them to service their existing customers and attract new customers as a result of relationships cultivated through proximity and frequent interaction by their employees. As of March 31, 2023, 62.89% of its total banking outlets are located in rural and semi urban areas. In order to further increase financial inclusion and provide comprehensive financial services to the underserved and unserved customer segments, they have also opened banking outlets that have been classified by the RBI as Unbanked Rural Centres (“URCs) in 69 districts. As of March 31, 2023, 27.35% of their banking outlets are located in URCs against the minimum requirement of 25% as stipulated by the RBI. Besides their banking outlets, their multi-channel delivery includes ATMs, micro-ATMs, mobile and internet banking, and corporate internet banking services. As of March 31, 2023, they have a network of 280 on-site and seven off-site ATMs. As of March 31, 2023, the bank has also set up 546 micro-ATMs. To facilitate ease of transaction for account holders, they offer a range of transaction and payment channels that include domestic and international ATM cum debit cards (RuPay and Mastercard), payment gateways, integrated bill payment system facility, money transfer service scheme and door-step banking services.
Valuation and Outlook:
About 47% of India’s GDP comes from rural areas, however, their share in banking credit and deposits is abysmally low with just 8% of total credit and 11% of total deposits coming from rural areas. The massive divergence between rural and urban areas’ share in the banking credit and deposit services is an indicator of the extremely low penetration of the banking sector in rural areas. It is important to note that there is less competition for banking services in rural areas compared to urban areas which presents significant growth opportunities. According to CRISIL MI&A, SFBs’ deposits are expected to grow at 40-45% CAGR over the FY23-25 period as players focus on popularising convenient banking habits to cover the last mile and widen financial inclusion by deepening their penetration in untapped geographies. Utkarsh SFB recorded the third fastest growth in gross loan portfolio among its peers, which grew at a 31.0% CAGR between the FY19-23 period to reach Rs. 139.6 billion. Moreover, the bank reported the third-highest growth in total deposits among its peers, registering a 37.9% CAGR between FY19 and FY23 to reach Rs. 137.1 billion. It has the best cost-to-income ratio of 54.15% in FY23 which is the highest amongst other SFBs. Utkarsh SFB’s average management experience is also at par with the industry average. In FY23, Utkarsh SFB posted the second-highest RoE of 22.64% and RoA of 2.37%. On the basis of strong asset quality, consistent financial performance and the future growth story of the Indian economy, we recommend a “SUBSCRIBE” rating for the long term. On the upper end of the price band, the issue is valued at a Price to Book Value of 1.1x (as of FY23), which we believe is to be fairly priced.

PKH Ventures Ltd: Avoid

PKH Ventures Ltd: Avoid
  • Date

    30 Jun 2023 - 04 Jul 2023

  • Price Range

    ₹140 - ₹148

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    100

  • (D) RHP

    View

Incorporated in 2000, PKH Ventures Ltd. is in the business of construction & development, hospitality and management services. They are into the execution of civil construction works for third-party developers on a project basis and have been awarded two government projects viz., Hydro Power Pro- ject and Nagpur Project, and three Government Hotel Development Projects viz., Rajnagar Garhi Project, Pahadikhurd Project and Tara Resort Project. The civil construction business is executed by their subsidiary and construction arm, Garuda Construction. The company’s hospitality vertical is in the business of owning, managing and operating hotels, restaurants, QSRs, spas and the sale of food products. PKH Ventures have been responsible for the development of the Delhi Police Head- quarters in April 2021, which involved the construction of twin towers of seventeen storeys each, with a complete glass façade and steel bridge connecting the two towers. The company is looking forward to developing forthcoming development projects which include real estate development at Amritsar, Punjab; real estate redevelopment project at Dadar-Matunga, Mumbai; agro-processing cluster at Jalore, Rajasthan; cold storage park/facilities at Indore, Madhya Pradesh; and a wellness centre & resort at Chiplun, Maharashtra. The knowledge and experience gained while developing their Mum- bai hotels led the promoter to venture into the business of civil construction through, Garuda Con- struction, which is now their subsidiary since 2 April 2020. Garuda Construction provides end-to-end construction services for residential and commercial buildings. Under the Management Services ver- tical, the company in the past managed airport entry ticket counters, retail outlets at airports and toll management services. Presently, there are no such active contracts for these Management Services. At present under Management Services vertical, they provide services for the annual maintenance of the DelhiPolice headquarters as per the agreement entered into with the concessionaire.
Objects of the issue:
The net proceeds from the fresh issue will be used towards the following purposes: Investment by way of equity in its subsidiary, Halaipani Hydro Project Private Limited, for the development of Hydro Power Project (Civil Construction and Electromechanical Works);
  • Investment by way of equity in its subsidiary, Garuda Construction, for funding long-term working capital requirements;
  • Pursuing inorganic growth through acquisitions and other strategic initiatives; and To fund expenditures towards general corporate purposes.
Investment Rationale:
Diversified business model helps in cushioning business performance during downtimes PKH Ventures are in the business of Construction & Development, Hospitality and Management Services. The company’s businesses generate income from diverse activities completely independent of each other. Eternal Building Assets has already received an annuity for a period of three years on part COD and will receive an annuity of Rs. 780 million per year till FY33. Considering a 40% equity stake in Eternal Infra, the company will be entitled to a pre-tax amount of Rs. 278.6 million per an- num. Its civil construction works for third-party developers generate revenue from works contract charges and its hospitality vertical generates income from hotels, restaurants, and the sale of food. Further, under the Hydro Power Project awarded by the State of Arunachal Pradesh, the company will receive income from the sale of power once the Hydro Power Project is commissioned by June 2024. Asset light model in civil construction business aids financial performance The company has adopted an asset-light model approach for its civil construction business and for that, it relies on third-party suppliers for equipment and labour. Since the location of the Government Projects, Government Hotel Development Projects and forthcoming Development Projects are in different geographies like Punjab, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, it is difficult and unviable to mobilize heavy equipment and machinery from one place to anoth- er for the execution of projects at such diverse locations. Also, a large amount of capital is required to acquire construction equipment and machinery, which can otherwise be effectively and more profitably deployed in other areas of the company’s business. The deployment of equipment and labour through third-party contractors at these locations helps to reduce fixed costs, make the execution of construction projects cost efficient and increase margins
Valuation and Outlook:
The construction and development sector will be a major driver for growth in India. The construction sector is the country’s second-largest economic segment after agriculture. The sector contributed 8% to the national GVA (at constant price) in FY22. PKH Venture’s diversification into new areas for the Construction & Development vertical will increase their financial and technical ability, making the eligible to bid for larger future projects and to effectively leverage their experience in the execution of such projects. Further, its subsidiary, GarudaUr-ban Remedies Limited, is proposing to set up an agro-processing cluster in the Jalore district of Rajasthan. The agro-processing cluster will provide basic enabling infrastructure like roads, water supply, power supply, drainage etc. and core infrastructure like warehouses, cold storage, sorting, grading etc. However, we are of the opinion that the company’s focus across different segments may be a concern in their effective implementation. On the financial front, the debt has increased significantly to Rs. 748 million for the nine months ended31De-cember 2022 compared Rs. 486 million posted in the year ended 31 March 2022 , whereas the revenue has shown a degrowth in the last three years. On the upper end of the price band, the issue will be valued at 24.8x of annualized FY23 earnings which we believe is richly valued. We, thus, recommend an “Avoid” rating for the issue

ideaForge Technology Ltd: Subscribe

ideaForge Technology Ltd: Subscribe
  • Date

    26 Jun 2023 - 29 Jun 2023

  • Price Range

    ₹638 - ₹672

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    22

  • (D) RHP

    View

ideaForge Technology Ltd, a manufacturing company offering Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), is engaged in drone manufacturing and deployment with applications across mapping, security and surveillance. The company has categorized its product portfolio into hardware, software and embedded sub-systems. The company offers a broad range of products with feature-based differentiation targeted to serve civil services and defense (dual use). The company’s growth in revenue and profitability can be accredited to the robust product portfolio and technology differentiation with a market share of 50% in FY22. Along with this, their drones assist defense forces in conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations along borders, help navigate a wide range of mining area planning and help boost construction and real estate. The reach and acceptance of the company’s products can be gauged from the fact that an ideaForge- manufactured drone takes off every five minutes for surveillance and mapping on average. Presently, the company has its manufacturing facility in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, with in house automation systems, modern technology and advance equipment catering to 100 channel partners and three national distributors as of 31 May 2023.
Objects of the issue:

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

  • Repayment/ prepayment, of certain indebtedness availed by the company.
  • Funding working capital requirements.
  • Investment in product development.
  • General corporate purposes
Investment Rationale:

Market leading position in the Indian UAS market provides headroom for growth

ideaForge is the pioneer and market leader in the Indian ‘UAS’ market, with a market share of approximately 50% in FY22. Incorporated in 2007, the firm enjoys the first-mover advantage in the market, as it is among the first few Indian firms to enter the UAV industry as well as the first company to design and produce VTOL UAVs domestically in India in 2009. Additionally, they were the first business to take part in the 2018 Indian Mobile Congress demonstration of 5G-enabled UAVs. Their internal design, development, engineering, and manufacturing skills have allowed them to create better products based on changing client expectations, ultimately improving the customer experience. Their capacity to create fully integrated systems and command over the entire stack set them apart from other market participants. Due to their leadership and first mover advantage, they have been able to improve users’ experiences by incorporating consumer data and ongoing technological advancements.

Diversified product portfolio catering to a wider customer base provides cushion to  business 

With a wide variety of products, ideaForge differentiates them based on features like weight class (about 2-7 kg), endurance class (25-120 minutes of flight time), take-off altitude range (up to 6,000 metres), communication range (around 2-15 km), payload kinds, etc. Their UAVs are used in a variety of civil and military applications. Additionally, their UAVs may be altered to handle applications in infrastructure, retail, agricultural, and delivery. As of 31 May 2023, the company catered to 265 clients spanning across Indian defence customers and civil customers comprising certain of the central armed police forces, state police departments, disaster management forces, forest departments and private contractors. Over the years, their consistent emphasis on product quality and dependability has resulted in client loyalty.
Valuation and Outlook:
The business model aids companies like ideaForge to maintain long-term business relations with customers along with attaining healthy margins due to inherently high customer retention (approximately 90% of its revenue attained from repeat customers). The company has all the right ingredients such as the first mover advantage in the drone industry, diversified product portfolio, wide range of customers to sustain business performance in the long run. Moreover, sector tailwinds such as a ban of imports from drone manufacturers opens up a large opportunity for the company going forward. Additionally, as of 2022, the potential market size for the Indian drone industry was approximately USD 2.7 billion, with the Indian drone industry estimated to grow at an 80% CAGR in the FY22-27 period to USD 812 million. On the upper end of the price band, the issue is valued at 82.8x of the floor price. Also, the company’s order book value contracted to Rs 192.3 crores inFY23 From R.s 310.9 crores a year earlier, with about 70% of revenues coming from Indian defence forces in FY23. Therefore, we recommend a ‘’SUBSCRIBE’’ rating for the benefit of listing gains.

HMA Agro Industries Ltd: AVOID

HMA Agro Industries Ltd: AVOID
  • Date

    20 June 2023 - 23 June 2023

  • Price Range

    ₹555 - ₹585

  • Minimum Order Quantity

    25

  • (D) RHP

    View

HMA Agro Industries Ltd. (HAIL) is a three-star export house recognized by the Government of India. It’s a flagship company of the HMA Group which has been in the meat industry for over four decades. HAIL is currently among the largest exporters of frozen buffalo meat products from India and it accounts for more than 10% of India’s total export of frozen buffalo meat. The company products are mainly packaged under the brand name Black Gold, Kamil & HMA and exported to over 40 countries across the globe. The company deals in buffalo meat and allied products. Unlike beef or pork, buffalo meat is free from religious constraints and has the added advantage of low fat and cholesterol. The company has four fully integrated packaged meat processing plants which are located at Aligarh, Mohali, Agra, and Parbhani, and is in the process of setting up a fifth fully integrated-owned meat product processing unit in Haryana. HAIL is also in advanced stages to acquire an additional plant at Unnao and expects to complete this acquisition by Q2FY24. These plants together would take total in-house meat product processing capacities to more than 4,00,000 mtpa spread over six different owned plants by FY24. Further, the procurement of raw material is done by the company and then this raw material is sent to various processing units to process the raw material into final products. It exports these branded finished products through its distribution channels and most of these processing units are owned by its subsidiaries and third parties own some.
Objects of the issue:
The net proceeds from the fresh issue will be used towards the following purposes:
  • Funding working capital requirements of the company.
  • General Corporate Purpose.
Investment Rationale:
Maintain long-standing customer base with well-established brands
HAIL’s business model is more customer-centric and requires optimum utilization of existing facilities, assuring a quality supply of raw materials, and achieving consequent economies of scale. The company has long-standing relations with customers which are spread in various geographies across the globe. The company has over the last few years executed such relationships and hence developed new markets by exploring higher margin areas by maintaining consistent quality output and delivery timelines. Further, the company is in the top three meat exporters in India exporting to more than 40 countries under the brands Black Gold, Kamil & HMA. These products have been sold under these brand names for many years and due to continuity, they carry brand recall values at the end customer level. Ever since its inception, HAIL has been laying utmost importance on building a brand by focusing on the quality of products which has helped to get repetitive orders from customers and helps the company’s business model to prove successful and scalable.
Well diversified market reach with focus on new geographies to accelerate growth going ahead
HAIL caters to both, the domestic as well as international markets. The products are exported to more than 40 countries. To take advantage of its robust export business and well-established distribution channels, the company has recently diversified its product portfolio by adding frozen fish products & basmati rice and plans to start poultry and other agri products as business verticals. In the last few years, the company has been strategically reducing focus on low-margin markets such as Vietnam, Myanmar, and Philippines, and gradually shifting towards higher-margin markets such as Egypt, Hong Kong, and Malaysia which will improve margins and provide growth visibility going ahead
Valuation and Outlook:
HAIL is a three-star export house processing and exporting processed food products. Currently, the company is one of the top three market leaders in the export of packaged frozen buffalo meat products from India and recently begun a product diversification process into other food processing and exports of products such as frozen fish and basmati rice. Further, the company intends to keep adding new products and become one of the trusted and well-recognized names in the food export business from India. In the last few years, the company has been strategically reducing its focus on low-margin markets and gradually shifting towards higher-margin markets to improve margins and accelerate growth going ahead. The company has long-standing relations with customers which are spread in various geographies across the globe. However, it is to be noted that the company is heavily dependent on the export business for its business operations which contributed to around 90.2% of its revenue in FY22. The company grew its Rev/EBITDA/PAT at a CAGR of 14.0%/85.7%/60.1% during the FY20-22 period. On the upper end of the price band, the issue is valued at a P/E of 24.0x based on FY2022 earnings which we feel is richly valued. It is also interesting to note that Rs. 330 crores of the issue size is an OFS. In terms of listing gains, we recommend an “Avoid” rating for the issue . Following a moderation in valuation going forward, we will revisit the company to take a long term perspective on the business