Aegis Logistics Limited (AEGISLOG) Q1 2027 Earnings Call Transcript

Ladies and gentlemen, good day and welcome to Q1 FY27, Earnings Conference Call of Aegis Logistics Limited. Before we begin, a short disclaimer. This conference call may contain forward-looking statements about the company, which are based on the beliefs, opinions, and expectations of the call of the company as on date of this call. These statements are not the guarantees of future performance and involved rigs and authorities that are difficult to predict. As a reminder, all participants will be in the listen only mode, and there will be an opportunity for you to ask questions after the presentation concludes. Should you need assistance during the conference call, please give me an operator by pressing star, then zero on a dashed on phone. Please note that this conference is being recorded. I will now hand the conference over to Mr. Raj Chandra from Aegis Logistics Limited. Thank you, and over to you, sir.

Okay, thank you very much. Good afternoon. I'm joined today by our CFO, Mr. Murad Moladina, and Ms. Payal Daveh from our investor relations team. So let me start with our Q1 FY27 performance. We delivered a record quarter, crossing the significant milestone of, you know, 500 crore rupees of profit after tax. In the first quarter of this fiscal year, compared to 175 crores in Q1 of FY26, reflecting an exceptional 212% year-on-year growth. We reported a normalized EBITDA of 727 crores in Q1, compared to 256 crores in Q1 of FY26. Delivering a robust growth of 184% year-on-year. Earnings per share for the quarter stood at 13.80 rupees, which is approximately 54% of the full-year EPS delivered in the whole of FY26. And this reflects the strong operating performance and earnings momentum that we have carried into the new fiscal year. Our Liquids division delivered its highest ever Q1 EBITDA performance and has now recorded five consecutive quarters of EBITDA growth. As we have emphasized in the past, this division remains a well-diversified and stable cash-generating business for the company. And we continue to invest in capacity expansion within this segment, enabling us to capitalize on growth opportunities. While further strengthening its contribution to our overall portfolio. Turning to our gas division, I would like to particularly emphasize the exceptional performance delivered during the quarter. The division reported its highest ever EBITDA registering a remarkable 296% year-on-year growth. And what makes this achievement more noticeable, notable, It has delivered this amidst a very challenging global backdrop marked by ongoing geopolitical tensions and disruptions arising from the war in the Middle East, and it demonstrates the resilience of our logistics business. Further, LPG sourcing volumes also remained stable and recorded a marginal growth of 1% year-on-year, highlighting the strength and reliability of our sourcing capabilities. Our gas distribution business continued its strong growth trajectory during the quarter, delivering a 91% year-on-year increase in volumes compared to Q1 of FY26. And a 19% sequential growth over Q4 FY26, and this performance was driven by robust demand across customer segments and continued expansion of our customer base. Over the last year, we have successfully added multiple private sector customers, and I'm pleased to share that this momentum has continued into the current fiscal year as well. And the ability to consistently onboard new customers and scale volumes is a direct outcome of our vertically integrated business model. What differentiates us is our presence across the entire value chain from sourcing and logistics to storage and distribution. And this deep integration provides us with the supply reliability, operational flexibility, and a stronger value proposition for customers, which has enabled us to respond efficiently to market opportunities while ensuring uninterrupted service levels. In fact, the volume growth we are witnessing today would have been difficult to achieve without a well-integrated business model. And the seamless coordination across our sourcing, storage, and distribution operations continues to be a key competitive advantage and an important driver of our growth in the gas business. So to summarize, the sharp increase in the EBITDA of the gas business was driven by two key factors. First, the resilience of our logistics and sourcing business, which maintains stable volumes despite the challenging global environment. And secondly, the outstanding performance of our distribution business, which achieved record volumes along with healthy margin expansion. If I can switch to the port-by-port operational performance, as far as Mumbai port was concerned, it continues to operate at a high utilization level. And in order to further strengthen our capacity and cater to future growth, we are developing an additional 64,000 cubic meters of liquid storage at an investment of approximately 125 crore rupees. And I'm pleased to share that the progress is progressing as per schedule and with commissioning targeted during the first half of this fiscal year. Historically, this has been a high-demand port, benefiting from its important location and strong customer franchise, and based on customer interest in existing demand trends, we are confident that this new capacity will ramp up utilization quickly once it becomes operational. Just to remind people, currently, Mumbai port capacities comprise 334,000 cubic meters of liquid storage capacity and 21,000 metric tons of static LPG storage capacity. As far as JNPA port is concerned, for the benefit of everybody, JNPA in Maharashtra has emerged as India's highest revenue generating major port in FY26. At JNPA, the current liquid storage stands at 101,900 cubic meters, and we're executing a major expansion of approximately 318,100 cubic meters of additional liquid storage. 77,236 metric tons of LPG capacity and an LPG bottle implant with 35,000 metric tons of annual capacity, with a total capital outlay of roughly 1,675 crores. The first phase of this liquid storage expansion of approximately 100,000 cubic meters is expected to be commissioned in Q3. of FY27, and we'll start contributing as soon as the capacity becomes operation. As we had mentioned during the last quarter, we were evaluating the addition of new LPG storage capacity to this port to further strengthen our infrastructure, and I'm pleased to share that the Board of Directors in its recent meeting has approved the development of a 52,000 metric ton refrigerated double-walled steel LPG tank at JNPA. And this expansion represents a significant strategic investment and will further enhance our gas handling capabilities on the West Coast. And the CapEx reinforces our commitment to building world-class infrastructure and deepening our presence at the port and further consolidate our position as the leading logistics player in India. As far as Haldia is concerned, you know that we operate an approximately 25,000 metric ton LPG terminal at Haldia. Importantly, this asset is backed by an exclusive terminalling agreement with HBCL extending through 2038, which provides a strong long-term revenue visibility from this asset. And in addition to this, In our infrastructure, LPG infrastructure, we also operate 226,890 cubic meters of liquid capacity, storage capacity at Haldia. And looking ahead, we continue to see growth opportunities at this location, and in that context, we have acquired a further three acres of land, which provides us with the opportunity to expand our liquid business there. As far as Kandla is concerned, this remains our largest and strategically most important of the port terminals for ages. It serves a vast hinterland across northern and western India, where we have 952,000 cubic meters of liquid storage and 48,000 metric tons of static LPG capacity. And during last year, this port also became VLGC compliant. And that's a very important step. The construction of the CRL-4 liquid terminal, which will add an additional 94,148 cubic meters of storage is progressing well, with commissioning targeted for next year. We have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Larson and Tubro for potential joint development of ammonia terminals, which positions us well in the energy transition opportunity at Kandla Port. Let me provide you with an update on two important pipeline developments that we believe will be key drivers of volume growth at our Kandla and Pipawa terminals going forward. I'm happy to share that the, finally, the Jamalaghar Loni pipeline, LPG pipeline is now complete and operational. In addition, the Kangla-Gorupur LPG pipeline is progressing well, and we expect this to be connected during the first half of this fiscal year. These pipeline connections will enhance evacuation infrastructure and will enable faster turnaround, better capacity utilization, and support the handling of higher volumes at both Kandla and Pipal. At Pipal, in fact, we have commissioned, as you know, a 48,000 metric ton LPG terminal in June last year, June of 2025, taking the total LPG capacity to 70,800 metric tons, and the ramp-up is progressing well. This year is expected to be a transformational year for our P-Power terminal, with several important infrastructure improvements that will significantly strengthen the evacuation ecosystem, which is a critical enabler for handling higher volumes and improving overall terminal efficiency. There are three key developments that are worth noting. First is the jetty. The APM Terminals, which manages the port, is developing a VLGC-compliant liquids jetty, which is expected to be completed during the year, and this will enhance vessel handling capabilities and support larger cargo movements in the port. Secondly, the rail gantry, we are developing an additional... Liquid Rail Gantry and have already secured a 15-year take-or-pay agreement with a leading conglomerate for petroleum products. The committed volumes under this agreement exceed 0.5 million metric tons per annum with operations expected to commence by the end of the year. Thirdly, the pipeline connectivity at the Kandla-Gorodhpur pipeline, as I mentioned, is now expected during this year. And once operational, it will definitely enable more efficient evacuation and distribution of LPG from this terminal, enhancing our throughput. So with these developments, Pipao is evolving into another highly integrated logistics platform, comprising VLGC handling, Liquid and LPG storage, bottling plant, LPG rail loading facilities, 16 truck loading bays, and pipeline connectivity into central India. And this is really going to materially improve the operational efficiency for the port and strengthen its competitive positioning for Aegis Logistics. An update on the ammonia terminal, which was under development at Pipawa Port. I'm really pleased to announce the commissioning of our specialized ammonia storage and terminal facility at Pew Powerport with a static storage capacity of 36,000 metric tons. This marks a significant milestone in our infrastructure expansion journey. This state-of-the-art terminal strengthens our position in the specialized chemicals and gas logistics sector. Enhances India's ammonia handling capabilities and provides critical infrastructure to support the growing demand from the fertilizer, industrial, and emerging clean energy value chains. The successful commissioning underscores our commitment to developing world-class logistics assets and creates a robust platform for future growth in ammonia and related energy transition opportunities. In this context, we have signed a 15-year take-or-pay agreement with Hindustan Zinc to service its upcoming DAP, that's diammonium phosphate plant, for part of the capacity, providing long-term revenue visibility and a strong foundation for the asset from day one. However, what excites us most about this opportunity is that the ammonia terminal is not just a storage asset. Much like our LPG business, it creates an opportunity for us to participate in the distribution of ammonia to industrial customers, enabling us to move further along the value chain and capture margins that are significantly higher than traditional storage revenues. We believe... This project has the potential to create a new growth platform for the company, leveraging our expertise in sourcing, logistics, and distribution, while expanding our presence into an adjacent and strategically important product segment. And the attractiveness... of this opportunity is also reflected in the confidence shown by our strategic partner, Itochu Corporation, which has acquired a 10% stake in Asia's Terminal Pipao Limited. And Itochu has, representatives have joined the board with a long-term, have come on board, sorry, with a long-term strategic vision. And they have expressed their intention to increase their stake over to 25% over the next three years. And this partnership brings together the strengths of the leading global trading house, Japanese trading house, and our integrated infrastructure platform, further validating the long-term potential of this befall of assets and the opportunities that fly ahead. If I turn to Kochi Port next, the Kochi Terminal, where we operate 82,545 cubic meters of liquid storage. As I mentioned during our previous call, we were evaluating the development of additional storage capacity on newly allotted land at this port, and I'm pleased to share that the board has now approved this expansion. And the construction of an additional 49,577 cubic meters of storage capacity at this site, and this new capacity is expected to be commissioned by early in the next financial year. And we will then, upon completion, our total capacity at Cochi will increase to 132,122 cubic meters. At Mangalore Port, we've commissioned an 82,000 metric ton LPG terminal last year in June of 2025. We are developing there an LPG rail-loading gantry and bottling plant infrastructure with an investment of 52.5 crores. This, and furthermore, we are... The 75,000 cubic meters of liquid capacity that was added last year is now fully operational with full utilization, bringing the total liquid storage to 193 cubic meters of capacity. And I'm pleased to say that we have secured additional land and are evaluating a further addition of 60,000 cubic meters of liquids here as well. As far as new ports are concerned, you know, you're aware that we have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to participate in the development of Vadavan port with a potential investment of approximately 20,000 cores subject to the necessary approvals, land allocation, and other regulatory clearances. And this is an opportunity. It aligns well with our long-term vision of building large-scale, world-class infrastructure assets across India's energy and logistic value chain. And if taken forward, the project would enable us to develop really modern liquid and gas handling facilities and significantly expand our infrastructure platform and presence on the West Coast. So, in my closing remarks, I would say that over the last five years, we have delivered a strong and consistent growth trajectory with earnings per share compounding at over 30% annually, while maintaining a healthy and consistent dividend track record. This reflects not only... The quality of our asset base, but also our disciplined approach to capital allocation and execution. Overall, then at the company level, the strong start to FY27 and our performance in the first quarter reinforce our confidence in the growth trajectory of the business over the coming years. And we continue to see multiple growth drivers taking shape. The investments we have made over the years, coupled with the capacity expansions currently underway, really position us well to capitalize on the increasing demand and deliver sustainable growth. We remain confident in our growth trajectory and committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders. So that concludes my remarks. I'd now like to hand over to Mr. Murad Bolivina, our CFO, who will take you through the financial performance for the quarter in greater detail. Thanks, Murad.

Thank you very much. As Mr. Raj highlighted earlier, we began FY27 on a very strong footing, delivering record financial performance across all key metrics. Revenue from operations for the quarter stood at 2,357 crores, registering a healthy 37% year-on-year growth. Our operating performance was even stronger. The normalized EBITDA increasing 184% year-on-year to 727 crores, reflecting the benefits of higher volumes and better margins. Profit after tax for the quarter grew by 212% to 545 crore, compared to 175 crores in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. As a result, earning per share increased to Rs.13.80 as against 3.74 in Q1 of FY26, underscoring the significant improvement in profitability and value creation for our shareholders. Let me give you a segment-wise breakup of the performance. The LPG segment reported an EBITDA of 591 crore. Representing an exceptional 296% year-on-year growth compared to Q1 FY26. On a sequential basis as well, EBITDA grew by a healthy 8% despite an already strong performance in the previous quarter. Let me briefly touch upon the volumes across the segment. Our distribution business achieved a record volume of 2.77 lakh metric tons, registering a 91% increase over Q1, F526, and a 19% growth compared to Q4, F526. This strong performance was driven by robust demand and continued customer additions across the market. In the logistics business, throughput volumes remained resilient at 1.124 million metric tons, holding steady despite the geopolitical challenges and disruptions arising from the global war-led uncertainties. This demonstrates the strength of our infrastructure platform and the reliability of our operations. Meanwhile, our sourcing business continued to maintain stable performance with volumes increasing marginally year-on-year to 1.21 lakh metric tons. Let's move on to liquid division. Turning to the liquid segment, we delivered another quarter of strong and consistent growth. Revenue for Q1 FY27 stood at $178 crore, representing a 24% year-on-year increase. The segment reported an EBITDA of $136 crore, up 28% compared to the corresponding quarter last year. So, as I have consistently emphasized our earlier interactions, I would like to reiterate that cumulative CAPEX is to reach approximately $1.2 billion in this fiscal year, reflecting the pace of expansion across our port network. Looking further ahead, we have identified a CAPEX pipeline of approximately $5 billion through the financial year 2030-31. Investments are aligned with both traditional energy infrastructure and emerging energy transition value chains. We will pursue this growth with disciplined funding through balanced mix of equity, internal accruals, and debt targeting a gearing ratio of approximately 0.6. Low average. Strong cash generation and a resilient fortress balance sheet gives us the financial flexibility to move quickly on opportunities. Thank you. I will now request the moderator to open the floor for the question and answer session.

Thank you very much. We will now begin the question and answer session. Anyone who wishes to ask a question may press star and 1 on their touchstone telephone. If you wish to remove your cell from question queue, you may press star and 2. Participants are requested to use hinted while asking a question. Please answer it and we will wait for a moment while the question queue assembles. Before this question is round the line of webhub suitschief from JPMorgan, please go ahead.

Yes, hi. Thanks for the opportunity and congratulations on a very strong performance. The first question is on distribution segment. So, you mentioned multiple customer signings. So, you know, product question, is the volume growth surpassing your own expectations? And obviously, there is some disruption due to the war. But do you, you know, think that these, you know, these volumes are sticky, these customer contracts are sticky? And how do you see growth now from, you know, the 280KT levels that we saw in this quarter?

Yeah, well. So what I can tell you is that we have always had an aim to reach 2 million tons in distribution, you know, in coming times ahead. And that's not because of the war, but because of the infrastructure layout that we are executing in LPG business. Last year, we commissioned two very big cryogenic terminals, P-Power 48,000 metric tons, 82,000 metric tons, Mangalore. Which gives us the flexibility and the allege to undertake distribution business in addition to catering to our customers, you know, handling the product of our customers. So it's like if you have a ledge and more locations, your distribution geography increases, new customers come on because there is a product which you can make available for the industry. Of course, it helped that this geo-politics made things more difficult, and we were poised with our partnership and the whole presence in the entire chain, vertically integrated from sourcing, shipping, terminals, and the distribution network, we were able to reach products when times were really, really difficult for the industry. This, I'm sure, you know, the fact that we have increased our presence in geography and the fact that we have delivered when it mattered the most to the industries and the fact that there will be an increase in the usage with industry year on year, I'm seeing all the three facts, increase in demand. You know, delivering when it mattered and alleged an infrastructure layout that we are consistently doing across the geography of India, I think will always take us ahead in this distribution business, doing and growing healthy volumes year on year. And now, the fact that we have also commissioned our ammonia terminals. Add to the gas business by one more product, which we can now handle as we now have the infrastructure to support this distribution business. So we are very, very excited and positive about this business.

Way ahead. Got it great to know. Just a follow-up here. So, is it fair to say that profitability in terms of EBITDA Pertan kind of peaked in this quarter? But, you know, just the reason of commentary where, you know, even you talked about P-Power will become VAVC compliant this year. So, I mean, going forward, there should be considerable freight. cost savings as well. So, I mean, you talked about, you know, 6,000 to 7,000 being a comfortable level, but how do you think about profitability, you know, say from a near-term basis and medium-term, you know, structurally? Thank you.

I think the 4,000 rupees margin which we were earning till 24, 25 is great. We have already said that the blended margin, please do not look at it quarter to quarter. It has to be looked as a year as a whole blended rate, and we believe the margin of 7,000 looks sustainable. Of course, in 2526, it was driven and we have achieved probably on account of the geopolitics and the uncertainty and the difficulty that has come in this business because we are vertically integrated and we are in the entire value chain. We are able to deliver this kind of margin up from 4,000, which in the past was a standard margin in distribution business. But going forward from 27, 28, because of the volume ramp-ups, because of what you have just said, you know, VLGC jetty, multimodal evacuation, and the alleged that we are creating along. We'll enable us to get procurement efficiencies, which I personally believe that will lead to a more stable margin around 7,000 plus that we have delivered in 2025-2026 and expected to deliver with the kind of performance that we have done in Q1. I look at most uncertainty for 26-27. So, yes, I think we should now look at distribution margin to be in the range of 7,000 plus going forward.

Got it. And second question is on the logistics segment. I mean, this related to the KGBL pipeline that you were talking about. So how should we think about throughput enhancement in basic terms, right? Like if you are throughput, say 70 to 80 turns, how much faster can the evacuation happen, you know, in terms of turns or say volume guidance? I mean, which will give a better sense on your utilization potential.

So, whatever, what we do is we put up the enablers, okay? So we do the pipeline hookup. We try and try multimodal evacuation by filling up lorries, filling up rail wagons, trying to hook up in cross-country pipeline, trying for VLGC-compliant jetties. We do multiple things, and these are enablers. But mind you, logistics businesses that you store for others, the customers are, yes, The distribution division is a customer, but then there are other customers who have to then use it. We believe that year on year, we would always clock a worst-case scenario growth in logistics volume of around 25%. But if these enablers, you know, are delivering on account of customers using these enablers, there would probably be a step up kind of a growth. You will see when customers start using these enablers, assuming that normalcy comes up and the geopolitics situation normalizes. I believe it's very exciting for us. I don't know. I can't tell you for sure that this is what we will achieve. But the enablers are what we can put in place, which will deliver step-up growth. Step up growth, which is more than the normal 25%, which we always push hard to achieve year in, year out.

Great, sir. Congrats, and all the best. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Yash Desai from Dalal and Brochaw. Please go ahead.

Yeah. Hi, sir. Thank you so much for the opportunity. Sir, if you could just give us the full year FY26. Paul, because it has been changing quite a bit. The per unit margins for sourcing, logistics, and distribution business, I understand you just mentioned that the distribution business is currently at 7,000 odd rupees, hence wanted to have a comparison on a last year basis. And also, in case of the liquid business, how much would be the per unit EBITDA margins? And then I'll follow up with the question.

Yes, so liquid is very simple. You divide the EBITDA by the capacity that we have, 2 million, you will get the per CDM EBITDA margin as far as liquid is concerned, right? If you come to LPG EBITDA, it's very standard that the throughput or the logistics volumes that we do delivers close to 1,000 rupees EBITDA, and then what is left, you divide by the distribution margin, leave out sourcing. Sourcing hardly matters. As far as EBITDA is concerned, it is a very low contributor. So, then you will get the EBITDA margin for distribution business.

Okay. So, sourcing, I believe we used to mention about 85 to 90, a dollar sort of a number. Is that fine to work with? Yeah, yeah, still fine. Yeah, you can do that. Okay. And, sir, this, you were mentioning this current distribution margin of 7,000 odd rupees is sustainable. Sir, this quarter, per se, was no doubt, even in the last quarter, you had mentioned around 5,000, if I'm not wrong. That was sort of an abbreviation because on account of the geopolitical situation. But still going ahead with the 7,000 number, what gives you the confidence on the short to medium term period for this term?

Yes, we have not delivered 5,000 rupees margin in Q4 and Q1. It is 3x than what you have just stated. So what we say is when you look at the whole year, it gets blended, and then you look at 7,000 rupees. So we feel because we have delivered much more in Q1 as we had delivered in Q4 of last year, the blended margin will definitely be around 7,000 plus. I'm not saying 7,000. I'm saying 7,000 plus. So let's see how we end the year. And we believe that this 7,000, which is an upgrade from 4,000, which we were doing up to 24, 25, is likely to sustain in the years ahead because of the volume growth that is happening in distribution business. And that volume growth brings procurement efficiencies by way of shipping, by way of how – at what rate you procure. Therefore, we believe that this – the uncertainty and the difficulty margin that we had achieved in Q4 and Q1 in 2728 will get substituted by the procurement efficiency profits that we will be able to get On account of the volume ramp-up that has happened in the 24-month period from 24-25 to 26-27. Okay, good to hear that, sir.

And, sir, this year, the overall volume, you did mention about 25% CAGR growth. Do we, what kind of an upside do we see to that number or is that an upward cap or how do we see that number?

If you are talking of volume, we have already said 25% is the benchmark we always try to push and achieve. Anything above is a step up on account of the enablers that we are putting in place. So let's see how much those enablers help us achieve step-up growth over and above the 25 percent, which we always strive for. And we have said that as far as EPS is also concerned, in spite of the larger base, we have already grown from 6 rupees EPS to 26 rupees EPS. Even from this larger 26 rupees EPS, we expect to continue our CAGR growth, which we have delivered last 10 years, 25% plus. So, yeah, we remain positive on that account. And we like to perform and deliver this year and every year in coming times. Okay.

Yes, our fingers crossed. All the best to you.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Benny Jain from CP Capital. Please go ahead.

Hi, thank you. So, my first question is on the ammonia distribution. When do you start the distribution for ammonia, and what will be your return on that, and also, what are the means of delivering ammonia?

Immediate. We commission, we start, so it might be a week, maybe a month, I mean, weeks, and we would start a distribution. Distribution of ammonia will happen by industrial distribution. We don't pack it in cylinders, nor do we put up gas stations for that. So it will only be industrial distribution to begin with, and we expect to start soonest. Margins are likely to start with in the range of, I don't think I should be saying anything on that. Let's start off, and then we will start saying that what are the margins that we are delivering when we get into it. So I think wait for a quarter, and you will see some action on that, absolutely.

Okay, great. So on distribution, staying on distribution, has Morbi restarted with LPG distribution or is it still not?

We keep delivering to Morbi wherever we bring value for them. But Morbi is not be all end all for ages. The market is much bigger. The geography is the whole of India. We have been delivering all over the place now. So, I think it's now life beyond Morbi. I think let's get on with life. Let's not just keep talking about Morbi.

So, my reason for asking, it was a very large market and it was closed completely in between.

No, it just started, but they also will work on what energy they can get at the cheapest rate. They are doing great work. They are fighting competition world over. They have to deliver value, right? So whenever we deliver value, they buy from us or our counterparts, whether it is national oil companies or other LPG players, and whenever it gives value where they can work with natural gas, they do so. So I think energy market is big. It's all over, and there is place for, I think, everything and everyone. So we focus on our customers. We focus on the value we deliver to our customers, and we are very, very positive on this business.

Okay, so my next question was on the EBITDA per ton, which you said is very large, much higher than 7,000. I understand which figure you're talking about. But as we get to settled days, maybe three months down or six months down, we never know when Iran war stops. Do you think 7,000 is the, you said that we take the average per year, but what will be the normal EBITDA? Just to have an understanding, we are targeting 2 million tons of volume, but to understand the normal EBITDA, we understand all the things happening there.

Yes, so I've already said earlier that till 24-25, it was a very standard kind of 4,000 rupees EBITDA margin business. But now, after 24 months, in this 24 months, the uncertainty margin has come in, right? Which has taken up the blended rate for the year to 7,000 rupees. We expect this 7,000 not to come down to 4,000 again when everything is normalized, say, 27, 28 onwards. We expect that this 4,000 will be topped up by the procurement efficiency gain or margin additional that we will have on account of better shipping cost because the volumes have increased. So instead of getting it on a medium gas carrier, which have probably a freight of $50, we would get it on a very large gas carrier, which has a freight of, let's say, $15. So this $35 odd, I mean, I'm just quoting approximate numbers. Please don't take me on that. But then that gives you the top-up of another $3,000, and therefore the $7,000 margin, we believe, will in the next year also sustain. Okay. Writing on the back of increased volumes that we have achieved by more geography, more customers, more terminals that we have commissioned, you know, doing distribution from all over the place, from all of our facilities.

Would you be able to give the distribution of how much do you supply to industrial and how much, what percentage do you supply to Orica?

We don't do that. We give logistics volumes, and then we give sourcing volume, and then distribution volume all put together.

So one last question. You said the nation, India at the national level, is still at the deficit of 15% to 20% to pre-war levels in terms of LPG. So what stops us from, because our throughput is much higher than what we are doing, so what stops AGs from, you know, filling up more or the tanks more? Because you have Itochu as a partner who can do wonders. So what stops you from doing more?

We don't want to be driven by greed. We don't want to become traders. It's not greed because… We can fill up the tanks and, you know, try and sell them. But, you know, it's an industry which is very volatile. We can't take positions where, you know, if you are left-footed, then you end up really taking a big fall. So we are distributors. We do it month on month. We are not inventory. These are not inventory gains on which we are riding. We are doing hard core distribution every month. So the cargoes don't come six months in advance in our store just because we have a ledge, you know, and then try to take price advantage, which you never know may or may not happen. So, again, repeating, we are not the global traders like Trafigura or a Blancor or a VTOL. We are not those. We are distributors. We get material where we see demand, and then we distribute it or reach out to those customers. It's not taking positions either on inventory or on price or anything else.

One more thing on the Mumbai port, you have a LPG here which is not cryogenic and very small of storage. Is there a future plan to replace it with a larger cryogenic storage?

We already have a cryogenic in Mumbai. That was the first cryogenic terminal in India that was built in 1997. Yes, but expansion, always possible, if we find the land. If we are able to find the land, yes, that's always a possibility.

Thank you.

Never say no to anything.

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Chirag Bakaria from Hurrani Finance Limited. Please go ahead.

Sir, I just wanted to get a sense from you in the distribution segment, sir. Don't you think that 25% growth is conservative, the way the volumes are moving?

No, no, I've never said 25% for distribution. Sir, I mean, where I'm coming from is generally in the… That's what logistics is said.

Yeah, so in the throughput side, you said that, you know, 20-25% volume can grow. Wouldn't it be more in distribution side?

Absolutely, it will be more.

Sir, can you give some insight?

We cannot say for sure, but yes, I have already said that it will definitely be more than 25%. We have ourselves said that we want to reach 2 million in probably next year or the year next. We are aiming high. We already, like I said, had delivered from 500,000 to 750,000 in last year. This year, we are expected to cross a million. Next year, maybe cross 1.5 million. So, the rate is definitely more than 25%, maybe closer to 50% is what we look at.

Okay, and this will happen via getting more and more into industrial distribution, correct? With more presence.

Yeah, yes, you can say that.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Kunal Mehta from Incrit Equities. Please go ahead.

Yeah, hi. A very good evening. So, in the presentation, you have mentioned about liquidity

reserves in increase of 5,940,

but I just went through the financial statements of different, you know, subsidies of AJS. So, there is, on the standalone, there's a cash of 2700. On Steam, Seawall is 410. Aegis, Gas, which is the pack cylinder, it is 840 crores. Aegis International has about 306 crores. So, how are we going to be using this cash reserve for the capex that we have planned? Because it's in different, different entities. So, how are we going to, probably.

So, Aegis Wopek is self-funded. Aegis Wopek has its own funding, which is by, you know, equity. We have already agreed to dilute so that the funding happens, so that the capex happens. And, of course, when the equity comes in, you are also then eligible to borrow more. And then you do your journey of $5 billion. So, that's there. We also like to maintain a fortress balance sheet. This business is a difficult business. We like to maintain a very healthy cash balance, and that's how 5,900 you can see. We have even given where exactly in balance sheet it is placed on a console basis. Obviously, you will not see this cash balance in ABTS where the CapEx is happening. What we also, by maintaining this cash balance, we are also then looking at ways and means to deploy this, but we are never in a rush. It is not that we just simply use it. We like growth, but we like growth, which results in profits, because we are a very bottom line driven company. So as of when we will get opportunities, whether organic or inorganic. Other than AVTL, because AVTL already has its sources of funds, we will deploy, otherwise we will hold, because this is what we believe in, a fortress balance sheet, which then enables you to do things which are truly big, huge, and remarkable.

Okay. Thank you. So, and any CapEx in the downstream

segment, especially in the, let's say, gas stations or, you know,

expanding distribution since ages gas has about 840 crores of gas on the balance sheet?

The best part is that distribution business, right, is a franchise-driven business. So, the distribution assets is financed by the franchisee. So the beauty is that there is no CapEx, hardly any CapEx in distribution business, and also absolutely very low working capital. So yes, wherever, but it is required, we will, of course, we have enough firepower by way of cash to do so. But let the opportunity come.

So what was the 870 crores of other income and is it gas for FI26?

800 and?

70 crores of other income in Aegis Gas.

That is because Aegis Gas had sold off, it's holding in Hindustan Aegis, probably capital gains arising of that, but that gets eliminated on consolvents.

Okay, okay. And sir, I think in June, there was an article that I read which said that US imports were... Sorry, India imports from the U.S. will, has almost reached 1 million metric tons. So, that shows that there is a mix, like there is a shift towards, you know, long haul VLGCs. And I think AIS also is moving in that direction, making every port compliant. So, does this help us gain market share in, you know, in terminalling volumes?

Oh, yes, because, you know, you have made a very good point. So, when it comes from U.S., yeah, it's very large ships. So, when it used to come, and when it comes from Middle East, very large ships as well as small ships. So there are terminals in India which can only handle small ships because their static capacity is less. But we stand in the market with very big capacity terminals, especially at Mangalore and Pipawa, and even Kanda, for that matter, that we can unload an entire ship in one shot. So, obviously, it helps because then it reduces the waiting time of the ship, it reduces damage, it reduces the freight cost. Everything adds, you know, to the subsidy bill of the customer in case the efficiencies are not.

Okay, sir, this year, I think in AJS International also, there was a 40 crore of EBITDA.

Usually, we have around a single digit.

So, I mean, this was probably because of, you know, better sourcing and, you know, the geopolitical scenario, right? So, go ahead, we should maintain it at around 4 or 5 crores.

Yeah, do not go overboard. Just do standard projections.

I said, how much is probably revenue at the Mumbai Terminal for Liquid and LPG? If you can give some bug number or what, at what terms? Because it will help us to just probably get a sense of how much Mumbai Terminal. I know it is operating at 95% utilization, but probably what is the current tariff or the current terms that we get from there?

Tariff is the same all over. We don't give splits. And we maintain that. So, yeah, we don't do that.

And is it at around 70 tons? 70 tons?

No, no. Historically, it has been 90 plus tons. Yeah.

Okay. Okay, sir. Thank you so much. Thank you.

Thank you. As that was the last question for the day, on behalf of MUFD in time, that concludes this conference. Thank you for joining us and you will now disconnect the line. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you.