Sector Update | 26 August 2024
Cement
Price hikes announced; sustainability to be monitored
Average price of cement per 50kg bag
increases 4% MoM in Aug’24
Prices increased by INR10-20/bag across regions
Average imported petcoke price down
11% YoY to USD108/t in Aug’24
Our channel checks suggest that cement players have increased prices in the
range of INR10-20/bag (up ~3-6% as compared to Jul’24 average) across regions,
with effect from the third week of Aug’24. As a result, the all-India cement price is
up ~4% from the Jul’24 average and ~1% from the 1QFY25 average.
We believe that price hikes are necessary to restrict earnings downgrades as lower
demand during general elections and increased competitive intensity have kept
cement prices under pressure for the last few months. Our current estimates
factor in realization growth of ~4%/~1% QoQ in 3QFY25/4QFY25, which, if
happens, would drive average EBITDA/t improvement of INR340 in 2HFY25 after a
subdued performance in 1HFY25.
Further, consolidation is rising with increasing M&A activities in the industry, and a
larger part of capacity addition, over the next three years, would be done by the
top five players. Consequently, the capacity share of top five players is likely to
increase to ~63% by FY26E from ~54% in FY24. Intensifying consolidation in the
industry should lead to better pricing power in the long term.
Cement prices have corrected for the last nine consecutive months (Nov’23 to
Jul’24) amid higher competitive intensity followed by a slowdown in demand. The
all-India average cement price was down ~13% in Jul’24 from its peak in Oct’24, and
the average cement realization for our cement coverage companies was down ~8%
in 1QFY25 as compared to 3QFY24. In most markets, cement price was at a multi-
year low level, whereas in South (particularly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala), it was at a
decadal low level.
However, cement companies have recently announced price hikes in the range of
INR10-20/bag across regions, with effect from the third week of Aug’24. Within
regions, prices are increased by INR20/bag MoM (up ~6% from Jul’24 average) in
the south region, INR15/bag (up ~4-5%) in the east and west regions (each), and
INR10/bag (up ~3%) in north and central regions (each).
Dealers have indicated that the price hike could partly be sustained as intermittent
rains, higher competition, weak volume offtake in non-trade segment and upcoming
festive/marriage season would lead to demand disruption. However, they also
indicated that companies may attempt another price hike of up to INR25/bag in the
coming weeks. We would be watchful for sustainability of these price hikes and a
further attempt of price hikes, if any, in the near term.
In 1QFY25, most of the cement companies under our coverage universe reported
lower-than-estimated profitability, mainly due to weak realization (average
realization declined ~3% QoQ vs. our estimate of ~1% decline). Resultantly, average
EBITDA/t was down 9%/18% YoY at INR827. Due to persistent pricing pressure and
guidance of soft cement prices by companies in the near term, we estimated a
further decline of ~1% QoQ in 2QFY25.
However, we estimated 4%/1% QoQ improvement in realization in 3Q/4QFY25,
considering the expected improvement in cement demand after the monsoon
Recent announcement forming the foundation for price rise
Average imported coal price up ~3%
YoY to USD116/t in Aug’24
Earnings sensitivity to realization remains high
Sanjeev Kumar Singh - Research analyst
(Sanjeev.Singh@MotilalOswal.com)
Research analyst: Mudit Agarwal
(Mudit.Agarwal@MotilalOswal.com)
| Abhishek Sheth
(Abhishek.Sheth@motilaloswal.com)
Investors are advised to refer through important disclosures made at the last page of the Research Report.
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