Monte Carlo Fashions Limited – Issue subscribed but HNI’s avoid the issue

Monte Carlo Fashions Limited which had tapped the capital markets with its offer for sale of 54.33 lac shares in a price band of Rs 630-645 was oversubscribed 7.83 times but the hyped issue which was expected to do very well with HNI’s failed to entice them. Why? What went wrong? We all know that issues which are hyped get added flavour when the HNI who borrows funds and applies participates. To the issue price, the cost of funding becomes the base price for the issue to list and retail investors take this as a launching pad.

Two recent examples come to mind where the issues of Snowman Logistics and Sharda Cropchem were oversubscribed 60 times a piece and HNI portion received excellent response with Snowman being subscribed 221 times and Sharda Cropchem 251 times. Why then was Monte Carlo at just 1.71 times? The brand is strong and the issue size not too big. Just about 351 crs at the top end of the price band. Two things went wrong for the company. The pricing was horribly wrong and the valuation based on current earnings was 25 times at issue price which with the expected premium on listing would become an expensive 35 times. At this valuation one can easily go and buy the market leader KevalKiran which enjoys a margin which is substantially higher than Monte Carlo. Second the track record of the promoter group as far as minority shareholders are concerned is very poor. The Oswal family is still living in the 20th century where they believe that dividend should be maintained in absolute terms and the term “DIVIDEND PAYOUT” has no relevance. Their flagship company Nahar Spinning earned an EPS of Rs 21.59 for the year ended March 2013 and the dividend paid was Rs 1 or the dividend payout ratio was 4.63%. The following year the company fared much better and the EPS rose a staggering 86.61% to Rs 40.29. The company declared an unchanged dividend of Rs 1 and thus slashed the payout ratio to 2.48%.

Government companies or PSU Company’s payout between 20% to 33% of their profits as dividends and are considered to be good paymasters. The payout of a measly 2.48% speaks volumes of the management’s attitude towards minority shareholders.

The details of the subscription are as follows: –

QIB 1086603 15166131 13.9574
HNI 814953 1394099 1.7106
Retail 1901556 13230750 6.9579
       
Total 3803112 29790980 7.83332

One hopes that management and merchant bankers take a learning from this issue that mere roadshow response is not enough and issues which concern shareholders post listing should be looked into. Gone are the days when what management gave shareholders was taken as God’s gift and no questions asked. Shareholders are voicing their concern and raising issues. Further the institutions too have been forced to take a stand on important issues and no longer can just remain neutral on important issues. They have to make public on their websites the way they voted and also the rational for their voting.

The new BJP led government is a mere 7 months old and they have 53 more months to go. Many more issues whether IPO’s or FPO’s or OFS will come in that period. Let promoters and merchant bankers take the example of Monte Carlo Fashions Limited as a test case of what can happen.

Monte Carlo Fashions Limited – Expensive but may take lottery gains opportunity

Monte Carlo Fashions Limited is taping the capital markets with its offer for sale of 54.33 lac shares in a price band of Rs 630-645. The issue has already opened and will close on Friday the 5th of December. The company has allotted 16,29,904 shares to anchor investors at the top end of the price band of Rs 645.

monte carlo
Price Band Rs 630 – 645
Total issue size in Rupees Rs 327.04 crs at the lower band to Rs 351.86 crs at the upper end of the price band
Offer for sale – Issue size in number of Shares 54,33,016 Equity Shares
QIB’s 27,16,507 Equity Shares
Non Institutional Investors 8,14,953 Equity Shares
Retail Investors 19,01,556 Equity Shares
Book Running Lead Managers SBI Capital Markets Limited
Axis Capital Limited
Edelweiss Financial Services Limited
Religare Capital Markets Limited
Isssue Opening Date Wednesday 3rd Decemebr
Isssue  closing date Friday 5th December
Anchor Investors Alloted 16,29,904 equity Shares at Rs 645
Paid -up Capital Pre IPO 2,17,32,064 Equity Shares
Paid -up Capital Post IPO 2,17,32,064 Equity Shares
Market Cap pre listing Rs 1,369.12 crs at the lower end and Rs 1,401.72 crs at the upper end
Market Cap post listing Rs 1,369.12 crs at the lower end and Rs 1,401.72 crs at the upper end
Bid Lot 23 Equity Shares
Bidding Amount for Retail 299 Equity shares at Rs 645 or Rs 1,92,855 per application
23 shares or one lot at 645 is Rs 14,835 per application

 

Business

The company began with an exclusive woollen range way back in 1984 launched by a group company Oswal Woollen Mills. The company caters to the premium and mid-premium branded apparel segments for men, women and kids offering a comprehensive line of woollen, cotton and cotton blended knitted and woven apparel and home furnishings through the “Monte Carlo” brand.

The products are distributed through EBO’s (exclusive brand outlets) and MBO’s (multi brand outlets). The company has two manufacturing outlet for its woollen and cotton facilities in Ludhiana, Punjab. The company gets a significant portion of its cotton and cotton blended products on job work basis.

Objects of the Issue

The issue as an offer for sale and hence no portion of the proceeds would be available to the company. However the benefits of listing and brand visibility would be available to the company post listing.

Financials

The financials of the company are given below. The topline or net sales of the company have grown from Rs 372 crs in March 2012 to Rs 404 crs in March 2013 and to Rs 503 crs in March 2014. The net profit in the same period has grown from Rs 49 cts to Rs 55 crs with the same being static in the year Mach 13. In the three month period April to June 2014 topline has been Rs 74 crs while net profit was Rs8.5 crs.

monte carlo
Rupees in Millions
3 months
Jun-14 Mar-14 Mar-13 Mar-12
INCOME
Revenue from Operations (Gross)
of products manufactured 132.86 2115.40 1984.02 1850.82
of products traded 613.87 2907.89 2245.66 2122.22
Other operating Income 0.95 14.02 11.64 11.93
Sub- total 747.68 5037.31 4241.32 3984.97
Less Excise Duty 0.00 0.00 196.89 263.27
Revenue from Operations (Net) 747.68 5037.31 4044.43 3721.70
Other income 44.64 151.61 120.16 32.14
Total 792.32 5188.92 4164.59 3753.84
Expenditure
Cost of Materials consumed 381.32 1347.66 1021.38 1112.97
Purchases of Stock in trade 235.19 1450.72 1086.90 1149.62
Changes in inventories -393.25 -189.85 -34.40 -432.90
Employee Benefit expenses 97.37 270.36 189.11 137.39
Finance Costs 31.04 93.19 36.85 65.35
Depriciation and Amortisation Expenses 65.90 162.09 68.20 59.49
Other expenses 246.77 1217.19 1071.92 936.19
Total Expenses 664.34 4351.36 3439.96 3028.11
Restated Profit before Tax 127.98 837.56 724.63 725.73
Tax Expense
Current Tax 47.01 259.10 230.00 255.65
Deferred tax expense (credit) -4.21 25.44 -5.59 -24.45
Restated Profit after tax 85.18 553.02 489.04 494.53
Extraordinary items 0.00 0.00 -2.55 0.00
NetProfit after extraordinry items as restated 85.18 553.02 491.59 494.53
Net Margins 11.39 10.98 12.15 13.29
         
Equity Capital 21.73 21.73 21.73 21.73
EPS 3.92 25.45 22.62 22.76
15.68
Fully diluted and annualised EPS
PE AT LOWER 40.18 24.76 27.85 27.69
PE AT UPPER 41.14 25.35 28.51 28.34
630
645

Comparison

The company has chosen to compare itself with KevalKiran and Zodiac. In terms of brands Killer Jeans is a well kno9wn brand and like Zodiac is well known. The Monte Carlo brand is also well known but does not have a pan India presence and is focused on the Northern zone. Secondly being a woollen brand its sales in the West and South are limited.

Monte Carlo reported an EPS of Rs 25.45 for March 2014 while for the same period KevalKiran reported an EPS of Rs 54.38. The return on net worth for Monte Carlo was 14.55% while it was 23.06% for KevalKiran. The margins too are substantially higher for KKCL as compared to Monte Carlo. Considering these factors it is but natural that KKCL enjoys better and higher valuations.

The track record of the promoter group is extremely poor as far as rewarding shareholders is concerned. The dividend payout ratio for the company can be termed as “Pathetic” and at times one wonders what the company intends to do with the shareholder money. For example Nahar Spinning has earned an EPS of Rs 21.59 for March 2013 and the profit almost doubled in the year ended March 2014 to Rs 40.29. The dividend paid out remained static at a miserable Rs 1 in both years.

Key Drivers

FDI in retail could be a rallying factor for all brands particularly the home grown ones. Having an advantage in the woollen sector where the choice is fairly limited and the brand enjoys market leadership is another advantage.

Concerns

This company is valued through the roof. Even taking into account the brand and it being an established player, being valued at 25 times its current earnings leaves no scope for appreciation. The only saving grace may be the over subscription and some amount of listing gains. The track record in investor friendly of the group is non-existent so post listing this share will trade below the peers.

Conclusion

Unlike the last two issues in Snowman and Sharda Cropchem the fizz in this issue is missing. The issue will get oversubscribed and allotment to retail will be by lottery for one lot of 23 shares. Listing gains is a factor not of valuation but of cost of funding of HNI application. With that currently indicating that the same may not be any obscene number, the chances of making substantial money on a lottery ticket being successful gets limited. Apply only if you wish to sell with whatever listing gains may accrue.

SEBI Disclaimer: I do not intend to apply for the issue.

Monte Carlo Fashions Limited Completes Anchor Allocation

Monte Carlo Fashions Limited today completed its anchor allocation of 16,29,904 share to 5 Anchor investors at the top end of the price band of Rs 630-645. The issue has been technically allotted to 5 investors but for all practical purposes three of the five entities are from the same business group namely the Aditya Birla group. The total number of shares allotted to these three anchor investors is 11,62,903 shares which is 71.34% of the entire anchor book. The pedigree of the anchor is certainly not an issue but the fact that such a hyped issue which was expected to be oversubscribed handsomelyfinally saw just three distinct investors is indeed strange.

The issue opens for subscription on Wednesday the 3rd December and closes on Friday the 5th of December. The issue size minus the anchor book is for 38,03,112 shares and would garner between Rs 239.59 crs to Rs 245.30 crs from the public.

The full list of anchor investors is given below.

1) Aditya Birla Private Equity Trust A/c Aditya Birla Private Equity Fund 1 341159
2) Aditya Birla Private Equity Trust A/c Aditya Birla Private Equity Sunrise Fund 201549
3) DB International (Asia) Limited 358018
4) Tata Trustee Co. Ltd. A/c Tata Mutual Fund A/c Tata Midcap Growth Fund 108983
5) Birla Sunlife Trustee Company Private Limited  
 
5A) A/c Birla Sunlife Advantage Fund 54280
5B) A/c Birla SunlifeGennext Fund 62008
5C) A/c Birla India Advantage Offshore Fund

23253

5D) A/c Birla SunlifeMidcap Fund 139518
5E) A/c Birla SunlifeMidcap Fund 279105
5F) A/c Birla SunlifeSmall and Midcap Fund 62031
     
TOTAL 1162903

The anchor book is disappointing as one expected with so much of hype and an issue from the house of Oswal’s after so many years would garner response from a larger number of marquee investors. The lack of numbers in the anchor book leads one to believe that the expected oversubscription to the issue may not happen.

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