Financial Performance Highlights (Consolidated)
Q1 FY27 Financial Results:
- Operating Revenue: ₹433.4 crore (24.9% YoY growth from ₹346.9 crore in Q1 FY26)
- Gross Profit: ₹193.9 crore (22.6% YoY growth from ₹158.2 crore)
- EBITDA: ₹65.5 crore (17.5% YoY growth from ₹55.7 crore)
- EBITDA Margin: 15.1% (vs 16.1% in Q1 FY26)
- Profit After Tax: ₹39.6 crore (23% YoY growth from ₹32.2 crore)
- PAT Margin: 9.1% (vs 9.3% in Q1 FY26)
- Tax Rate: 28.05% for Q1 FY27
Business Segment Performance
Chromium Business:
- Strategic shift towards higher value-added derivatives (Chromic Acid, Chrome Oxide Green)
- Higher value-added derivatives contributed 50% of sales vs 40% in FY26
- Maintenance shutdown at Vizag facility during quarter, but no revenue impact due to inventory
- Gross margins currently at 44-45%, targeting 50% by year-end
Barium Business:
- One-time impact of ₹8 crore due to retrospective baryte price adjustment for past 2 years
- Targeting sustainable EBITDA margins of 25%
- 70% of production exported
- Byproduct sulphur values increased 300-400% in recent months
Strontium Business:
- Q1 FY27 Revenue: ₹25 crore (nearly matching full FY26 revenue)
- Capacity: 10,000 tonnes
- Current utilization: 50%, targeting 65-75% by year-end
- EBITDA positive but not at target margins yet
Operational Updates
South African Mining Operations:
- Acquisition completed in November 2025
- Currently progressing with refurbishment, engineering, stability assessments, recruitment
- Expected operations commencement: Second half of FY27
- Expected material flow to India: Q3 FY27
- Capex requirement: ₹20-25 crore
Solar Power Expansion:
- Planning to add 20 MW solar capacity (6x increase from current 5 MW)
- Expected savings: 15-20% on power costs
- Total capex: ₹5-6 crore (rest under SPV model)
Capex Guidance
FY27 Capital Expenditure: ₹200-250 crore allocated to:
- DMSO Project: ₹205-240 crore total project cost (₹68 crore spent up to June 30, 2026)
- Chromium Derivatives Expansion: ₹50 crore
- Barium Backward Integration: ₹40 crore
- South Africa Operations: ₹20-25 crore
Market Environment & Challenges
Logistics Costs:
- Q1 FY27: 9-10% of revenue
- Q2 FY27 Expected: Up to 20% of revenue due to geopolitical tensions in West Asia
- Ocean freight costs increased sharply
- Company focusing on domestic sales to mitigate impact
Geographic Revenue Mix:
- Domestic: 45%
- Export: 55%
Strategic Initiatives
Chrome Metal Project:
- Planning strategic partnership with long-term supply agreement
- Expected to be margin accretive and provide volume visibility
- Announcement expected soon
European Market:
- EU anti-dumping duties on Chinese barium carbonate benefiting margins
- Estimated 4-5% margin addition on European pricing
- Long-term supply agreement for Chrome Oxide Green being negotiated
Financial Position
Debt Levels (as of March 31, 2026):
- Total Debt: ₹527 crore
- Debt-to-Equity: 0.49
Foreign Exchange:
- Other income included ₹11.9 crore net foreign exchange gains
- Driven by 31% higher exports in Q1 FY27 vs Q4 FY26
Forward Outlook
- Targeting 20% EBITDA margin in medium term
- Expecting H2 FY27 performance improvement
- Multiple growth levers: new specialty chemicals, barium backward integration, strontium scaling, South African operations
- Focus on being lowest cost producer in operated chemistries