KPR Mill Ltd
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Earnings Call Analysis

Q3-2024 Analysis
KPR Mill Ltd

K.P.R. Mills Q3 Performance and Prospects

In the past 9 months, K.P.R. Mills achieved INR 4,418 crores in revenue and INR 592 crores in net profit. Financial performance suffered due to falling cotton prices, reduced yarn selling prices, and international market demand declines. Garment shipments faced delays from Tamil Nadu cyclones, while a sugar juice ban for ethanol manufacturing affected operations. The company, however, remains optimistic about current quarter improvements and growth through ongoing modernization and expansions. K.P.R. Mills recently welcomed Walmart and Gap as significant customers for U.S. and European markets, strengthening their garment segment. Expansion is underway with a capital outlay of INR 250 crores for processing capacity and INR 100 crores for a new solar power facility, projecting to amplify their renewable energy capacity to 100 megawatts. They've also completed projects for vortex expansion, solar capacity, and doubled ethanol capacity from 120 KLPD to 250 KLPD. Additionally, garment orders show strength with a portfolio of about INR 1,100 crores indicating robust demand for yarn and garments.

Overcoming Challenges to Deliver Substantial Earnings

During the nine months ending December 31, 2023, the company navigated through a turbulent period to generate consolidated revenues of INR 4,418 crores and net profits of INR 592 crores. A significant drop in cotton prices influenced a parallel reduction in yarn selling prices. The global market also witnessed subdued yarn demand, impacting margins. Simultaneously, garment shipments experienced delays due to cyclones in Tamil Nadu, and a government ban on sugar juice for ethanol production was instituted to control sugar prices. Despite these obstacles, the company remains on solid financial footing with continued strong cash flow.

Strategic Additions and Expansions Amid Industry Dynamics

In response to global industry shifts, including the China Plus One policy and rising labor costs in Bangladesh, the company has fortified its customer portfolio by adding major clients like Walmart and Gap for U.S. and European markets. On the operational front, a conscious decision has been made not to invest in the sugar sector due to its license-intensive nature. Instead, the company focuses on expanding its garments processing capacity with an investment of INR 250 crores and an additional INR 100 crores allotted for a new solar power plant. These expansions and a completed wind power project align with the company's growth and sustainability strategies.

Garment Business Poised for Steady Growth

The company forecasts a 10% to 12% growth in the garment business over the next three to five years, driven by strategic and incremental brownfield expansions scheduled to be completed within 6 months to a year. This planned expansion is expected to complement existing operations and cater to the robust garment order backlog valued at approximately INR 1,100 crores.

Operational Performance: Production and Margin Highlights

The production volume of yarn stands at 23,000 tonnes, with sales amounting to 14,000 tonnes. Fabric production and sales hit 6,000 tonnes and 2,000 tonnes respectively, while garment production topped 37 million units, with sales of 33 million units. The margin performance across key business segments varies: yarn and fabric at approximately 15%, garments around 27%, and sugar also at approximately 27%. Additionally, the company has been enriching product value, most notably through increased printing capacity, which positions them for improved performance in the near future.

Favorable Outlook with Enhanced Capacities

The business anticipates improved performance in the coming fiscal year relative to FY '22, courtesy of expanded capacities in garments, spinning, sugar, and ethanol. The enhancement across all divisions is expected to support increased volumes, bolstering the company's overall growth prospects.

Earnings Call Transcript

Earnings Call Transcript
2024-Q3

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Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, good day, and welcome to the K.P.R. Mills Q3 FY '24 Post Results Conference Call hosted by Batlivala & Karani Securities India Private Limited. [Operator Instructions] Please note that this conference is being recorded. I now hand the conference over to Mr. Archit Joshi from Batlivala & Karani Securities India Private Limited. Thank you, and over to you, sir.

A
Archit Joshi
analyst

Thanks, Lisann, and good evening, everyone, and welcome to the Q3 FY '24 Earnings Conference Call of K.P.R. Mills Limited. On behalf of B&K Securities, I welcome all participants and the management of K.P.R. Mills. We have with us today, Mr. P. Nataraj, Managing Director; Mr. Murugappan, Chief Financial Officer; and Mr. Kandaswamy, Company Secretary. Without further ado, I would like to hand over the floor to Mr. Nataraj for his opening remarks, post which we can have a Q&A round. Thank you, and over to you, sir.

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Thank you very much, Mr. Joshi. Very good evening to everyone. I welcome you all for the K.P.R. Mills Limited third quarter earnings call for the financial year 2023, '24. During the 9 months ended 31/12/2023, overcoming the challenges, K.P.R. has generated a consolidated revenue of INR 4,418 crores and net profit of INR 592 crores. The factors that impacted the financials during the period were: fall in cotton prices resulted in reduced selling price for yarn during the quarter. And fall in yarn margin due to subdued demand at international markets.

Garment shipments were held up during the month of December due to recent cyclones in Tamil Nadu, that is both in Chennai and Tuticorin port areas. The third one is government ban on use of sugar juice for manufacture of ethanol to regulate sugar price. However, the current quarter appears to be encouraging and our modernization and expansion plans would support our growth level. Strong financial position and comfortable cash flow continues.

With this opening remarks, the floor is now open for a question-and-answer session. Thank you.

Operator

[Operator Instructions] The first question is from the line of Rishab from RBSE Investment Managers.

U
Unknown Analyst

So just want to understand on the textile front, if K.P.R. has to remain competitive in the foreseeable future, would it be possible by having units only in Tamil Nadu, sir, despite having government incentives in other states and higher transportation cost for raw materials. We just want to understand from here in the next 3- to 5-year perspective.

P
P. Nataraj
executive

No, this is happening over a period of time. And that every state is offering some incentives and all. But being in Tamil Nadu, where the major hub of the textile industry, you know about Tirupur is the largest hub of our hosiery manufacturing. So -- of course, if we see that in Gujarat has offered the last 10 years, a lot of incentives, and like other states also coming up. And still, we are able to compete because of various other advantages like climatic conditions and the labor availability and technical knowhow availability, skilled people. With all this, not only the incentives, with various other factors are there, especially if you see when the climatic condition is very crucial, whatever is even the raw material, the productivity and the quality of the product depends on various aspects. So with this, we hope that is still here, the share of Tamil Nadu is still competitive to other areas.

U
Unknown Analyst

Okay. And secondly, sir, have you added any major customers in the last, say, last 6 to 9 months for garments or maybe in the -- especially in the U.S. markets, if you could add some color, sir?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yes. We have recently added Walmart as -- mean by to our portfolio. And also, we are...

Operator

Sir, your audio is not clear. Can you come a little more closer to the speaker phone.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Recently, we have added Walmart as our customer for U.S. exports. And also, we have increased the volume to Gap under various both the U.S. and European destinations.

U
Unknown Analyst

Sorry sir, your voice is not clear in the last...

P
P. Murugappan
executive

We have added Gap as a major customer during this quarter for the destination both in U.S. and Europe.

U
Unknown Analyst

And sir, last question. Post this government decision on restriction of sugar for ethanol, how would the decision-making change for incremental CapEx in this segment? Would you still be preferring to invest there? Or are you preferring investing in our core textile business only? How does this change your decision making, sir?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

So presently, we are not looking to invest in sugar because it's more of a license-oriented business under the area and other things. Now we are concentrating more on the textile business. In case of any good opportunity, we may doing it. Now we are not doing anything.

U
Unknown Analyst

Okay. Any update on the expansion plans, sir, for garments?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Garments, now we are expanding the processing capacity with a outlay of INR 250 crores, along with the solar power plant INR 100 crores with the mega capacity of about 25 megawatts. With this our solar and wind capacity will reach to about 100 megawatts. We already have a [ solar ] capacity of about 100 megawatts. Now we have a 200-megawatts of wind power. And as well as we have completed the project to whatever we have announced last year, like vortex INR 100 crores expansion are already being done. And solar INR 50 crores last year announced were completed. Ethanol INR 150 crores expansion project of the existing sugar mill has been completed.

And now the capacity of the existing sugar mill ethanol capacity increased around 120 KLPD to 250 KLPD. Processing capacity expansion of printing and processing with the outlay of about INR 50 crores has been completed. Printing monetization has been completed with the outlay of about INR 150 crores.

U
Unknown Analyst

Okay, sir. And sir, this Bangladesh wage hike issue, how do you see -- are you getting more inquiries from there? Do you see it playing out in benefit of India in the next couple of years? How do you see this Bangladesh issue, sir?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

For that we have to wait and see because everywhere here and there, some issues are raising, like China Plus One, of course. It will take some time. Similarly, Bangladesh labor issue. Previously, the labor cost was low. And now it is slowly increasing like year-on-year, like that. And we had to wait and see. And definitely, over a period of time because the Bangladesh garment export has tremendously increased over the last 4 to 5 years. So naturally, everywhere, when the growth is there, then the demand for this kind of -- the cost will also increase. So definitely, in the future, I mean, you see that, as you said in the last -- in the next 2, 3 years, it may be at par with India, so which will be an ultimately advantage to for India.

Operator

The next question is from the line of Prerna Jhunjhunwala from Elara Capital.

P
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
analyst

I would like to understand the demand scenario of garments and yarn today. How is it shaping up post the quarter and how it was during the quarter?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Demand wise both yarn and garments are good. And we recently carrying garments order about INR 1,100 crores. Yarn movement is good. We are seeing a growth in this yarn demand.

P
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
analyst

Okay. And any impact of Red sea issue to European export?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

We are not seeing much of an impact on Red sea issue because most of our exports are all FOB basis, mainly garment. Yarn, we are not exporting much. So we are not seeing much impact on this side.

P
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
analyst

Sir, any increase in cost for container prices, if it is borne by you and also daily we are hearing delay in the increase in the lead time of shipping. So how are customers reacting to this? Are they asking for speeden up their orders to ship fast or they are okay with the delay? I mean just trying to understand the customer behavior in this scenario.

P
P. Nataraj
executive

We have to wait for some time. Presently, there is no request from the customer for early shipment and all. We are ready for it, but we are not seeing it. We hope that the things will settle. Otherwise, we will see it in the coming period.

P
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
analyst

Okay, okay. And sir, we are almost operating with full utilization in the garments business. What are your thoughts on the garment division growth over the next 3 to 5 years?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

We hope that 10% to 12% growth will be there from the garment business over a period of next 3 to 5 years time. We will plan...

Operator

I'm sorry to interrupt. We're not able to hear you clearly.

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Yes, we are planning for a growth of about 10% to 12% in the garment segment. We hope that we will plan our expansion accordingly.

P
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
analyst

Okay. Okay. Any update on brownfield expansion that you were thinking about meanwhile?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Yes, we are doing it slowly, maybe completing it in 6 months to 1 year time.

P
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
analyst

Okay. Okay. Understood. And sir, in terms of the sugar directive. Just wanted to understand the impact on us with respect to juice-based ethanol manufacturing and be heavy molasses, how does it change for you or there is no major change?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

The B-Heavy molasses processes not affected much, only ethanol from juice government has stopped substantially. But sugar prices presently is a little higher than the earliest time. So we hope that whatever benefit we get from ethanol, we will get it from sugar also.

P
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
analyst

Okay. Understood. The last 2 bookkeeping questions. Just what is the breakup between yarn volume and fabric volumes for the quarter and Q2 as well?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

You want the production region or sales region?

P
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
analyst

Production and sales volumes.

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Yarn production 23,000 tonnes. Yarn sales is 14,000 tonnes. Fabric production, 6,000 tonnes. Fabric sales, 2,000 tonnes. Garment production 37 million.

P
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
analyst

Sorry, I couldn't hear you, sir.

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Garment production 37 million. Garment sales is 33 million.

P
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
analyst

Okay. Understood. And sir, what has been the margin for yarn and fabric and garment business in the quarter?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Yarn and fabric is about 15%. Garment is about 27%. Sugar is about 27%.

Operator

[Operator Instructions] The next question is from the line of Vikas from Equirus.

V
Vikas Jain
analyst

Sorry if it is a repeat question. But sir, can you explain the reason why it has been a very sharp decline in the garment realization, of course, 1 major factor would [indiscernible]. But do you see this 160, 165 levels as a steady-state levels or it should improve from here on.

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Basically, sir, garment realization reduced from the earlier level to this level because of the reduction in the cotton prices. So the cotton prices have come down sharply from INR 1 lakh to INR 60,000, resulted in lower realization.

V
Vikas Jain
analyst

Definitely, sir, I got that point. But even on a quarter-on-quarter basis, also there's like around 7% broadly of all. Of course, some part of it is because is it some product mix change also that has led to this fall?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Because of two things. One is the cotton price reduction. Second 1 is, it is a garment type. It is winter garment and the summer garment. Summer garment used to be a little lesser and the winter garment would be a little higher because of the rate.

V
Vikas Jain
analyst

Then, do you expect like this again $2 kind of realization being on a steady state or about the value-added thing that you talked about in the last couple of quarters. Is that actually playing out? Or we should like build this only going ahead in terms of realization?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

We have already done the value addition processes. It is going on well now. We have increased the printing capacity last quarter. So both are going well. We hope that it will improve a little further in the coming quarters.

V
Vikas Jain
analyst

Okay. Okay. But still 180 kind of a number is comfortable or it should not be there?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

We're comfortable with 180 kind of a number.

V
Vikas Jain
analyst

Okay. Okay. The second question, sir, with respect to sugar volumes. Of course, there has been some -- even that has led to this drop in the volumes, but with -- and I believe you said that we have started with our ethanol this plant also, right? Is that a...

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Ethanol plant also commissioned, yes.

V
Vikas Jain
analyst

So in 4Q, we will see full earning of that new capacity as well, right?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Yes, yes. Correct.

Operator

The next question is from the line of Biplab Debbarma from Antique Stockbroking.

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

I just wanted to know on the garment capacity expansion, greenfield, we are still watching -- what's happening in Europe? Does the status continue?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Garment expansion, we already started the brownfield expansion. It is in the process. We can do somewhere around certainly in garments in the brownfield. We hope that we will be completing it in 6 months to 9 months' time. By the time, we will be completing the processing capacity also. We will plan to further expansion during the time.

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

What would be the size of that brownfield expansion, sir?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

It's about 30 million garments we can do.

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

So by FY '26, we'll be producing in that capacity?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yes, yes, we can reach to that level.

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

Okay. And my second question is on the numbers. So the FY '24 numbers, would we expect to be better than FY '23 numbers?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

In the coming year, we are expecting that it will be better than the FY '22 numbers because of the increase in capacity and the increased volumes. We have expanded our capacities across the divisions, the garments, spinning, sugar and ethanol everywhere. So we hope that the same numbers will be better in the coming years.

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

Okay, okay. And my last question is, I think it's a repeat but I could not get it. Sir, on the ethanol, sir, ban is on ethanol sugar juice. So that is fine and it won't have any impact on the molasses. But we have just commissioned a new ethanol production capacity. All this ban on sugarcane juice have any impact on our ethanol production?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Yes. Ethanol production will come down to that extent, some juice. 40% percentage of ethanol production may come down during the season. Otherwise, we will be producing ethanol from B-Heavy molasses and C-Heavy molasses but continues to be there. The sugar prices comparatively better than the last year. So we hope that it will be compensated whatever last we are expecting from the ethanol production market.

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

So what kind of had there been a juice directly on production of juice and there had been no ban. And now in the new scenario, what would be the difference in terms of revenue from this? I mean there is certainly some impact or there is no impact on revenue?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Revenue somewhere around INR 200 crores of revenue will be impacted because sugar and ethanol is different processes. There will be about INR 200 crores of revenue impact...

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

INR 200 crores or INR 400 crores?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yes, INR 200 crores.

Operator

[Operator Instructions] The next question is from the line of Sunil Kothari from Unique PMS.

S
Sunil Kothari
analyst

Congratulation for starting this call again, and I hope it will continue. Mr. Nataraj just requesting you to explain the way we are investing in processing and printing. And what type of value addition over time it will help us to improve our realization and profitability. If you qualitatively can talk something more on that?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Yes. Yes Ms. Sunil, thank you. And you see, in textiles, processing is the very, very critical link. And when we have, anyone having processing as a strong network, so it is very comfortable for the expansion in the value additions. So what we have already the processing. So we have expanded our garment capacity. So now the existing processing capacity meets our garment production capacity now. So further even as I told, the garment capacity can be increased comparatively, the processing is much difficult because a lot of the pollution control norms and various others because it involves more of dyes and chemicals, the water problem issues there and all these things. So for this -- so the approvals to the government norms and all these things are -- is a cumbersome process. So once we establish that, so then the further expansion in garment or value additions is much easier.

So the processing and as well as printing. Printing also almost similar like there's a lot of involvement, dyes and chemicals and all these things. So that's why now we are planning to go for the expansion in the processing capacity. So already, we have announced that we are investing around INR 250 crores in the existing place. We have already the land capacity. So we are planning to go for expansion. And similarly, the expansion take 1 to 1.5 years. For garment, it will be a maximum 6 to 8 months. So that's why we are well ahead. We have already started the expansion the processing. Once the processing is strong enough, so then we can continue to expand in the garment capacity. So we are well planned and we are going ahead with the processing capacity expansion.

S
Sunil Kothari
analyst

Okay. Great. So sir, this expansion of processing in printing capacity will help us to meet the demand of 1 greenfield capacity also of the garment, right?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Yes, yes, sure. Definitely.

S
Sunil Kothari
analyst

Okay. Great. Mr. Murugappan one more question is, are we revising any guidance on production of ethanol and sugar, is still not or whatever numbers, if you can provide us for this current year total quantity we are planning to produce?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

The current year wise we may not have much of a change. We will be reaching to our target.

S
Sunil Kothari
analyst

Sir, your voice is echoing. If you can use handset...

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Because of the sugar production, sugar volume will be higher and ethanol volume will be lower in the coming year. This year the volumes more or less in line with the budgets.

S
Sunil Kothari
analyst

Okay. And sir, will it reduce our profitability or realization maybe next season because of this lower ethanol and higher sugar production?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Let us wait sir because sugar prices are rolling a little higher than the last year. It will compensate the ethanol losses, whatever we are having in there, we are having in the ethanol from the juice, we hope that it will be great compensated.

S
Sunil Kothari
analyst

Right, right. And the last question is on this 30 million capacity. We'll be committing it under a 6 to 9 months brownfield?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yes, yes, we'll be doing it.

Operator

The next question is from the line of Akshay Chheda from Canara Robeco Mutual Fund.

A
Akshay Chheda
analyst

Just one question, sir, in the opening remarks, you mentioned that shipments were upheld in the month of December due to cyclone in the Chennai and Tuticorin port. Sir, can you quantify in the volume or revenue terms like how much of it we couldn't ship and which will get spilled over in the fourth quarter?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

So close to about INR 100 crores. The 4 million garments were held up. We thought that it will be more during this quarter.

A
Akshay Chheda
analyst

Can you repeat sir, actually it was not clear, sir.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

It is about 4 million garments.

A
Akshay Chheda
analyst

4 million garments. Okay. And sir in value terms?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Somewhere around INR 100 crores.

Operator

The next question is from the line of Pratik Tholiya from Systematix.

P
Pratik Tholiya
analyst

Sir, in the sugar business if I see your third quarter volume, so your sugar volumes are abnormally low. And one of your plants, I think, did not get any quota for sugar sale. So any specific reason for that?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Basically, sugar release is government decision. We do not have a stock in there. We don't have a stock in the second...

Operator

Sorry to interrupt -- sir, this is the operator. Can you come a little more closer to the handset? Your audio is not clear.

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Can we connect through mobile?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Is it fine now?

Operator

Sir, slightly better.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yes. Yes. Let us continue madam because you called me in the cell phone line. You can continue madam.

Operator

Okay sir, you may please proceed. Mr. Tholiya.

P
Pratik Tholiya
analyst

Yes. So I will repeat my question. I just wanted to understand what was the reason for a lower sugar volume during third quarter, especially one of your plants did not receive any quota.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

The particular plant do not have a stock -- the starting of a sugar cane crushing. That's why they have not given the release order in the first month. The second month onwards, we are given some small quota. This month they have given the quota. From next month only, they will be giving the regular quota.

P
Pratik Tholiya
analyst

Okay. So what is the closing inventory, sir, for sugar as of December -- 31st December?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

It's about 3,000 tonne.

Operator

So again, your voice is muffled sir. Sir, we're not able to hear you.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Otherwise, can you call me the landline number, madam?

Operator

Yes, sir, your landline number is connected.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

One more time you connect.

Operator

Okay, sir, I'll disconnect and reconnect. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for patiently holding. We now have the lines of the management reconnected. Over to you, sir.

Yes, sir. You may please proceed, Mr. Tholiya.

P
Pratik Tholiya
analyst

Yes, sir, I was just asking what is the closing stock of sugar as of 31st of December? And what is the inventory value, sir?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

It is about 58,000 tonnes, sir.

P
Pratik Tholiya
analyst

58,000 tonnes. And, sir, at what price?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Sir, it is at cost?

P
Pratik Tholiya
analyst

Sir, what is that number?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

See, generally we're not discussing the cost.

P
Pratik Tholiya
analyst

Okay. And sir, in the case of ethanol, since now juice is not allowed, are we looking at other feedstock like grain, maybe rice or maize?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

No, sir, we are not looking at.

P
Pratik Tholiya
analyst

Okay. So we'll continue to go for B-Heavy and C-Heavy.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yes.

Operator

The next question is from the line of Prerit Choudhary from Green Portfolio.

P
Prerit Choudhary
analyst

I just had one question. So we saw a significant rise in our inventory.

Operator

Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Choudhary. Sir, there is an echo from your line.

P
Prerit Choudhary
analyst

Am I audible now?

Operator

Yes, sir, you're audible, but there's a slight echo from the line.

P
Prerit Choudhary
analyst

Okay. Let me just go again. So we have -- we saw a significant pile up in our inventory. Is this all because of the sugar that the quota that we didn't get during the quarter or does that also include some of the textile segment also?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

No, no. It's a sugar production, whatever we've done during these last 2 months, we have a significant stock.

P
Prerit Choudhary
analyst

All right. And we plan to sell it over the next couple of quarters, that would be the...

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yes, it is before the next season, the sugar will be get liberated.

P
Prerit Choudhary
analyst

All right, next quarter. That's it from my side.

Operator

The next question is from the line of Aditya Surana from AMSEC.

A
Aditya Surana
analyst

I just wanted to know the yarn and fabric sales volume from...

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Sales volume of yarn is about 14,000 tonnes, and fabric is 2,000 tonnes.

Operator

[Operator Instructions] That is from the line of Biplab Debbarma from Antique Stockbroking.

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

Sir, based on the brownfield capacity expansion, what would be the garment capacity by FY '26?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

The brownfield expansion, it will be...

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

Including everything, what would be the...

P
P. Murugappan
executive

177 million yarn -- 177 million garments.

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

Okay. And sir, keeping the ethanol production from juice ban in mind. So say, going forward, what would be the effective sugar production and ethanol production capacity next year?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

So production capacity, already we have completed the project and now it's about 5 lakh liters per day. It will be the same for the next year also.

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

How much liter can you produce now based on this capacity?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

The current year, we are planning to have about 7 crore to 8 crore liters of ethanol.

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

Even after the ban from juice.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yes, yes.

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

And sugar?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

The sugar is expected to be somewhere around 2 lakh tonnes.

Operator

The next question is from the line of Prerna Jhunjhunwala from Elara Capital.

P
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
analyst

I also wanted the yarn and fabric sales volume please -- value?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yarn sales -- value or volume, madam?

P
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
analyst

Value, value. Volume is given already.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

INR 355 crores yarn sale value. Fabric value is about INR 60 crores.

P
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
analyst

INR 60 crores. Okay. Sir, just taking forward the question of ethanol. You mentioned that this year, you can manufacture 7 crore to 8 crore liters of ethanol. And you had mentioned earlier that the production could be hit next year. Could you just help us understand how much would be the hit for next year?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Madam, now we are not producing ethanol from the juice. Now we are producing ethanol from the molasses, B-Grade molasses. Usually, what we will do is during the season, we produce ethanol from the juice, and we produce ethanol from molasses in the offseason. Now we are producing ethanol from the molasses, so we will not have molasses for the offseason. So the production will be less in the offseason period. So it is expected to be somewhere around 5 crore liters of ethanol.

P
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
analyst

For the entire season, you are saying, the...

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Production loss would be -- yes, production will be lesser by about 5 crore liters.

P
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
analyst

Okay. And sir, can you also help you with the cane availability in your facility? How much -- is there any impact? What would be the cane procurement this year?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

The monsoon impacted a little in this region. We hope that there will be a 10% drop in the crushing during this year.

Operator

The next question is from the line of Shradha from Asian Market Securities.

The line for the current participant has dropped off. We'll move on to the next participant the line of Resham Jain from DSP Asset Managers.

R
Resham Jain
analyst

I have two questions. First one is on textiles overall. If we look at the Tirupur market, the news which we hear is that things are not very good, and it is very challenging right now. Are you seeing any green shoots in that scenario because both yarn players as well as several garment players are not doing well. And indirectly, it impacts us as well because we sell a lot of yarn and fabric to them. So if you can just explain or give your views around it, that would be very helpful, sir.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Actually, if you look at the garment business, now the trend is changing. The large garment buyers are concentrating more on the larger players. For undisturbed supplies, our comfort levels and other things, lead them to go to a larger player. If you look at our order book, it is all time high now, we are running around INR 1,100 crore of order book, and a lot of inquiries are going around. So the garment -- large garment players are doing well in the Tirupur region, only the smaller player having issue. As you said, there is a little sluggishness in the yarn business in margins, but volume is good. Volume is going well. The margin will start a little lesser than the regular margins.

R
Resham Jain
analyst

Understood, sir. Sir, the second question is on sugar. As you mentioned that this year, the overall production will be 10% lower. I'm talking about season. And obviously, there is this mix change. So overall, given the current pricing and all, what kind of impact you see on your EBITDA because your cost per unit, both in sugar as well as ethanol will go up because of lower throughput. So what kind of impact do you expect in the absolute EBITDA versus, let's say, earlier envisaged?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

We are not seeing much of impact in percentage term. The volume term, there will be some drop. And in value terms, there will be some drops. I say, 10% or 12% of a drop would be there in the value terms. The percentage term, we feel it will be a little higher.

R
Resham Jain
analyst

No, I mean to say absolutely EBITDA.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Absolutely EBITDA is -- since throughput is a little less, we hope that it will be some 10%, 12% lesser.

Operator

[Operator Instructions] The next question is from the line of Himesh from Purnartha Investments.

U
Unknown Analyst

For the garment business, you said that the realization has stopped because of the drop in the cotton prices. So for next quarter and for next year, do we expect a further reduction in the realization? Or we are at the bottom of the realization? And then you expect any...

P
P. Murugappan
executive

What all the realization, sir, we hope that it will be increasing in the coming periods.

Operator

The next question is from the line of Vineeth lambu from HSBC PMS.

V
Vineeth lambu
analyst

What are the plans for the FASO as a brand or any future growth trajectory? And what are the opportunities you are seeing? And how do you want to scale up as a...

P
P. Murugappan
executive

A little louder?

V
Vineeth lambu
analyst

So FASO as a brand, how do you want to scale up the revenues? If you can give us guidance.

Operator

Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Vineeth, we are not able to hear you.

V
Vineeth lambu
analyst

If you can give me some guidance on FASO as a brand, like how do you want to scale up in the future?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

We want to scale up this brand in India. We are planning to improve the volumes in the South India in a better way now. We have appointed a few more executives in this line. In the North India, we just started. We feel that it will take some time. South India, we hope that in 1 or 2 years' time, we will be scaling up to the range of about INR 10 crore per month run rate kind of a thing.

Operator

[Operator Instructions] The next question is from the line of Aditya Surana from Asian Market Securities.

A
Aditya Surana
analyst

Just I wanted to know the printing is presently capacity post expansion?

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Sir, you are not audible, sir.

Operator

Mr. Surana, your audience breaking up? Sir, your audio is still breaking up. May we request that you return to the question queue.

We'll move on to the next question. That is from the line of Monish Ghodke from HDFC AMC.

M
Monish Ghodke
analyst

So this 10% drop in sugar volumes, which you are expecting, this is for the next crushing year or this crushing year?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

This crushing year, sir.

M
Monish Ghodke
analyst

So sir, the impact in our financials will be felt in this as well as next year, right?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yes, yes. Generally, it will be felt next year only.

M
Monish Ghodke
analyst

Okay. So next year, our sugar EBITDA might be less by 10% to 12% as compared to this year, right?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

10% to 12% in the absolute number, not the percentage. Next year, also, sir, it is again a new season will start from October. We hope that if the season will be good then it will be get compensated.

Operator

[Operator Instructions] The next question is from the line of Shradha from Asian Markets Securities.

S
Shradha Agrawal
analyst

Yes. Can you hear me, sir?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yes, please, madam.

S
Shradha Agrawal
analyst

Yes. So what is -- what will be our printing and processing capacity post expansion?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

37,000 tonnes, madam.

S
Shradha Agrawal
analyst

Both printing and processing.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yes, yes.

S
Shradha Agrawal
analyst

And by when do we expect these capacities to get fully operational?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

We hope that it will take 18 months to 24 months because the machineries are all imported. The lead time, it is a little higher. We are in the process of ordering. We hope that it will be completed in 18 months to 24 months.

S
Shradha Agrawal
analyst

Right. And sir, will it be possible for you to give the volume of ethanol and sugar sale for 3Q?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Sugar sales is about 11,000 tonnes. Ethanol is about INR 2.16 crores lakh liters.

S
Shradha Agrawal
analyst

And in value terms?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Sugar is about INR 43 crores. Ethanol is about INR 137 crores.

S
Shradha Agrawal
analyst

And just one last question. Since we didn't host call last quarter. So would it be possible for you to give the sales volume numbers for yarn, fabric for last quarter as well.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yarn sales is about 17,000 tonnes. Fabric is about 2,000 tonnes.

S
Shradha Agrawal
analyst

And margins for both these units?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yarn is about 17% -- Yarn and fabric is about 17%. Garment is about 27%.

Operator

[Operator Instructions] The next question is from the line of Vikas from Equirus.

V
Vikas Jain
analyst

So you mentioned that we have added a Gap and also added Walmart as a customer for the garment segment. So how are the difference from our regular set of customers in terms of volumes, in terms of sizes as well as in terms of realization?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Walmart is a very large buyer. It will mix up everything. We will continue to have a $2 plus kind of a business from both these customers.

V
Vikas Jain
analyst

But then do we expect like a very sharp uptick cost on -- I'm more asking with respect to the ramp-up, is it like the...

P
P. Murugappan
executive

As both these orders will help us to increase the ramping up of the new plant we commissioned until last year.

V
Vikas Jain
analyst

So we believe that from -- within like 1 year's time period, they'll be able to place orders in like full throttle or something like that of -- will you may take some time to ramp up? Or is it like they give it [indiscernible] day 1?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

We are in the ramping up, sir. We will be reaching full capacity by the end of this year for these 2 parties.

Operator

The next question is from the line of Mehul from [indiscernible].

U
Unknown Analyst

I just have one question. What are we supplying to Gap? And what are we supplying to Walmart?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Both the regular and basic garments, sir? T-shirts.

U
Unknown Analyst

T-shirts.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

T-shirts, night wears.

U
Unknown Analyst

Okay. Are we compensating on margins for these large customers?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Compensating means?

U
Unknown Analyst

I mean we are selling them at a low margin.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

No, no. So it's a regular margin only.

Operator

[Operator Instructions] We will move on to the next question that is from the line of Deepak from Sundaram Mutual Fund.

U
Unknown Analyst

I would like to know how much gain did we crush in FY '23? And how much cane do we expect to crush in this crushing season?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

We have crushed about 26 lakh tonnes last season in '23. '24, we hope the 10% reduction would be there, we have to see. In the middle of the season, we could not be able to estimate exactly.

U
Unknown Analyst

Okay. And sir, just a follow-up question. What would be our gross and net yield for the last crushing season, recoveries I mean to say.

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Recoveries would be somewhere around 11%.

U
Unknown Analyst

Is it the gross recovery rate or the net recovery rate, sir?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Gross recoveries.

U
Unknown Analyst

And sir, 1 last question. In the 26 lakh tonnes, which we crushed in last crushing season, how much was diverted for ethanol production for juice route?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Somewhere around 4 lakh tonnes, sir.

U
Unknown Analyst

Okay. And for the current crushing season?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Sir, we have done somewhere around 2 lakh tonnes. We have not done the balance.

Operator

The next question is from the line of Mehul from [indiscernible].

U
Unknown Analyst

Sir, who is the largest customer for garments for us in India?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

We are not supplying anybody to any Indian buyer.

U
Unknown Analyst

Okay. All is export, is it?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

All are export.

U
Unknown Analyst

And what about yarn, sir? Yarn and fabric?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yarn supplied in Tirupur. It's about 3,000 buyers.

U
Unknown Analyst

Okay. And fabric sir?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Both are same, sir. Whoever want fabric, we supply fabric. And whoever want yarn, we supply yarn.

U
Unknown Analyst

And sir, what is the typical competition which we face in Tirupur in India locally?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

A couple of knitwear exports, sir. We have close to about 3,000 exporters in this region from INR 5 crores to say INR 1,000 crores kind of business. If you ask me, everybody is a competitor. So cost is important.

Operator

The next question is from the line of Biplab Debbarma from Antique Stockbroking.

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

Sir, first question is a clarification. So you said by FY '26, you would have a garment capacity of around 177 million pieces. Does it include also the 10 million pieces in Ethiopia or that is excluded?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

That is getting moved to Ethiopia to India.

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

So that 10 million pieces it will be moved to India, and it will be added to the capacity, right. Am I correct, sir?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

You're right.

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

Okay. And last question, what would be the guidance for FY '24 and FY '25 revenue and EBITDA, ballpark some idea what would be the numbers?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

We are not talking about the future. We hope that there will be an increase in the turnover by about 10% to 12%.

B
Biplab Debbarma
analyst

In this financial year?

P
P. Murugappan
executive

Yes. On year-on-year basis.

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, that was the last question. I now hand the conference over to the management for the closing comments.

P
P. Nataraj
executive

Thank you very much. K.P.R. is well positioned for further growth with its strong fundamentals, increased competitiveness and ability to meet the changing market trends. So with this, I thank one and all. Thank you very much.

Operator

Thank you, members of the management team. Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of Batlivala & Karani Securities India Private Limited, that concludes this conference call. We thank you for joining us, and you may now disconnect your lines. Thank you.

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