La Opala RG

Institutional Equities
La Opala RG
5 December 2018
Reuters: LAOP.BO; Bloomberg: LOG IN
Leader Creates the Market And Rules It BUY

La Opala RG (LORL) ventured into the opalware segment in late 1980s, while its Sector: Tableware
competitors entered this space only a few quarters ago. Just by sheer experience,
we can be reasonably sure that LORL has a far better understanding of product CMP: Rs221
manufacturing, channel-partners’ demands and consumers’ expectations. In fact, we
view the entry of new players as a positive signal for the industry and its future Target Price: Rs299
growth prospects. LORL is on the path to increase its total capacity by 71% to
Upside: 35%
36,000tpa by FY21E. All new capacity addition will be in the premium ‘Diva’ brand
which should help improve margins. Economies of scale should also play its part. Mohit Khanna
Initiating Coverage
With the buoyant and favourable consumer sentiment, we expect LORL to increase Research Analyst
its revenues and EBITDA at 13.2% and 14.2% CAGR over FY18-FY21E. Our growth
mohit.khanna@nirmalbang.com
rate estimate is lower than Bloomberg consensus estimate and presents our base
case scenario. LORL’s stock is already down 40% from its recent highs and offers a
+91-22-6273 8089
good entry point for medium/long-term investors. We initiate coverage on LORL with
a Buy rating and a target price of Rs299, up 35% from the CMP. Key Data
15% volume CAGR expected during FY18-FY21E: In FY18, LORL achieved total Current Shares O/S (mn) 111.0
production of 16,000tpa with an installed capacity of 21,000tpa (80% capacity utilisation). Mkt Cap (Rsbn/US$mn) 24.7/350
The recent 4,000tpa capacity additionin FY19 and further planned expansion should
support 15% volume growth over FY18-FY21E. Over the same time, we expect the 52 Wk H / L (Rs) 372/186
company to also improve its pricing which was down nearly 8%-10% because of Goods Daily Vol. (3M NSE Avg.) 133,531
and Services Tax or GST benefit pass-through to consumers. In total, we expect the
company to increase revenues at 18% CAGR over FY19-FY21E. Following the change in
accounting, FY19 reported revenues are not directly comparable with FY18. Also, because Shareholding (%) 4QFY18 1QFY19 2QFY19
of GST benefit pass-through, product prices have already declined close to 10% YoY. Promoter 65.0 65.0 63.0
Front-runner to benefit from market shift: Indian middle-class has traditionally relied on Institutions 21.3 20.6 19.5
stainless steel tableware for daily use while ‘preserving’ the more expensive ceramic,
melamine or glassware for ‘special occasions’ or for guests. This trend is now changing Others 13.7 14.4 17.5
with rising income and as a result the size of the opportunity is huge. According to LORL’s
FY18 annual report and its management, currently India’s tableware market stands at close One Year Indexed Stock Performance
to Rs100bn. Of this, opalware accounts for close to 5%, while steel, bone china and
170
melamine account for 60%, 31% and 9%, respectively. Thus, the shift from steel to
opalware presents a huge opportunity for LORL which holds the No.1 position in the 150
market with 48% revenue share and 43% installed capacity share. Taking into account the 130
ongoing capacity expansion at LORL (both Cello and Borosil have done expansion 110
recently, but no new plans), it should hold over 52% installed capacity in the opalware 90
industry in India by FY21E. Cello, with 18,250tpa capacity, holds 32% and Borosil (Larah
Brand) with 14,600tpa holds 25% installed capacity share currently. Other players like 70
Oct-17 Dec-17 Feb-18 Apr-18 Jun-18 Aug-18 Oct-18 Dec-18
Corelle, RAK and Luminarc import the product. The recent entry of Cello and Borosil will LA OPALA Nifty 50
give some competition to LORL, but will also help in expanding the market and create
awareness for opalware products.
Price Performance (%)
Y/E Mar (Rsmn): Consolidated FY17 FY18 FY19E FY20E FY21E
Net sales 2,352 2,593 2,702 3,199 3,758 1M 6M 1 Yr
EBITDA 877 1,066 1,233 1,310 1,588 La Opala RG 3.9 (1.5) (31.5)
EBIT 753 928 1,071 1,141 1,422
Adj. Net profit 509 608 743 752 937 Nifty Index 2.5 1.8 6.6
Adj. EPS (Rs) 4.59 5.48 6.70 6.78 8.44 Source: Bloomberg
EPS growth (%) (12.2) 19.5 22.2 1.2 24.6
EBITDA margin (%) 37.3 41.1 45.6 41.0 42.3
EBIT margin (%) 32.0 35.8 39.7 35.7 37.8
PER (x) 59.15 52.63 33.09 32.69 26.24
FCF/Sales (%) 24.3 17.4 8.2 3.8 20.3
Net cash/Equity (%) 36.0 39.8 36.9 32.9 37.6
Pre-tax RoIC (%) 35.9 32.0 32.6 29.5 33.3
RoE (%) 18.7 15.7 16.6 15.3 16.8
Source: Company, Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Research
Investment Rationale
Opalware - Affordable luxury of the burgeoning Indian middle class

During FY18, India’s per capita income stood close to Rs1,12,000 per annum, posting an increase of 8.6%
YoY. During FY17, it increased at 10% YoY. It is expected that India will grow its per capita income at 7.5%
CAGR over the next couple of years. This increase will boost discretionary income, benefitting lifestyle
products like opalware and crystalware. Mid-income population in India is currently 300mn strong and
comprises 32% of the country’s population. Over the next decade, this segment will have 50% share in the
population. This indicates that LORL’s addressable market continues to grow providing a secular multi-year
tailwind to the company. To put the opportunity size in perspective, India’s current middle class population of
300mn is almost equal to the total US population. The demand for opalware products is a function of rising
aspiration and discretionary income. Younger population, which is looking for lifestyle improvement figures as
biggest consumers of opal tableware products. We expect the trend to continue over the next few years.
Superiority over alternatives

Opalware is far superior to most alternative products present in the market, which, we believe is an important
factor for its rising adoption among consumers. The demand for branded tableware in India should see
significant growth because of aesthetic appeal, microwave-friendly characteristic and easy affordability.
Please see the points below for the quick comparison with alternative material tableware:
Opalware
 Vs. steel & other metals – Unlike metal products, opalware is compatible with microwave oven and
offers better designs and colours. We view this as a key characteristic for opalware product demand
as the penetration of microwave oven isrising in India.
 Vs. melamine and plastics – Melamine and plastic tableware are available in various designs and
colours, are cheaper, offer good aesthetics and serve as a good alternative to traditional steel
tableware. However, rising concerns over the harmful effect of plastics on humans, durability and
usability in a microwave oven are key drawbacks that fail to get customer acceptance. If affordable,
Indian consumers prefer other products over plastic and this trend has gathered momentum,
especially among the millennial population.
 Vs. bone china/ceramics – Opalware is also a kind of a ceramic product, but it is more sturdy and
chip-resistant as compared to traditional bone china, clay or porcelain products. It is cheaper than
ceramic, easier to maintain/handle and lightweight in most cases.
Strong brand recall in an oligopolistic market

LORL is enjoying the fruit of years of investment in brand building. It is a well-established crockery company
with market presence of almost three decades now. The company’s advertisement spending accounts for
nearly 5% of its revenues, while total advertisement and trade promotion costs are close to 13%-14% of
revenues. LORL’s focus on contemporary designs, product mix, attractive and protective packaging helped it
in gaining a higher mindshare among consumers. Additionally, strong relationship with distributors and better
trade margins ensured that LORL’s products get best shelf space and product display at retail shops. All
these efforts and the first-mover advantage resulted in LORL capturing 48% share in India’s opalware market.
The remaining market is divided between Corelle, Cello and Borosil.
LORL has multiple brands to distinguish between the product quality and price range. Its legacy ‘La Opala’
brand is largely for entry-level products which cost less than Rs2,000 for a 12-15 piece dinner set. The
company markets premium products under the mother brand ‘Diva from La Opala’, which are further sub-
divided into Classique, Quadra, Ivory and Sovarna collections and retails at Rs2,400-Rs4,500 for a 27- piece
dinner set. LORL also owns a brand called ‘Solitaire’ for its crystalware products.
La Opala RG
Front-runner to benefit from market shift
Indian middle class has traditionally relied on stainless steel tableware for daily use while ‘preserving’ the
more expensive ceramic, melamine or glassware for ‘special occasions’ or guests. This trend is now changing
with rising income and the size of the opportunity is huge. According to LORL’s FY18 annual report and its
management, currently India’s tableware market stands close to Rs100bn. Of this, opalware accounts for
close to 5%, while steel, bone china and melamine account for 60%, 31% and 9%, respectively. Thus, a shift
from steel to opalware presents a huge opportunity for LORL which is the segment leader with 43% industry
capacity and 48% revenue market share.
Exhibit 1: Tableware market segments

Opalware - Ceramic Others - Plastic,
5% Stoneware,
Porcelain - Ceramic Copper, etc.
5% 1%
Melamine
7%
Bone China -
Ceramic Steelware
23% 59%
15% volume CAGR expected over FY18-FY21E

During FY18, LORL achieved total production of 16,000tpa with an installed capacity of 21,000tpa (80%
capacity utilisation). The recent 4,000tpa capacity addition in FY19 and further planned expansion should
support 15% volume growth over FY18-FY21E. Over the same time, we expect the company to also improve
its pricing which was down nearly 8%-10% because of GST benefit pass-through to consumers. In total, we
expect the company to increase revenues at 18% CAGR over FY19E-FY21E. Following the change in
accounting, FY19 reported revenues are not directly comparable with FY18.
Premiumisation – margin accretive

LORL has constantly improved its revenue mix by focusing on high-value products. Its premium mother brand
‘Diva’ currently has four sub-brands (Classique, Quadra, Ivory and Sovarna). As compared to 4,000tpa in
FY13, capacity for ‘Diva’ increased 4x to 16,000tpa by the end of FY18. The remaining opalware capacity is
meant for entry-level brand ‘La Opala’. Thus, the revenue share of ‘Diva’ categories increased from 48% in
FY13 to 75% in FY18.
The company does not share margins in its product category, but its retail price gives an indication of the
margin difference across categories. MRP for ‘La Opala’ branded dinner sets is close to Rs80/piece.
However, premium brand ‘Diva’ is priced at least 35% higher with ‘Classique’ at Rs109/piece, ‘Quadra’ and
‘Ivory’ at Rs138/piece and Sovarna at Rs210/piece.
La Opala RG
Exhibit 2: LORL’s FY13 revenue mix
Others
2%
Solitaire
10%
La Opala
40%
Diva
48%
Exhibit 3: LORL’s FY18 revenue mix

Solitaire
3%
La Opala
22%
Diva
75%
Wide distribution network

LORL enjoys a clear first-mover advantage in opalware products in India. It started manufacturing the product
in India in 1988, when there was practically no market for opalware glass inthe country. The company
remained loss-making for the next two years, but was firm on improving its manufacturing practices and
expanding distribution. Since then, LORL has built a wide distribution network which allows its product to be
sold at over 12,000 retail outlets which are serviced by 250 distributors. Going forward, the company plans to
increase its network density in Odisha, Chhattisgarh and north-eastern states. In comparison, only for its
opalware brand ‘Larah’, Borosil operates a network of 130 distributors servicing 6,000-7,000 retail outlets.
However, our channel checks suggest that Borosil’s opalware is still not available in most shops in various
cities.
La Opala RG
Ongoing capacity expansion – economies of scale
As of September 2018, LORL had opalware manufacturing capacity of 24,000tpa while Borosil and Cello have
14,600tpa and 18,250tpa, respectively. LORL continues to be under the expansion mode and should increase
its opalware capacity to 34,000tpa by FY21E.
During FY18, Borosil also expanded its opalware capacity by approximately 50% to touch 14,600tpa. It has no
further plans to expand. As the scale of production increases, we expect LORL to enjoy higher manufacturing
yield, low wastage and better bargaining power over suppliers. All these factors should cumulatively help in
lowering cost of production for LORL which will further widen the margin gap.
Exhibit 4: LORL’s total production capacity

(TPA)
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
FY19E
FY20E
FY21E
FY04
FY05
FY06
FY07
FY08
FY09
FY10
FY11
FY12
FY13
FY14
FY15
FY16
FY17
FY18
La Opala (Entry Level Opalware) Diva - Classique, Quadra, Ivory, Sovarna (Opalware)
Solitaire - Crystalware Total Capacity
Sustained margin leadership

LORL has increased its margins on the back of improving manufacturing efficiency, favourable product mix
and controlling operating costs. Between FY07-FY16, it increased EBITDA margin by 1,720bps to touch
34.7%. Starting FY17, Ind-AS was introduced which required netting of trade promotion and discounts before
reporting net revenues. Thus, after adjusting the FY17and FY 18 revenues by nearly 14% (previous three
year average), we can see that LORL’s EBITDA declined to 35.4% in FY18. During our interaction, the
management sounded confident of sustaining the current EBITDA margin level. We, however, will take that
with a pinch of salt because of rising competition and entry of cheaper products in the market.
Exhibit 5: EBITDA margin

50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
FY98
FY99
FY00
FY01
FY02
FY03
FY04
FY05
FY06
FY07
FY08
FY09
FY10
FY11
FY12
FY13
FY14
FY15
FY16
FY17
FY18
FY19E
FY21E
FY20E
La Opala RG
Geared for competition
We like to point out that this is not the first time that LORL is facing competition. LORL’s hold on trade channel
was tested in late 1990’s when global leader Corning Incorporation introduced its brand ‘Corelle’,
‘Corningware’, Pyrex, etc. in India. Even as Corelle has strong brand equity in India, it could never create a
wide distribution channel. For solving the distribution problem, Corning also partnered with TTK Prestige, but
that partnership ended in less than two years in 2013. As of today, Corelle is still present in India, but is
largely confined to high-street shops and modern retail stores in select cities.
Additionally, LORL is now facing competition from local players like Borosil and Cello. Our visit to some
traditional stores and modern retail outlets in a couple of cities reveals that Borosil’s product availability is low,
while Cello is perceived as a cheaper brand than La Opala. We believe that La Opala’s brand strength, higher
manufacturing experience, better understanding of the local crockery market and deeper distribution channel
will benefit LORL the most compared to its competitors.
Exhibit 6: Total capacity

Total capacity (tpa) FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19E FY20E FY21E
La Opala 21,000 21,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 36,000
Borosil 9,750 9,750 14,600 14,600 14,600 14,600
Cello - - 18,250 18,250 18,250 18,250
Total 30,750 30,750 57,850 57,850 57,850 68,850
La Opala RG
Indian opalware industry overview
Tableware market is both fragmented and skewed

Traditionally, Indians have relied on metal-based utensils and tableware products as they are more sturdy and
cheap. From using copper and brass (pital) in the pre-British era, Indians graduated to iron and then to
stainless steel. For the reasons detailed above, we believe the shift to better quality ceramics is underway.
Currently, India’s tableware market is dominated (skewed towards) by steel with 60% market share followed
by bone china with 24% share. Interestingly, except for opalware (which has 5% market share), no other
segment has established branded products which makes the market fragmented. This opens up a huge
opportunity for industry leader LORL, which already operates an established brand with a mammoth market
share.
Exhibit 7: Market share of tableware segment

Market share of tableware segment size FY18
Segment (Rsmn) Total mkt. share
Steelware 60,000 59%
Bone China - Ceramic 24,000 24%
Melamine 7,000 7%
Porcelain - Ceramic 5,400 5%
Opalware - Ceramic 5,000 5%
Others - Plastic, Stoneware, Copper, etc. 600 1%
Total tableware market size 102,000 100%
Similar pricing across products

Retail pricing for opalware has declined to remain almost at par with steel ware and below decent quality bone
china products. GST has also helped in bridging the gap as the indirect tax rate of 18% is lower than the
previous rate of 28%. LORL had reduced product prices to pass on the GST benefit to consumers last year.
We have collected the selling (after discount) and maximum retail prices (given below) from both traditional
shops and online retailers. The data suggests that opalware is now being priced highly competitively as
compared to other products in the market. Also, an interesting point to note is that LORL’s products are priced
at par with local competitors, even as its products are slightly thicker (sturdy) and have better quality along
with the same weight. International brands like ‘Corelle’, RAK and Luminarc import the product by paying
29.8% (10% basic customs duty, 18% integrated goods & services tax and compensation cess) import duty.
This makes imported products 2x-2.5x expensive in India.
La Opala RG
Exhibit 8: Product comparison of various players
Pieces Price after Selling price per
Brand Manufacturer/distributor Material MRP (Rs)
per set discount Piece (Rs)
Diva Quadra La Opala Opalware 27 3,395 1,699 63
Diva Classique La Opala Opalware 27 3,395 2,395 89
Diva Ivory La Opala Opalware 27 3,695 2,774 103
La Opala La Opala Opalware 27 3,395 3,395 126
Diva Sovrana La Opala Opalware 27 4,650 4,478 166
Lily Blossom Borosil Opalware 27 3,220 2,199 81
Lavender Borosil Opalware 27 3,220 2,199 81
Lilac Borosil Opalware 27 3,220 2,199 81
Minerva Borosil Opalware 27 3,220 2,199 81
Larah Borosil Opalware 27 3,580 2,525 94
Lily Blossom Borosil Opalware 21 2,750 1,999 95
Cello Impreial fresh fern Cello Opalware 33 3,595 2,585 78
Cello Imperial Pot Pourri Cello Opalware 33 3,595 2,585 78
Cello Imperial Frangipani Cello Opalware 33 3,595 2,585 78
Cello Imperial Ocean Flower Cello Opalware 33 3,595 2,585 78
Bormilio Rocco Bormilio Rocco Glass 12 16,400 16,400 1,367
Lakline Trader Porcelain 33 12,350 10,350 314
Alda Alda Porcelain 33 15,999 12,792 388
Godskitchen Godskitchen Hospitality Bone China 21 5,000 3,286 156
Ceradeco R&R Crockery House Bone China 41 16,000 8,636 211
Virasat Clay Craft Bone China 48 17,500 10,663 222
Sivica Trader Bone China 34 8,999 8,018 236
Palms Palms Melamine 22 2,039 811 37
Cello Platino Red Line Cello Melamine 24 2,299 1,150 48
La Opala RG
Pieces Price after Selling price per
Brand Manufacturer/distributor Material MRP (Rs)
per set discount Piece (Rs)
Cello Platino Red Petal Cello Melamine 24 2,299 1,150 48
Cello Platino Retro Cello Melamine 24 2,299 1,150 48
Cello Platino Line Flower Cello Melamine 24 2,299 1,150 48
Ceradeco Ceradeco Melamine 38 4,000 2,159 57
Servewell Servewell Melamine 29 4,315 3,522 121
Artista Dinner Sets Cello Melamine 33 4,360 4,360 132
Dynore Dynore Stainless Steel 24 5,775 3,555 148
Pigeon Pigeon Stainless Steel 28 2,495 1,350 48
Prasnath Prasnath Stainless Steel 51 8,000 5,599 110
Celloware Dinnerset Cello Plasticware 32 2,054 2,054 64
Celloware Dinnerset Cello Plasticware 24 1,274 1,274 53
Celloware buffet set Cello Plasticware 24 1,426 1,426 59
LORL: Undisputed market leader

LORL is enjoying the first-mover advantage in a fast-growing consumer sector and is likely to maintain its
leadership position. LORL’s experience of over three decades places it well ahead of local peers which has
entered the opalware space only a couple of years ago.
LORL holds No.1 position in the market with 48% revenue share and 43% installed capacity share. Taking
into account the ongoing capacity expansion at LORL (both Cello and Borosil have done expansion recently,
no new plans), it should hold over 52% of installed capacity in the opalware industry in India by FY21E. Cello
with 18,250tpa capacity holds 32% and Borosil (Larah Brand) with 14,600tpa holds 25% installed capacity
share currently. Other players like Corelle, RAK and Luminarc import the product. The recent entry of Cello
and Borosil will give some competition to LORL, but will also help in expanding the market and create
awareness for opalware products. The situation is somewhat similar to the entry of new automobile players in
early 1990s and Maruti Suzuki India has definitely benefitted from market expansion, in our view.
Exhibit 9: Revenues - market share

Revenues (market share) FY16 FY17 FY18
La Opala 2,122 2,227 2,126
Borosil - Larah 480 983 1,021
Cello - - 473
Others - Corelle, etc. 800.0 975 850
Total 3,402 4,185 4,470
La Opala RG
Opalware Segment to grow volume at 14%-16%
We expect the opalware category to outpace overall growth in the tableware industry because of its low
penetration and changing consumer preference. Overall tableware industry should post around 6% CAGR
over the next few years. This overall growth rate is lower because of a higher share of steel ware which is well
penetrated and growing at 5%, as per our estimate.
Borosil expects the opalware market to post 20% CAGR over the next few years, which we believe is slightly
on the higher side. Taking into account our interactions with dealers and other industry publications, we
expect the industry to deliver 12-15% volume CAGR over the next few years. While the opalware pricing has
already taken a 10% hit post GST implementation (lower tax benefit had to be passed on to consumers), we
expect it to improve gradually over the years.
Exhibit 10: Tableware Industry Segments

Segment Growth Contribution to total growth
Steelware 5% 3%
Bone China - Ceramic 5% 1%
Melamine 10% 1%
Porcelain - Ceramic 5% 0%
Opalware - Ceramic 15% 1%
Others - Plastic, stoneware, copper, etc. 5% 0%
Total 6%
Largest product range

We like LORL’s strategy of creating different sub-brands for entry, premium and luxury-level products. This
has helped in clear product differentiation while maintaining the heritage of ‘Diva’ and ‘La Opala’ brands. It
has provided the company the much-needed space to launch products under different designs, shape, size
and quality. Thus, LORL today has the largest variety of products under a wide price range. This helps it in
acquiring a larger shelf space at retailer/dealer shops. Importantly, the strategy also helps in premiumsation,
where it graduates customers to high-priced products easily.
Five-year average: RoCE at 31%, RoE at 25%, RoIC at 46%

LORL has delivered superior returns on shareholder capital. In the past five years, the company has delivered
average RoCE of 30.8%, RoE of 25.4% and RoIC of 45.7%. RoCE and RoE have declined in recent years
because of cash accumulation on its books. The company has increased its cash and equivalent holdings
from Rs83mn in FY14 to Rs2,045mn in FY18. The excess cash build-up was because of superior cash
generation ability of the company and brownfield expansion (which consumed less cash). In the same time
period, the company reduced its outstanding debt from Rs142mn in FY14 to Rs39mn in FY18. Therefore, we
prefer to view the company’s RoIC as it adjusts cash from the denominator.
Over the next three years, we expect the company’s return on capital ratios to improve as it utilises cash on
upcoming 11,000tpa expansion and improves capacity utilisation in the recently commissioned 4,000tpa
facility.
La Opala RG
Exhibit 11: RoCE, RoE and RoIC trend
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
FY19E
FY21E
FY20E
FY98
FY99
FY00
FY01
FY02
FY03
FY04
FY05
FY06
FY07
FY08
FY09
FY10
FY11
FY12
FY13
FY14
FY15
FY16
FY17
FY18
ROCE ROE ROIC
Stellar 35.4% adjusted EBITDA margin

LORL has increased its margins very well. On a reported basis, the company increased its EBITDA/PAT
margins from 28.1%/16.8% in FY14 to 41.1%/28.3%, respectively, in FY18. There has been slight adjustment
in FY17 and FY18 reported revenues. In the wake of new Ind-AS115, the company has to deduct all its sales
promotion expenses and trade discount from gross sales to report the net sales figure. This adjustment
lowered the revenue figures for both FY17 and FY18, thus pushing the profitability margin higher. Adjusting
for the same, we derive FY18 EBITDA/PAT margin of 35.4%/24.4%, respectively.
During our interaction, the management sounded confident of maintaining and probably increasing margins.
We expect FY19/FY20/FY21 EBITDA margin at 45.6%/41.0%/42.3%, respectively, on a reported basis.
Strong FCF generation and improved working capital management

LORL has delivered positive free cash flow every year since FY10. Interestingly, in the past five years, the
company converted nearly 16% of its revenues into FCF. Since FY98, the cumulative FCF generation stands
at 9% of revenues. The strong cash generation underscores a solid business and the management’s ability to
expand multi-fold with internally generated funds and still deliver surplus cash for the shareholders.
In FY14, LORL witnessed cash conversion cycle of 177 days, which declined to 152 days in FY18. However,
because of demonetisation and GST implementation, the cash conversion cycle increased to 182 days in
FY16, but has trended downward since then. While receivable days increased from 41 days in FY14 to 52
days in FY18, the company managed to lower inventory days from 156 days to 134 days and increase
creditor days from 20 days to 34 days in the same period.
La Opala RG
Exhibit 12: La Opala’s FCF Generation Trend
(Rsmn)
700 30%
24.3%
600 25%
500
17.5% 17.4% 20%
400 14.1% 14.2%
13.0% 15%
300
8.3% 6.6%
10%
200 6.2%
100 5%
- 0%
FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18
La Opala's FCF Generation (Rs mn) As % Of Net Revenues
Exhibit 13: Cash conversion cycle (days)

(days)
250
200
150
100
50
-
FY98
FY99
FY00
FY01
FY02
FY03
FY04
FY05
FY06
FY07
FY08
FY09
FY10
FY11
FY12
FY13
FY14
FY15
FY16
FY17
FY18
La Opala RG
Valuation
LORL’s stock price has declined 40% from its recent highs this year, largely on account of P/E multiple
correction. The ongoing capacity expansion, underlying growth and relative small size of opalware segment
in the tableware industry bodes well for investors looking at taking up a position in the stock. We see LORL
as a binary story relative to rising consumer discretionary income, which makes a case for a long-term
investment horizon. Superior profitability, market leadership position, well-penetrated distribution system and
time-tested brand recall are feathers in LORL’s cap.
Exhibit 14: Valuation multiple

September 2020 EPS (Rs) 8.07
Five-year average forward P/E (x) 42.7
Target P/E (x) 37.0
Target price(Rs) 299
Upside (%) 35
Source: Company Reports, Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Research
Exhibit 15: Five-year forward P/E range

(x)
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Aug-14
Aug-16
Aug-18
Jun-14
Jun-16
Jun-18
Jul-15
Jul-17
May-15
Feb-15
Feb-17
Mar-14
Mar-16
Mar-18
Apr-17
Oct-15
Oct-17
Dec-13
Dec-15
Dec-17
Nov-14
Nov-16
Nov-18
Forward PE 5 yr median PE SD +1 SD -1
La Opala RG
Key risks
Rising competition remains a risk for LORL as local players like Borosil and Cello have also ventured into the
opalware business. Higher advertising and promotion expenses may exert pressure on operating margin.
Having said that, we believe the new entrants will help in increasing the awareness of opalware products and
expanding the market.
LORL witnessed some worker dispute at its Madhupur plant in the past. While all the problems have been
amicably settled by the management team, there remains the risk of production disruption. We do not view
this as a material event, but nevertheless workers’ strike remains a risk for a manufacturing company like
LORL.
Business history
LORL was originally incorporated as a private limited company on 11 June 1987, in Kolkata. The promoter Mr.
Sushil Jhunjhunwala and his son Mr. Ajit Jhunjhunwala, still continue to run the daily affairs and hold nearly
63% stake in the company.
Initially the company manufactured glass hurricane lamps and chimneys, but ventured into opalware in 1988-
89. On securing technical assistance from a South Korean company, Hosan Glass, LORL set up its maiden
opalware plant at Madhupur in Jharkhand with 688tn annual capacity. LORL was the first manufacturer of
opalware glass in India. The response from the market was overwhelming and in just a few quarters the
company announced 50% capacity expansion to 1,032tpa.
During mid-1990s, LORL ventured into manufacturing crystal glassware. It set up a facility to manufacture
24% lead crystal glassware at Madhupur under the brand, Solitaire. For this venture, it took technical help
from another South Korean firm, Doosan Glass. Once again the demand exceeded supply and soon the
company increased its capacity by 100% from 550tpa to 1,095tpa. Solitaire became very successful in
international markets and helped LORL earn valuable foreign currency. LORL also launched an IPO to fund
its dream.
During 2008, LORL planned another set of expansion with a greenfield opalware plant at Sitarganj in
Uttarakhand. The planned capacity of Sitarganj plant was 4,000tpa,taking the company’s total opalware
capacity to 8,000tpa. It is important to note that capital expenditure for this plant was expected to be
Rs400mn while the company’s annual revenues stood at Rs500mn at that moment. However, we
believe the real game changer for the company was introduction to more advanced European
machines which worked on electric furnace instead of previously-installed gas/coal plant. While the
increased capacity helped the company to secure revenue growth, the electric furnace removed energy price
volatility from the cost structure, helping margin expansion. Currently, LORL operates 16,000tpa high-quality
opalware capacity at Sitarganj, 4,000tpa opalware capacity at Madhupur and 1,000tpa crystalware plant at
Madhupur.
La Opala RG
Exhibit 16: La Opala's FY13 Revenue Mix
Export
15%
Domestic
85%
Exhibit 17: La Opala's FY18 Revenue Mix
Export
17%
Domestic
83%
Exhibit 18: Domestic revenues-regional distribution
East India
20%
North India
30%
West India
23%
South India
27%
La Opala RG
Exhibit 19: Domestic revenues-channel distribution
E-commerce
5%
Modern Retail
20%
Traditional
Retailers
75%
Exhibit 20: La Opala’s Capacity Distribution

Capacity (tpa) FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19E FY20E FY21E
Opalware - Diva 4,000 8,000 8,000 16,000 16,000 16,000 20,000 20,000 31,000
Sitargunj, Uttarakhand 4,000 8,000 8,000 16,000 16,000 16,000 20,000 20,000 31,000
Crystalware - Solitare 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
Opalware - La Opala 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000
Madhupur, Jharkhand 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000
Total capacity 9,000 13,000 13,000 21,000 21,000 21,000 25,000 25,000 36,000
Management team
Mr. Ajit Jhunjhunwala, Promoter and Jt. Managing Director
Mr. Ajit Jhunjhunwala is the joint managing director of the company since October 1997. He has over 20
years of experience in the glass industry. He is the former president of Eastern India Glass Manufacturers
Association and committee member of the Confederation of Indian Industry (marketing committee).
Mr. Sushil Jhunjhunwala, Promoter and Executive Vice Chairman

Mr. Sushil Jhunjhunwala was appointed as the managing director of the company in October 1994. He has
over 50 years of specialisation in the glass industry. He has held important honorary positions in many
organisations such as the president of All India Glass Manufacturers Federation, president of Society of Glass
Technology (Indian section) and president of the Calcutta Chamber of Commerce. He is the father of Mr. Ajit
Jhunjhunwala.
Mr. A.C. Chakrabortti, Chairman and Non-Executive Director

Mr. A. C. Chakrabortti was appointed as the chairman and non-executive director on the board of LORL in
October 1994. He is the fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and
India. He was formerly asenior partner of S R Batliboi & Co., chartered accountants, chairman of Ernst &
Young, president of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and governing committee member of the
International Federation of Accountants. He is also the chairman of Peerless Funds Management Co.,
Grindwell Norton, and also on the boards of numerous other prominent companies.
La Opala RG
Financials
Exhibit 21: Income statement Exhibit 22: Cash flow
Y/E March (Rsmn): Consolidated FY17 FY18 FY19E FY20E FY21E Y/E March (Rsmn): Consolidated FY17 FY18 FY19E FY20E FY21E
Net Revenue 2,352 2,593 2,702 3,199 3,758 PBT 860 1055 1134 1145 1426
YoY (%) (5.6) 10.2 4.2 18.4 17.5 Depreciation & Amortization 124 138 162 169 166
Purchase of finished goods (7) (9) (5) - - Other Non-Cash Adjustments (280) (415) (392) (393) (489)
% of sales 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.0 Changes in working Capital 13 25 19 (158) (190)
COGS (853) (880) (729) (1,006) (1,182) Cash From Operating Activities 718 802 923 763 912
Gross Profit 1,492 1,704 1,968 2,193 2,576 Disposal of Fixed Assets 10 7 0 0 0
Selling, General & Admin Expense (159) (181) (224) (278) (304) Capital Expenditures (156) (358) (703) (640) (150)
Other Operating & Employee exp. (456) (457) (511) (605) (684) Increase in Investments &
(734) (895) 0 0 0
Subsidiaries
EBITDA 877 1,066 1,233 1,310 1,588
Decrease in Investments 357 551 0 0 0
Depreciation (124) (138) (162) (169) (166)
Other Investing Activities 7 8 0 0 0
EBIT 753 928 1,071 1,141 1,422
Cash From Investing Activities (517) (687) (703) (640) (150)
YoY (%) (2.8) 23.3 15.4 6.5 24.6
Dividends Paid (119) (134) (149) (150) (187)
Interest Expense (13) (8) (6) (4) (4)
Change in Short-Term Borrowings (60) 37 0 0 0
Interest income 3 3 64 2 2
Increase in Long-Term Borrowing 0 0 0 0 0
Other Income 3 4 0 0 0
Decrease in Long-term Borrowing 0 0 0 0 0
PBT (adjusted) 747 928 1,134 1,145 1,426
Increase in Capital Stocks 0 0 0 0 0
- Income Tax Expense (238) (320) (392) (393) (489)
Decrease in Capital Stocks 0 0 0 0 0
Effective tax rate (%) 27.7 30.4 30.7 30.2 30.7
Other Financing Activities (13) (8) 0 0 0
- Minority Interests - - - - -
Cash from Financing Activities (192) (105) (149) (150) (187)
PAT (adjusted) 509 608 743 752 937
Net Changes in Cash 9 10 72 (27) 574
Diluted EPS (adjusted) 4.59 5.48 6.70 6.78 8.44
Exhibit 23: Balance sheet Exhibit 24: Key ratios
Y/E March (Rsmn): Consolidated FY17 FY18 FY19E FY20E FY21E Y/E March (Rsmn): Consolidated FY17 FY18 FY19E FY20E FY21E
Equity 111 222 222 222 222 Profitability & return ratios
Reserves 4,237 4,814 5,409 6,010 6,760 EBITDA margin (%) 37.3 41.1 45.6 41.0 42.3
Net worth 4,348 5,036 5,631 6,232 6,982 EBIT margin (%) 32.0 35.8 39.7 35.7 37.8
Accounts payables 65 99 60 83 97 Adj Net profit margin (%) 21.6 23.4 27.5 23.5 24.9
Other ST liabilities 165 221 221 221 221 RoE (%) 18.7 15.7 16.6 15.3 16.8
Short-term loans 1 39 39 39 39 RoCE (%) 22.4 19.7 19.9 19.1 21.4
Total current liabilities 231 358 320 342 356 Pre-tax RoIC (%) 35.9 32.0 32.6 29.5 33.3
Long-term loans 0 0 0 0 0 Working capital ratios
Other LT liabilities 373 371 371 371 371 Receivables (days) 45 52 52 52 55
Minority interest 0 0 0 0 0 Inventory (days) 158 134 140 142 150
Total Equity & Liabilities 4,953 5,766 6,321 6,945 7,710 Payables (days) 23 34 30 30 30
Gross block 1,761 2,116 2,819 3,459 3,609 Cash conversion cycle 180 152 162 164 175
Depreciation (684) (810) (971) (1,140) (1,306) Leverage and FCF ratios
Net block 1,076 1,307 1,848 2,319 2,303 Net cash (debt) (Rsmn) 1,567 2,007 2,079 2,051 2,626
Other LT assets + WIP 111 59 59 59 59 Net Debt (cash)/Equity (%) 36 40 37 33 38
Long-term investments 1,495 1,597 1,597 1,597 1,597 Total debt/Equity (%) 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01
Inventories 339 315 282 391 486 FCF Yield (%) 1.9 1.4 0.9 0.5 3.1
Debtors 326 409 385 456 566 FCF/Sales (%) 24.3 17.4 8.2 3.8 20.3
Cash & ST Investments 1,568 2,045 2,117 2,090 2,664 Valuation ratios
Other current assets 37 33 33 33 33 EV/sales (x) 12.1 11.6 8.4 7.1 6.0
Total current assets 2,270 2,802 2,817 2,970 3,749 EV/EBITDA (x) 32.5 28.1 18.3 17.2 14.2
Net current assets 2,039 2,444 2,497 2,628 3,393 P/E (x) 59.2 52.6 33.1 32.7 26.2
Total assets 4,953 5,766 6,321 6,945 7,710 P/BV (x) 6.9 6.4 4.4 3.9 3.5
Source: Company, Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Research Source: Company, Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Research
La Opala RG
DISCLOSURES
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registered Research Analyst under SEBI (Research Analyst) Regulations, 2014 having Registration no. INH000001436. NBEPL is also a
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different or contrary views on stocks and markets.
NBEPL or its associates have not been debarred / suspended by SEBI or any other regulatory authority for accessing / dealing in
securities Market. NBEPL, its associates or analyst or his relatives do not hold any financial interest in the subject company. NBEPL or its
associates or Analyst do not have any conflict or material conflict of interest at the time of publication of the research report with the
subject company. NBEPL or its associates or Analyst or his relatives do not hold beneficial ownership of 1% or more in the subject
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La Opala RG
Disclaimer
Stock Ratings Absolute Returns
BUY > 15%
ACCUMULATE -5% to15%
SELL < -5%
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Institutional Equities

Reuters: LAOP.BO; Bloomberg: LOG IN

Leader Creates the Market And Rules It BUY

Opalware - Affordable luxury of the burgeoning Indian middle class

Superiority over alternatives

Strong brand recall in an oligopolistic market

Exhibit 1: Tableware market segments

Source: Company, Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Research

15% volume CAGR expected over FY18-FY21E

Premiumisation – margin accretive

Source: Company, Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Research

Exhibit 3: LORL’s FY18 revenue mix

Source: Company, Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Research

Wide distribution network

Exhibit 4: LORL’s total production capacity

Source: Company, Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Research

Sustained margin leadership

Exhibit 5: EBITDA margin

Source: Company, Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Research

Exhibit 6: Total capacity

Tableware market is both fragmented and skewed

Exhibit 7: Market share of tableware segment

Similar pricing across products

LORL: Undisputed market leader

Exhibit 9: Revenues - market share

Exhibit 10: Tableware Industry Segments

Largest product range

Five-year average: RoCE at 31%, RoE at 25%, RoIC at 46%

Stellar 35.4% adjusted EBITDA margin

Strong FCF generation and improved working capital management

Source: Company, Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Research

Exhibit 13: Cash conversion cycle (days)

Source: Company, Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Research

Exhibit 14: Valuation multiple

Exhibit 15: Five-year forward P/E range

Source: Company Reports, Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Research

Exhibit 17: La Opala's FY18 Revenue Mix

Source: Company Reports, Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Research

Exhibit 18: Domestic revenues-regional distribution

Source: Company Reports, Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Research

Source: Company Reports, Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Research

Exhibit 20: La Opala’s Capacity Distribution

Mr. Sushil Jhunjhunwala, Promoter and Executive Vice Chairman

Mr. A.C. Chakrabortti, Chairman and Non-Executive Director

Access all our reports on Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters and Factset.

Girish Pai Head of Research girish.pai@nirmalbang.com +91 22 6273 8017 / 18

Nirmal Bang Equities Pvt. Ltd.

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