Business Model:
- Sai Silks Kalamandir, a prominent player in ethnic wear, particularly sarees, operates across South India through physical stores, e-commerce, and its website. The company boasts four distinctive brands:
- Kalamandir: Offers a diverse range of sarees, including Tusser, Kota, and Georgette, priced between INR 1K-1L.
- Vara Mahalakshmi: Specializes in premium ethnic silk and handloom sarees for weddings, featuring varieties like Kanchipuram, Kuppadam, and Banarasi, ranging from INR 4K-2.5L.
- Mandir: Presents ultra-premium designer silk sarees tailored for HNI clientele, priced from INR 6K-3.5L.
- KLM Fashion: Positioned as a value brand, offering fusion wear, sarees, western wear, and daily wear for men, women, and children, with prices ranging from INR 200-75K.
Q2FY24 Results:
- Demonstrated robust financial performance with a 6% YoY and 7% QoQ growth in revenue.
- PAT soared by an impressive 33.3% YoY and 40% QoQ, achieving PAT margins of 7%, up from 5.6% the previous year.
- Minimal reliance on other income sources.
Financial Insights:
- Strong financial health reflected in a Current Ratio > 2 and no Asset-Liability Mismatch (ALM) concerns.
- IPO led to an increase in the equity base.
- Negligible receivables, given the credit-centric business model.
- Stable borrowings, primarily in the form of lease liabilities, aligning with the need for store infrastructure.
- Net CFO remained flat in H1 compared to the previous year.
- IPO proceeds strategically utilized for loan repayment and temporary placement in deposits.
Q2 Concall Highlights:
- Facing challenges in achieving significant YoY improvement due to restricted access to one of the main Chennai stores in Mylapore, impacted by ongoing Metro construction. The persisting impact is estimated at INR 15-20 Cr.
- Muted sales in Q2 attributed to the Adhik Maas period, with festivities shifting to Q3.
- Expansion initiatives include opening premium Vara Mahalakshmi stores and establishing a warehouse in Salem.
- INR 130 Cr from the IPO earmarked for setting up 30 stores over 18 months in Tamil Nadu, with a predominant focus on Vara Mahalakshmi and Kalamandir formats.
- A strategic plan to open 7-10 stores this year and the remainder in the following year, concentrating on South markets.
- Over the past two years, the company achieved a remarkable Store Expansion Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 24.5%, with an average revenue of Rs 25 Cr per store per year.
- Operating in 4 states and 12 cities of South India, targeting areas with untapped potential within the existing cities.
- Comparable Store Sales Growth (SSSG) currently at -5%, anticipated to reach single-digit figures by year-end. Mature store SSSG stands at a healthy 3-4%.
- All 57 stores are Company-Owned, Company-Operated (COCO), with a potential shift to Franchisee-Owned, Company-Operated (FOCO) for the KLM brand.
- Saree contributed to 68% of revenue in FY23, with only 10% of the inventory offered at a discount.
Risks:
- Intense competition from both organized and unorganized markets, with noteworthy players like Nalli’s, Potli, and Jaylakshmi in the South.
- Shift in saree usage from everyday wear to occasional wear, emphasizing the premium segment.
Outlook:
- Single-digit growth anticipated this year, with a robust 15-20% growth forecasted for the next two years.
- Growth primarily driven by an aggressive store expansion strategy.
- IPO targets include achieving a topline of INR 2000 Cr and PAT of 200 Cr within two years, with a current-year PAT goal of 120 Cr.
- Acknowledgment of potential fluctuations by up to 10%.
In summary, Sai Silks Kalamandir is strategically positioned to capitalize on the evolving trends in South India’s ethnic wear market, leveraging its diverse brand portfolio, expansion plans, and financial prudence to navigate challenges and achieve sustainable growth.