Witnessing overwhelming response, Gujarat Pipavav Port
This is the transcript of interview with director tuksani of Pipavav on CNBC with Udayan Mukhrjee giving his guidance
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(GPPL) debuted at Rs 56.10, a premium of 21.96% over its issue price of Rs 46 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
Managing Director Prakash Tulsiani said the company received Rs 500 crore from the initial public offer (IPO), which closed on August 26 on the back of strong investor response. “Of this Rs 300 crore will be used to retire debt as we will save Rs 39-40 crore interest cost after debt repayment.”
Confident that the company should be in the black in 2011, he said, "GPPL has seen a 34% growth in bulk business and margins have gone up due to ramped up volumes. For the period of January-June 2010, revenues went up 34% and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, (EBITDA) increased to Rs 34 crore from Rs 3 crore. EBITDA margins improved to 44% for the same period."
Below is a verbatim transcript of his interview with CNBC-TV18’s Udayan Mukherjee and Sonia Shenoy. Also watch the accompanying video.
Q: The big question for your investors who have bought your stock quite well in the IPO is when the margin start improving from the current levels to closer to what margin profile of some of your peers or established peers are, which will start ramping up your profitability. When does that process start?
A: Let me take you to the numbers of January because we follow the calendar year. From January 2010 to June 2010 we have seen the numbers growing compared to the previous year January 2009 to June 2009 and today 64% growth in volume, in container business and 34% growth in bulk business. Overall our revenue went up by 34%.
In EBITDA, last year in the same period we did Rs 3 crore and today we are at Rs 42 crore for January to June 2010. In terms of margins, our margins have also gone up because we have ramped up our volume. Until March 2010 we were in the range of 33%. Today we have increased and gone up to 44%.
Q: What are you planning to do in terms of utilisations? Where does your capacity utilisation currently stand at? Also post this expansion coming on board, how much will it be and how would that contribute to margins for you in terms of a number in FY11?
A: For the proceeds we have received funds Rs 500 crore from this IPO. Rs 300 crore would be to repay the debt. Debt is heavy on our balance sheet and also on the profit and loss and that will help us approximately by Rs 39-40 crore annually. The proceeds balance of Rs 200 crore, out of that, at least Rs 150 crore we will use for capital expenditure.
We have already ordered crane for bulk handling and that has arrived and it will be operational by end of September. We will also go and invest in yard because we need more yard space to handle the increased volumes and the rail sidings because our model is to support the northern hinterland of India. That is what we will go for as the works in terms of Rs 150 crore.
Q: Steady state margins for your kind of business for established players who have done their full ramp-ups are often in the vicinity of more than 55-60%. By when do you think you can stabilise your operations to get to that kind of margin profile?
A: The margin in this industry is in the range of 55-60%. We are ramping up our volumes and as the industry grows, as the trade grows we will also come in there. If you ask a date or a number, we expect to achieve that in the coming year.
Q: If you do achieve that in the next calendar year 2011, by the end of that year where do you think you are book value will be- in the Rs 17-18 kind of zone per share?
A: I have not calculated that as yet, but of course I would leave it to the market and I would look at delivering. I am a port operator so I will deliver on my business and I will leave for the market to determine what the valuation would be.
Q: Can you give us an indication of when you would turn into black because you have been loss making for a while now? Any clarity on when that would happen? Also a technical comment on the EV per tonne currently, where does it stand at and how much do you hope to surge that up by?
A: We turn into black into next coming year i.e. we follow the calendar year, so 2011 we should be in black. In terms of EV/EBITDA we are at the moment in the range of 12.8%.
So as you see and as i said the company will be in profits aand positive on PAT and EPS in 2011.
So people who say that long term investors will loose in this IPO are ass*%$^les and have no logic.
So long term investors of Gujarat Pipavav dont worry.
You have made a good investment.
BOLO TA RA RA RA,,,,,,,