In case of other businesses, chemical business (16 percent of FY17 sales) witnessed lower volumes sequentially due to decline in chemical trading business as the company is reducing the share of low margin trading operations.
Rain Industries continues to witness benefits of elevated product pricing scenario for the carbon products. Both the Carbon sub-segments – CPC (Calcined petroleum coke) and CTP (Coal Tar Pitch) – exhibited improved pricing due to structural changes in supply and improving demand scenario for the end market – Aluminum and Graphite.
While raw material prices (mainly Green Petroleum Coke) have also surged, management is hopeful of maintaining the margins for Carbon sub-segment (constitute 93 percent of group EBITDA in Q4 CY17) in the near term.
Quarterly update
Net sales were up 32 percent in Q4 CY17 result wherein lower volumes (-3 percent YoY, -6 percent QoQ) were more than offset by the higher realisations. Lower volumes were mainly on account of delayed shipments for the carbon products which are expected to recover in the current quarter. Higher profitability for the carbon products wherein EBITDA per ton surged by 125 percent YoY led to group EBITDA margin expansion of 361 bps YoY.
In case of other businesses, chemical business (16 percent of FY17 sales) witnessed lower volumes sequentially due to decline in chemical trading business as the company is reducing the share of low margin trading operations. However, strong demand for resins from adhesives business helped increase in revenue on QoQ basis.
Cement business was impacted by lower realisation (-13 percent YoY) offsetting volume increase of about 8 percent.
Net profit improved sequentially due to lower tax rate of about 21 percent (vs. 40 percent earlier).
Among the exceptional items, Rs 83 crore benefit from the deferred tax reversal (the USA and Belgium tax rate changes) was largely offset by the prepayment charges on debt.
China supply side reform continues to be key structural factor behind surge in CPC prices. CPC pricing is aided by curtailment of Chinese Aluminum and CPC production (reflected in lowered Chinese exports) and improving global demand for aluminum coupled with higher capacity utilisation/restarts in existing aluminum plants in North America.
Refinancing benefits
Company has undertaken refinancing of senior secured notes in Jan’18, leading to effective interest rate of 5.3 percent (vs. earlier 7.6 percent) which is expected to save about USD 25-30 million per annum.
Additionally, post refinancing, major debt repayments are scheduled to start January 2025 giving headroom to fund capex projects.
Financial projections
