Sumitomo Chemical soars 11%, hits new high on steady revenue growth outlook

Shares of Sumitomo Chemical India soared 11 per cent and hit a 52-week high of Rs 437.85 on the BSE in intra-day trade on Tuesday on the back of heavy volumes on steady revenue growth outlook. The agrochemicals company's stock surpassed its previous high of Rs 403.05, touched on June 23, 2021.

In the past three trading days, it has rallied 16 per cent after the company, in its financial year 2020-21 (FY21) annual report, said that with new product launches planned for the year and for the future years, regular revenue growth is expected to continue in the coming years.

At 11:07 am, the stock was trading 9 per cent higher at Rs 431, as compared to 0.16 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. The trading volumes on the counter jumped over four-fold with a combined 5.28 million shares changing hands on the NSE and BSE.

Due to outbreak of the second wave of Covid-19, in the financial year 2021-22, the industry is likely to witness situation similar to the first-half of preceding financial year like lockdown, restrictions on people movements and economic activities, logistics issues, increase in cost of raw materials, transportation and inputs, at least for a few months.

In 2020-21, despite all the odds, the agrochemicals sector grew and agricultural activities remained largely unaffected. The Company’s business and products fall under ‘essential commodities’ hence it expects to produce and deliver products and services to the market and the farmers without material interruption. Last year, the industry was able to pass on the cost increases to the market, the company said in the FY21 annual report.

In spite of the pandemic, which is likely to affect the normal life for at least few months, domestic demand for agrochemicals is expected to remain elevated with favourable agronomical conditions in Agriculture sector like normal monsoon forecast by Indian Meteorological Department, good farm-production in the previous year, and good output prices which will translate in to increase in area under-cultivation for crops like cotton, soybean, paddy and groundnut, which are major agrochemicals consuming crops.

During the year, the Central Government has issued a notification expressing its intention that Glyphosate, a weedicide and an important product for the Company, will be allowed to be used only through ‘pest control operators’. The Company, other industry players and the industry associations have filed appeals before the appellate authority against the proposal as the proposal is not feasible and not implementable owing to ground realities. Hearing in the matter is pending. The proposal, if implemented, will have impact only on domestic use of Glyphosate. It will not impact exports, the company said.