Several construction equipment manufacturers are gaining from India’s infrastructure boom. Action Construction Equipment (ACE) is one of the key beneficiaries.
It operates four segments, namely – cranes, construction equipment, material handling and agricultural equipment.
Nearly 70% of its revenue comes from cranes. It commands a 63% market share in mobile cranes and 60% in tower cranes.
Its net profit grew nearly 26x over FY15-23, led by operating leverage, evident by a decline in major costs as a percentage of revenue.
Return on capital employed has leapt from nearly 6% in FY15 to close to 29% in FY23.
The surge in earnings has wooed the broader market. However, investors must consider certain factors before joining the party.
Over the past 25 years, it has penetrated deeper into global markets and expanded its global presence to 37 countries.
Revenue from exports grew to 12% in Q2FY24 from 7% as of March 2023. It plans to increase it further and is eyeing an acquisition in Europe.
The management is confident of doubling its revenue by FY26 on the back of the present infra push. However, it must overcome certain hurdles. Swipe to know them.
The Indian crane market is projected to grow at a modest 5% annual growth rate until FY27.
ACE already commands about one-fifth of the market. Hence, the room for growth is small.
A single crane has an expected life of 8 to 10 years. Also, many prefer leasing cranes over buying. This means the repeat sales cycle is long.
The risk of adverse trade regulations looms large as the company is expanding its global presence.
Currently, the company trades at 67 times TTM earnings, more than twice its five-year median P/E of 26 times.
There are currently no signs of a decline in revenue growth, and perhaps the export opportunity will be a game-changer. However, do not ignore the challenges that lie ahead.