EID Parry scrip seen playing catch-up

14 Oct 2009, 0124 hrs IST, Shikha Sharma, ET Bureau

Eid Parry (India), part of the $3.14-bn Murugappa Group, saw its stock price move up close to 4% to end at Rs 318 on Monday after hitting an intra-day high of Rs 329.
Although the diversified company generates a significantly large chunk of consolidated revenues from its fertiliser subsidiary, Coromandel Fertiliser, the latest uptick on the scrip is attributed to the acquisition of 76% equity stake in privately-held Sadashiva Sugar (SSL) for a consideration of Rs 50 crore.

With the acquisition of Bangalore-based SSL, its sugar production capacity is expected to grow 15% to around 21,500 tonnes crushed per day (TCD). Assuming the current capacity utilisation at 75% with increased capacity and the ruling price of sugar at Rs 30/kg, EID Parry is likely to grow standalone revenues in the coming quarters. At the consolidated level, however, the business is dominated by its fertiliser subsidiary, which accounted for 92% of the company’s revenues and its entire profits in FY09.

Its standalone turnover for the year ended March 2009 stood at Rs 755 crore compared with Rs 616 crore last year. For the first quarter ended June 2009, it posted 0.8% growth in standalone revenues to Rs 205 crore and net profit was Rs 26 crore compared with Rs 3 crore during the same quarter last year, due to improved realisation in sugar prices. Sugar is the main business of the company besides co-generation power and distillery.

EID Parry’s operating margin for the June quarter ended 2009 at 29.71% is comparable to its peers in the sugar industry and has improved significantly compared with 11.78% in the corresponding quarter last year. As the industry estimates supply deficit of close to 5 million tonnes of sugar during the sugar season 2009-10, prices may continue to see an upward trend. But availability of sugarcane poses challenge for sugar producers.

Despite the recent run-up in its stock price, the company looks cheaper than its peers. At its current stock price of Rs 318, the stock is trading at a trailing price-earning multiple of close 20x (on a standalone basis) and looks pricey, considering that sugar companies are currently trading at a P/E of around 10x.

However, the market value of EID Parry investment is equivalent to around 70% of its total market capitalisation, which means that either its sugar division is not getting fair valuation, or its investments in fertilisers are being undervalued by the market.

In the current rally, the EID Parry scrip has underperformed its peers. The stock has risen 115% between April 1 and September 30 against 147% rise in the ET Sugar index during the period. So the current move could be seen as the stock playing catch-up.

via:E.T