GMR Infra sees turnaround in FY17 after airport business picks up

The company clocked a PAT of Rs 9 cr in FY17 from a loss of Rs 2,664 cr in FY16

GMR Infrastructure on Friday reported a turnaround in the current year with a profit after tax of Rs 9 crore in FY17 from a loss of Rs 2,664 crore in FY16. The return to black was spurred by good performance in its airport segment. 

The company's gross debt has come down to Rs 19,856 crore during 2016-17 from Rs 37,480 crore in the previous year. Net debt to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) for FY17 improved to 4.3 from 10.2 in FY16, the company said.

Its Delhi and Hyderabad airports have declared dividends for the first time. The airport revenue was helped by the arbitration award for the Maldives Airport, under which it received compensation of Rs 1,800 crore.

The energy business registered a turnaround too — GMR Warora achieved a net profit of Rs 143 crore for the first time.

GMR had restructured its energy platform with the induction of Tenaga as a strategic partner.

The company also added Goa Airport to its airport portfolio.

The company said there was a significant improvement of 12 per cent in Ebitda at Rs 3,497 crore for FY17 from Rs 3,114 crore for FY16. 

Traffic at GMR airports crossed 82 million passengers, and, after adding 13 million passengers in the current year, it registered a growth of 19 per cent over last year. 

The Delhi airport's traffic increased to 57.7 million from 48.4 million, while the Hyderabad airport's traffic increased to 15.2 million from 12.5 million. The Cebu airport's traffic increased to 8.9 million from 8 million.

The company also said that it has completed the second phase of real estate monetisation for Delhi airport. 

The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) completed bidding process for the development of retail assets with a floor space index of 1.96 lakh sqm on a land parcel of 22.77 acres. The transaction is subject to certain conditions, precedents and necessary approvals.

DIAL said there has been a reduction in dependence on bank debt. It raised $522.6 million by way of 10-year 6.125 per cent bonds in the international market. The proceeds were used to entirely refinance the current outstanding rupee debt and European Central Bank borrowing.

In the energy sector, it was helped by the divestment of 74 per cent of its stake in the Maru project and 49 per cent of its stake in the Aravali project to Adani Transmission for a consideration of Rs 100 crore. The realisable value for GMR Energy Limited (GEL) could be Rs 220 crore, including regulatory proceeds of various appeals before the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity.

Performance of operating assets in GMR Energy improves on better performance

GMR Warora achieved a net profit of Rs 143 crore while GMR Kamalanga Energy received Rs 290 crore under Change in Law and Coal Pass through various power purchase agreements.

The company also said there has been a resolution of stressed energy assets of Rs 12,600 crore. 

"Lenders of the Chhattisgarh power project, which was commissioned last year, have adopted strategic debt restructuring (SDR) scheme. Accordingly, the loan of Rs 2,992 crore was converted into equity, by which consortium lenders own 52 per cent equity of the project," it said. 

Similarly, lenders of the gas-based Rajahmundry project adopted SDR earlier in the year and a loan of Rs 1,414 crore was converted into 55 per cent equity of the project.

Under urban infrastructure, the engineering, procurement & construction division enlarged its order book to Rs 7,100 crore.