XL Telecom & Energy Ltd: Presence in Energy sector to spur growth
BSE Code: 532788
Face Value: Rs.10
Book Value: Rs.105.23
Dividend: 10%
EPS: Rs.26.14
P/E: 1.81
Market Cap: Rs.88.67 Cr

Energy Segment, the company is engaged in new emerging products like Ethanol and Solar Photovoltaic Products. The company has technology collaboration with international technology companies including Corning (for cable jointing kits and accessories), Kyocera Wireless Corporation (for CDMA handsets) and Axesstel (for CDMA fixed wireless phones). In FY 08, revenues from Telecom Segment were about 44% and Energy Segment was about 56%.
Shareholding Pattern: The promoters hold 28/13% shares of the company while the general public holds 71.87% of the shares of the company. In the public holding FIIs, Mutual Funds, Venture Capital Funds and Financial Institutions together hold 25.16% of the shares of the company.
Financials: For Q3FY09, the company came out with very good results. The total income of the company for Q2FY09 came out to be Rs.258.13 Cr as against Rs.151.70 Cr in the same period previous year. The PBT of the company for Q2FY09, came out to be Rs.15.04 Cr as against Rs.8.2 Cr in the same period previous year. The net profit of the company more than doubled to Rs.14.99 Cr as against Rs.6.03 Cr in the same period previous year. This gave an EPS of Rs.7.98 in Q2FY09, as against Rs.4.16 in the same period previous year. Also, what is encouraging is that both the net and operating profit margins of the company increased in Q2FY09 as against Q2FY08.
Industry Overview:
TELECOM: With a strong population of over 1.1 Billion, India has become one of the most growing and promising markets in the world. During 2003-2007, the country witnessed the number of phones increasing by more than triple and total tele-density rising from 5.1% to 18.2%.
According to the industry information:
• The total telecom subscription in India surged at a CAGR of over 38% from fiscal 2003 to fiscal 2007, making the country the third largest telecom market in the world.
• Mobile phones accounted for 80.2% of the total telephone subscriber base at the end of March 2007.
• India’s telecom services industry revenue is projected to reach $54 billion in 2012, as compared with $31 billion in 2008. India is expected to touch a telecom subscriber base of 700 mln by 2012.
SOLAR: India, with abundant sunshine throughout its landscape & is uniquely placed to reap the benefits ofsolar energy.
However, solar energy is yet to take off in India compared to its shining growth in Japan, the US, and Europe. The government’s policy to promote semiconductor fabrication facilities and other micro and nano technology manufacturing under the Special Incentives Package Scheme (SIPS), has attracted unprecedented levels of interest and investment proposals from the industry.
While the total size of the Indian solar industry at present is minuscule compared to global scale as well as in terms of the energy requirements of India, this scenario would undergo a paradigm shift as the above mentioned investments take concrete shape in the next few years. To put things in perspective, the entire world’s energy consumption in 2007 was around 0.50 ZJ. Now comparing that to the total solar energy available to the earth was 3,850 ZJ. The world currently uses polycrystalline silicon cells to capture solar power. But as technology upgrades and the efficiency of photovoltaic cells improve, the cost per MW, which is the highest among all sources, could fall. As usage doubles efficiencies of scale could reduce cost by 18%.
Solar PV industry is expected to grow from $15.6 billion in 2006 to $69.3 billion in 2016.
Investment Rationale:
• PHENOMENAL Q1 FY09 AND FY08 PERFORMANCE: The Company recorded phenomenal top line growth of 71% to Rs.257 Cr as compared to Q1 FY08 which stood at Rs.150 Cr. There was a massive bottom line growth from Rs.6 Cr to Rs.15 Cr constituting 149% growth. In FY08, net sales grew to Rs.654.01 Cr from Rs.523.14 Cr registering 25% growth. The company registered 98.91% net profit growth in FY 08 from Rs.20.18 Cr to Rs.40.14 Cr.
• FORWARD INTEGRATION IN SOLAR MODULE CHAIN: The Company has been pioneer in the Solar Module manufacturing, for over 15 years and has been working on to capture the Complete Value Chain of Solar Industry. As of this strategy, the Company is in advanced stage of implementing the 120 MW Solar Cell manufacturing facility in SEZ, Hyderabad with a capital outlay of Rs.360 Cr. Looking at the growing global demand for Non-Conventional Energy Power Generation in the Global Market Place, the company has decided to embark on forward integration in Solar Value Chain, by entering into EPC Segment of Solar Farm Establishment and also 'Power Generation' using Solar Technologies. The company is also exploring the opportunities to establish solar farms in Italy, southern France and other European countries through its 100% subsidiary, Saprashva.
• GLOBAL ORDERS TO RISE: During March 08, the Company has secured orders worth Rs.153.90 Cr for the supply of Solar Panels to the European Market, and the customer is a large Power Utility Company in Europe. The Total Pending Order Book for the Export of Solar Panels with this Order stands at more than Rs.700 Cr worth of Solar Panels. The Company is bullish on entering as a vendor with this large Power Utility Company and is confident that over the period the Customer engagement would be extremely fruitful with multiple repeat orders.
• SOLAR FARM MODEL TO BOOST REVENUES: During October, 2008, the company has set up a 1.6-MW solar power plant in Spain, with an investment of €9.5 million (Rs.75 Cr approx.). The plant is the first in the series of plants (solar farms) the company is planning to set up in Europe to generate over 300 MW solar powers over the next three years. The company has signed a PPA for 25 years with the Spanish utility company. The project is expected to generate about €19 million revenue (Rs.150 Cr).
• CAPEX (Capital Expansion): During FY08, the Company has increased the Solar Module Capacity from 24 MW pa to 180 MW pa. Further as envisaged in the previous year, the Company is further expanding the Module capacity of 40 MW semi-automated plant in addition to 180 MW current capacity and also investing in Solar Cell manufacturing capacity of 120 MW. These two expansion projects are in advanced stage of implementation and as of 30th June 08, the Company has already invested about Rs.210 Cr as against the total CAPEX plans of Rs.360 Cr. The Project is expected to commission by Q4FY09 and commercial production is expected to begin in March 2009. In ethanol division, they are looking at establishing the Distillery for meeting the Raw Material requirement for the Ethanol Production and the Plant is in advanced stage of implementation. The Company has already incurred about Rs.27 Cr of CAPEX of the total Rs.72 Cr Project Cost as of 30th June 2008. The Plant is expected to be commissioned in the second quarter of 2009.
• RAW MATERIAL SUPPLY CONTRACTS: During Aug 08, LDK Solar Company, a leading manufacturer of solar wafers has signed a five-year contact to supply multi-crystalline solar wafers to the company. Under the terms of the agreement, LDK Solar would deliver approximately 300 MW of multi-crystalline silicon solar wafers to XL Telecom over a five-year period, commencing in the first quarter of 2009 and extending through 2013. During July, the company also signed five year contract with Mola Solaire Produktions to deliver 125 MW of solar wafers to the company between 2008 and 2013.
• Even after adjust, the Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds (FCCBs), as per Clause 5.28 of the Offering Circular, the initial conversion price of FCCBs was reset from Rs.260.00 to Rs.160.00 which is a multiple of the cost price. This indicates that the stock of the company is expected to come near to this level.
Concerns:
• Competitors like LG and Samsung have established their own units in India to manufacture CDMA handsets. These companies are cost efficient due to high volume and would compete in the tough, price sensitive market in India.
• The company is substantially increasing its SPV (Solar Photovoltaic) capacity from existing 24 MW per annum to 180 MW per annum. This has an inherent a risk of sudden fall in global demand, resulting in underutilization of capacity.
• Delay in execution of new projects and consequential business opportunities.
• Any sudden appreciation of INR would seriously affect the export business being planned in the Solar Segment.
• The demand for solar power may take a hit in coming years as the US and Europe struggle with convulsions in the financial markets and slowdown.
Graphical Check and Conclusion: From the charts it has been found that the stock of the company is in the highly oversold territory and a bounce is expected anytime soon. From the charts it could be further concluded that the stock is still trading above its strong support of Rs.47, which is unlikely to break in the days to come if the market condition remains buoyant. Moreover, MACD and Stochastic are in buy mode. With the chance of immediate war receding, the markets are expected to move up from here…..
One can buy the scrip at the CMP of Rs.47.50, with a strict SL of Rs.47 ...........