Senior Credit Analyst, Lucror Analytics

Leonard Law, CFA

Senior Credit Analyst

High Yield Experts

Lucror Analytics

Lucror Analytics is a leading credit and ESG research specialist and a provider of technology solutions for differentiated fixed income strategies. Our roots are in bottom-up fundamental credit analysis with a specialization in high yield corporate credits from Europe, Asia and Latin America. We are one of few research specialists integrating ESG considerations with fundamental credit research through a dedicated ESG platform. Our ESG assessment covers five key criteria: Disclosure, E,S, & G Pillars, Controversies, ESG Impact on Credit and ESG Momentum.

Recognizing the importance and value-add of Factor Investing in fixed income, Lucror developed the Smart Quant Navigator (SQN), an intuitive platform that helps clients devise and implement factor-based strategies ranging from pure quant to active fundamental, with integrated ESG.

Our company has been at the forefront of developments in the fixed income markets, identifying opportunities and consistently delivering new products and value-adding solutions to clients. Lucror has close relationships with the largest and most reputable asset managers, family offices, hedge funds, investment and wealth managers globally.

Credit

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.<ul><li><a href='#lucror-entity-13359'>Lenovo</a></li><li><a href='#lucror-entity-20776'>UPL Ltd</a></li><li><a href='#lucror-entity-24409'>Xiaomi Corp</a></li></ul>

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.LenovoUPL LtdXiaomi Corp

Morning Views Asia: Lenovo, UPL Ltd, Xiaomi Corp

Trung Nguyen

UPL Limited's Q4/23-24 results appear to be better than in the past three quarters, with lower declines registered for revenues and EBITDA. That said, we note that this was against a low comparison base, with Q4/22-23 marking the beginning of the downturn. The company has been severely affected by post-patent competition and cheap supply from China, with these not likely to improve much in the near term. The financial risk profile deteriorated significantly, and is now not consistent with the Ba1/BB/BB+ rating. While liquidity appears to be adequate, we expect it to weaken during the year as the company takes on working-capital debt. We highlight that while leverage and the liquidity profile tend to be better at financial year-end, they typically deteriorate significantly during the year. However, the USD 500 mn right issuance should shore up the balance sheet significantly.

  UPL Limited's Q4/23-24 results appear to be better than in the past three quarters, with lower declines registered for revenues and EBITDA. That said, we note that this was against a low comparison base, with Q4/22-23 marking the beginning of the downturn. The company has been severely affected by post-patent competition and cheap supply from China, with these not likely to improve much in the near term. The financial risk profile deteriorated significantly, and is now not consistent with the Ba1/BB/BB+ rating. While liquidity appears to be adequate, we expect it to weaken during the year as the company takes on working-capital debt. We highlight that while leverage and the liquidity profile tend to be better at financial year-end, they typically deteriorate significantly during the year. However, the USD 500 mn right issuance should shore up the balance sheet significantly. 

UPL Limited - Earnings Flash - FY 2023-24 Results - Lucror Analytics

Market & Forensics Analyst, Beat the Street

Nimish Maheshwari

Market & Forensics Analyst

Beat the Street

Beat The Street was founded by Nimish Maheshwari and Sudarshan Bhandari, both of whom are Chartered Accountants by Profession, known for their expert analysis in the fields of Business, Sectoral analysis, and Corporate governance.

With a strong social media presence of 45,000+ Subscribers across various platforms, they are considered trusted voices in the industry. Their insights and analysis have been featured in some of India’s most prominent publications, including the Economic Times, Dalal Street Investment Journal, The Morning Context, and The Ken.

Their analysis on Bankrupt & Insolvent companies has been instrumental in saving investors from significant losses. They have a keen eye for identifying red flags and has identified exclusive redflags earlier in Vedanta, Nykaa, Dhani Services, Adani and many more.

Read Business Not Stock Prices

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/upl-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20776:1" rel="noopener">UPL Ltd (UPLL IN)</a>'s Q4 FY23 results show a significant improvement in margins to 13% after a drastic fall to 1% in December 2023, despite a 15% YoY revenue decline.</li>
<li>Revenue drops were driven by lower prices and high-cost inventory liquidation, yet margin recovery signals operational improvements and potential future stability.</li>
<li>Planning to reduce the debt by raising capital via right issue as well as IPO of Advanta.</li>
</ul>



UPL Ltd (UPLL IN)'s Q4 FY23 results show a significant improvement in margins to 13% after a drastic fall to 1% in December 2023, despite a 15% YoY revenue decline.
Revenue drops were driven by lower prices and high-cost inventory liquidation, yet margin recovery signals operational improvements and potential future stability.
Planning to reduce the debt by raising capital via right issue as well as IPO of Advanta.


UPL's Q2/23-24 results were very weak, with revenues and earnings declining significantly and a deterioration in working capital. Our scepticism of the company has continued to deepen with the results. We are concerned about the lack of discussion on the huge debt reduction and unusual earnings call set-up in Q4/22-23, as well as the subsequent rebound in debt in Q1/23-24. We note that the pressure to reduce net debt to USD 2 bn in Q4/22-23 was to meet management's aggressive guidance and rating agencies' expectations. Management had released the Q4 results in early May 2023, almost halfway through Q1/23-24. Yet, there were few indications of very weak Q1 or H1 numbers. In addition, we are sceptical of management's guidance, even after it has been revised downwards. The new guidance implies c. 18% y-o-y revenue growth and a c. 28-30% increase in EBITDA in H2/23-24. That said, management does not expect y-o-y improvement in Q3. Hence, for UPL to meet the guidance, all the growth would have to be registered in Q4. We do not believe that the company will be able to meet the full-year guidance.

  UPL's Q2/23-24 results were very weak, with revenues and earnings declining significantly and a deterioration in working capital. Our scepticism of the company has continued to deepen with the results. We are concerned about the lack of discussion on the huge debt reduction and unusual earnings call set-up in Q4/22-23, as well as the subsequent rebound in debt in Q1/23-24. We note that the pressure to reduce net debt to USD 2 bn in Q4/22-23 was to meet management's aggressive guidance and rating agencies' expectations. Management had released the Q4 results in early May 2023, almost halfway through Q1/23-24. Yet, there were few indications of very weak Q1 or H1 numbers.   In addition, we are sceptical of management's guidance, even after it has been revised downwards. The new guidance implies c. 18% y-o-y revenue growth and a c. 28-30% increase in EBITDA in H2/23-24. That said, management does not expect y-o-y improvement in Q3. Hence, for UPL to meet the guidance, all the growth would have to be registered in Q4. We do not believe that the company will be able to meet the full-year guidance. 

UPL Limited - Earnings Flash - Q2 FY 2023-24 Results - Lucror Analytics

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Over the last few weeks, companies in India have been disclosing their shareholding pattern as of end-June. There are a few companies with significant float changes from end-March and/or end-December.</li>
<li>The changes in free float could be reflected in domestic and global indices over the next couple of months resulting in action from passive trackers.</li>
<li>We see 6 stocks where there could be passive inflows and 2 stocks that could have passive outflows - but there are caveats.</li>
</ul>


Over the last few weeks, companies in India have been disclosing their shareholding pattern as of end-June. There are a few companies with significant float changes from end-March and/or end-December.
The changes in free float could be reflected in domestic and global indices over the next couple of months resulting in action from passive trackers.
We see 6 stocks where there could be passive inflows and 2 stocks that could have passive outflows - but there are caveats.


India

UPL Ltd. manufactures, distributes and exports off-patent agrochemicals. The Company also manufactures phosphorus & phosphorus-based compounds and its products include herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, fumigants and rodenticides. United Phosphorus also manufactures industrial chemicals, specialty chemicals and chloralkaline products

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UPL Ltd (UPLL IN)

Morning Views Asia: Lenovo, UPL Ltd, Xiaomi Corp

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region,...

Lucror Analytics

UPL Limited - Earnings Flash - FY 2023-24 Results - Lucror Analytics

UPL Limited's Q4/23-24 results appear to be better than in the past three quarters, with lower declines registered for revenues and EBITDA. That...

Lucror Analytics

What’s Wrong with UPL?

UPL Ltd's Q4 FY23 results show margin improvement to 13% despite revenue decline, signaling operational improvements whereas Q1 is still expected...

Nimish Maheshwari

UPL Limited - Earnings Flash - Q2 FY 2023-24 Results - Lucror Analytics

UPL's Q2/23-24 results were very weak, with revenues and earnings declining significantly and a deterioration in working capital. Our scepticism...

Lucror Analytics

India - Potential Float Changes & Impact

Changes to shareholding patterns could lead to changes in float for some stocks in local/global indices. Passive trackers will need to trade over 3...

Brian Freitas

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Morning Views Asia: Lenovo, UPL Ltd, Xiaomi Corp

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region,...

Lucror Analytics

UPL Limited - Earnings Flash - FY 2023-24 Results - Lucror Analytics

UPL Limited's Q4/23-24 results appear to be better than in the past three quarters, with lower declines registered for revenues and EBITDA. That...

Lucror Analytics

What’s Wrong with UPL?

​UPL Ltd's Q4 FY23 results show margin improvement to 13% despite revenue decline, signaling operational improvements whereas Q1 is still expected...

Nimish Maheshwari

UPL Limited - Earnings Flash - Q2 FY 2023-24 Results - Lucror Analytics

UPL's Q2/23-24 results were very weak, with revenues and earnings declining significantly and a deterioration in working capital. Our scepticism...

Lucror Analytics

India - Potential Float Changes & Impact

Changes to shareholding patterns could lead to changes in float for some stocks in local/global indices. Passive trackers will need to trade over 3...

Brian Freitas

UPL Ltd's Q4 FY23 results show margin improvement to 13% despite revenue decline, signaling operational improvements whereas Q1 is still expected...