Sell

Alembic reported a healthy 17.7% YoY revenue growth driven by traction in the export business and APIs. Operational cost of three new plants impacted margins. Management does not expect any material escalation in overhead costs ahead. Company has launched only 5 products (15-20 filed) from the three new sites, which may not be able to improve profitability in the near term.

Lupin’s Q1FY24 result was boosted by better performance in India and the US, and milestone income it received from Abbvie (USD 25mn). Sequential growth of 3% in the US was driven by Darunavir, while the acute portfolio is unlikely to have seen traction from the drug shortages in the US.

Q1 a beat with revenue/EBITDA running 8%/25% ahead of consensus; gross margin improves to 65.9% (64.4 ex-licensing income)

Orient Cement’s (ORCMNT) Q1FY24 EBITDA declined ~3%/29% YoY / QoQ to ~INR 1bn primarily due to the maintenance shutdown taken at its Chittapur kiln (in Karnataka). Despite operational bottlenecks, ORCMNT reported robust volume growth of +15% YoY to 1.59mnte (down 7.5% QoQ), while cement realisation improved 1.8% QoQ (flat YoY) led by higher sales of premium products.

While Akzo reported strong Q1FY24 led by strong growth across segments, we are enthused by board recommendation to re-appointment Mr. Rajiv Rajgopal as MD for five years. Rajiv had turned around Akzo Nobel India and initiated multiple investments such as increase in distribution and portfolio expansion.

Kansai reported revenue growth of +5.1% compared to Asian Paints (+7%) and Akzo (+6.6%) YoY. Its EBITDA margin expansion (+294bps) was also lower than Asian Paints (+537bps) and Akzo (+331bps) YoY. While Kansai is biggest beneficiary of revival in Automotive sector, it has likely lost market shares decorative paints in our view.

AWL had another unusual quarter due to macro headwinds leading to revenue decline of 12% YoY (14% YoY decline in edible oil segment revenues). Profitability continued to be impacted by multiple headwinds (~INR 3bn impact due to high cost inventory, hedges dis-alignment and tariff rate quota disparity).

Godrej Properties (GPL) clocked muted Q1FY24 gross sales bookings of 2.25msf worth INR22.5bn (I-sec estimate of INR24.0bn) and was down 11% YoY in value terms owing to delay in a few planned launches. While the company retains guidance for INR140bn of FY24 gross sales bookings driven by a launch pipeline of ~19msf for rest of FY24, operating cash surplus for Q1FY24 were weak at INR1.2bn.