Bajaj Auto shares gain 3%, near record high post May sales update

Bajaj Auto rose 3.3 per cent to Rs 4,328 on the BSE in intra-day trade on Tuesday after the two-wheeler maker reported strong sales numbers for the month of May, led by exports. The two-wheeler maker grew 114 per cent at 271,862 in May 2021 as compared to 127,128 in the year-ago period. However, the sales were down 30.2 per cent, sequentially, from 3.88 lakh units in April 2021.

While the company's domestic sales in May 2021 were up 52 per cent YoY at 60,830 units, the exports rose 142 per cent at 211,032. 

Segment-wise, Bajaj Auto's 2-wheeler sales grew 113 per cent to 240,554 units while commercial vehicles were up 118 per cent at 31,308 units.

At 10:03 AM, the stock traded 3.17 per cent higher at Rs 4,322.15 as compared to 0.32 per cent gain in the S&P BSE Sensex. Around 5.75 lakh shares have changed hands on the NSE and BSE combined, so far. The stock was trading close to its record high of Rs 4,361.20, hit on February 4, 2021.

Bajaj Auto reported a 1.6 per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth in standalone net profit at Rs 1,332.07 crore for March quarter of FY21 (Q4FY21). The same was Rs 1,310.3 crore in the year-ago period. On a quarterly basis, the profit tumbled 14.4 per cent from Rs 1,556.3 crore.

On a consolidated basis, the profit grew 14.5 per cent to Rs 1,551.28 crore from Rs 1,353.99 crore logged in March quarter of FY20. The revenue of the firm clocked a 26.11 per cent improvement over previous year’s revenue of Rs 6,815.9 crore and stood at Rs 8,596.10 crore.

Operationally, Ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization) came in at Rs 1,558 crore for the quarter under review, up 20 per cent YoY from Rs 1,293 crore reported last year. Higher input costs, negative operating leverage, and depreciation of rupee against the US dollar led to Ebitda margin contraction to 18.1, down 90 bps YoY.

In a post-result note, Nirmal Bang said that overall, the company's margin trajectory is likely to improve going ahead, led by gradual recovery in three-wheeler sales (a higher margin product), calibrated price hikes to offset commodity cost headwinds, depreciating rupee against dollar, some benefits from RODTEP (export incentives) and, improving product mix/premiumisation trends. 

"We expect BAL to be relatively better placed to navigate the commodity cost headwinds, which are likely to persist in the near term. While the demand situation in the domestic market remains challenging due to lockdowns and rising Covid cases, the management guided for a sustained export momentum and expects record volume in FY22," it said.