Thematic | April 2016
Capital Goods
Room air conditioners | At an inflection point
Ankur Sharma
(Ankur.VSharma@MotilalOswal.com); +91 22 3982 5449
Amit Shah
(Amit.Shah@MotilalOswal.com); +91 22 3029 5126
Investors are advised to refer through important disclosures made at the last page of the Research Report.
Motilal Oswal research is available on www.motilaloswal.com/Institutional-Equities, Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, Factset and S&P Capital.

Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Contents: Room air conditioners | At an inflexion point
Summary .............................................................................................................................. 3
Room air conditioners .......................................................................................................... 4
Industry shifting to higher energy-efficient models ............................................................ 13
Competitive intensity to remain high ................................................................................. 16
Key air conditioner manufacturers’ summer strategy ......................................................... 19
Takeaways from ACREX 2016: Asia’s largest exhibition for ACs, HVAC, refrigeration and
energy efficiency................................................................................................................. 24
Company-wise key takeaways from ACREX, 2016 ............................................................... 25
Marketing campaigns by key players .................................................................................. 26
Companies
Voltas ................................................................................................................................. 34
Blue Star ............................................................................................................................. 37
Hitachi ................................................................................................................................ 40
20 April 2016
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Capital Goods
Room air conditioners
At an inflection point
Room air conditioners
At an inflection point
Capital Goods
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20 April 2016
Industry growth at 15% CAGR over FY16-20E.
We estimate the Indian room air
conditioner market would grow from 4mn units in FY16 to 7mn in FY20, a 15%
CAGR. The growth would be driven by rising penetration of ACs (3-4% currently
vs. 30% global average), higher disposable income, growing urbanization and
year round usage of ACs. For FY17 we build in 15% industry growth and this
comes after a subdued CY15/FY16, where unseasonal rainfall adversely
impacted sales of air conditioners (ACs); we expect industry volumes to increase
10% YoY in CY15/FY16. Our recent channel checks indicate a very strong pickup
in volumes over the past 2-3 weeks post the sharp rise in temperatures across
the country. If the recent trend in summer seasons sales continues, our FY17
industry growth at 15% YoY has an upside risk to it and industry growth could be
upwards of 20%.
Competition remains high; brand, distribution, after sales service and dealer
margins key differentiators:
Our discussion with channel partners indicates
brand name, distribution reach (>50–55% of AC sales now in Tier 2 to Tier 4
cities), After sales support and Dealer support/margins are key success factors in
the AC industry. Competition has increased with players such as Daikin, LG,
Panasonic, Lloyd Electric and Blue Star eyeing a larger market share.
Shift toward higher energy-efficient models; Premiumisation trends to
continue:
There is a clear shift toward five-star and inverter ACs that comprise
20% and 10%, respectively, of overall industry volumes. Consumers are
increasingly considering the lifecycle cost of a product than just the initial capital
cost. BEE has mandated compulsory rating of inverter ACs from 2018; thus, the
rating for fixed and variable compressors will be merged—a four- or five-star
rated AC would be primarily considered an inverter, while a current five-star
rated AC would be graded as three-star. The split AC market is expected to
move toward split inverter ACs over the next few years; inverters are projected
to reach 30% of the market by FY18 and 50% by 2020.
Margins to improve with fall in commodity prices:
Star ratings, normally
revised every two years have not been changed for CY16 and CY17. The ratings
were last upgraded in January 2014. Therefore, manufacturers have not
resorted to any price hikes. In fact, a sharp contraction in raw material prices
would help improve margins for AC manufacturers.
Valuation and views:
Voltas (BUY, TP: INR350), market leader in the room AC
segment with a ~21% share, is our top pick in the sector. The company is the
best play due to its distribution reach (>12,000 touch points), strong after sales
network, focused advertising, highest dealer margins and a reputed brand
name. Blue Star (N/R) which entered the residential AC segment in FY11 has
grown its share to 11% in FY16 and targets to grow 30% in FY17 to capture a 12-
13% share. Other listed companies which are beneficiaries of a rise in AC
demand are Hitachi Home & Life (N/R) and Lloyd Electric (N/R).
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Room air conditioners
At an inflection point – sales to reach 7mn by 2020E (15% CAGR)
In our opinion, the Indian room AC industry is at an inflection point and poised to
register a CAGR of 15% to 7mn units in FY20. We expect FY17 to augur well for AC
sales after a subdued FY16; we forecast volumes to increase ~10% in FY16.
In India, AC penetration remains a dismal 3–4% vis-à-vis peers; nevertheless, this
bolsters demand for ACs. More importantly, ACs has now transformed into a necessity
from luxury a couple of years back. Interestingly, most people now install multiple ACs
in their homes.
India’s AC sales which stood at 4mn units in FY16 are expected to rise to 7mn
units by FY20, a 15% CAGR. Key drivers for room AC sales over the coming years
are:
Increasing penetration levels where India significantly lags behind other
countries
Improved macro-economic factors such as rising disposable income, higher
standard of living and urbanization. This has changed the perception of air
conditioners from a luxury to a necessity with most Indian households now
opting for multiple air conditioners.
Seasonality concerns being addressed by offering heating and cooling
options with the AC so that it can be used year round
Increasing range of energy efficient AC’s which address the Indian
consumer’s concerns on high electricity bills.
th
Positive impact of the 7 Pay Commission wage hike recommendations
which would lead to increased spending on consumer durables
Exhibit 1: India remains under penetrated vis-à-vis other countries
Country
Taiwan
US
Korea
China
Thailand
Indonesia
India
Penetration (%)
90%
87%
70%
53%
30%
8%
3–4%
Source: Industry, Blue Star, MOSL
Exhibit 2: Air conditioners remain under penetrated compared to other durables
Description
TV
Fridge
Air Cooler
Washing machine
Air Conditioner
% penetration
77%
33%
17%
10-11%
3-4%
Source: Industry, MOSL
Unseasonal rainfall during March/ April 2015 dented peak summer season sales.
Most players expecting an average growth of 15–20% in the industry were
saddled with unsold inventory. Consequently, manufacturers resorted to price
4
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
cuts and discounts that continued well into Q316. Though secondary sales
during the quarter was strong (+35% YoY), driven by higher festive demand and
an unusually warm winter, it has been more of clearing the inventory backlog as
companies plan to launch new models in CY2016.
For FY17, we forecast the industry growth to accelerate to 15%. As BEE’s star
ratings remain unchanged, we do not expect any price hikes across most
manufacturers. Nevertheless, this is subject to the rupee’s movement; nearly
50–60% of the parts of a split ACs are imported and a fall in the currency is
generally offset by passing on price hikes to end consumers.
CY16 off to a good start; IMD forecasts “above normal” summer temperatures
The summer season has begun earlier than normal in CY16 - typically, AC sales
start by mid to end March. This year, the industry has witnessed an early
onslaught of summers, right from the middle of February. While the entire
country witnessed a relatively warm February, March saw a lot of traction in
South India. Rising temperatures in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and
Telengana pushed up sales by up to 25 per cent for major manufacturers such as
Daikin, Blue Star, Carrier-Midea and Voltas between January and mid-March.
year. Dealers expect sales to rise 18–20% YoY in CY16.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts that during the 2016
summer season (April- June), temperatures’ are likely to be above normal by >1
degree across the country. There is a high probability (76%) of moderate to
severe heat wave conditions during the summer season. This is primarily in the
Central and North West India. We note that temperatures have been above
normal during the past two weeks in April with heat waves seen across North,
South and East India. Our recent channel checks indicate a very strong pickup in
AC volumes over the past 2-3 weeks. If the recent trend in summer season sales
continues, our FY17 industry growth at 15% YoY has an upside risk to it and
industry growth could be upwards of 20%.
Though industry players have majorly relied on the summer months (50-60% of
total) for boosting sales, sustained high temperatures following the monsoon
(Oct - December) have resulted in a new window for AC sales. As a result, ACs
are now being sold for almost 7–8 months in a year compared to 4–5 months
previously.
Exhibit 3: Room AC volumes (FY05–18E) and growth (% YoY)
Volumes(INR m)
22%
7%
1.9
FY08
2.0
FY09
2.5
3.3
25%
31%
23%
3%
2.8
FY14
3.5
FY15
3.9
4.4
FY17
5.1
10%
15%
Industry gr. (% )
15%
2.9
-14%
FY11
FY12
2.7
15%
20%
20%
1.1
FY05
1.3
FY06
1.5
FY07
-5%
FY13
FY10
FY16
FY18
Source: MOSL, Industry
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Market share of key players in the room AC segment
Based on various media articles, company interactions and reports, we have
derived the market share of players in the room AC segment. According to GfK
Nielsen’s multi-brand outlet survey, Voltas ranked first with a share of ~21% as
of Q316 followed by LG.
Exhibit 4: Market share in the room AC market
Name of company
Voltas
LG
Daikin
Lloyd Electric
Hitachi
Blue Star
Samsung
Others
Market share (%)
21
19
12
11
11
11
10
5
Source: Media reports, Industry, Channel checks, MOSL
Exhibit 5: Break-up of room AC market share (by player)
Others, 5
Samsung, 10
Blue Star, 11
Voltas, 21
Hitachi, 11
Lloyd Electric, 11
LG, 19
Daikin, 13
Source: Industry, MOSL, Channel checks
Exhibit 6: Brand hierarchy in the Indian room AC market
Premium
• O General, Mitsubishi Electric, Carrier, Daikin, Toshiba,
Hitachi
Popular
• Voltas, Blue Star, LG, Whirlpool, Panasonic, Lloyd Electric,
Samsung
• Videocon, Electrolux, GREE, Midea
Economy
Source: Dealer feedback, Industry, MOSL
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Industry sales shifting towards Inverters
By ratings, the three-star range accounts for 60% of the ACs sold in the country
followed by five-star. BEE has mandated the rating of inverter ACs, with the
same set of fixed-speed norms, from 2018. This implies the rating for fixed and
variable compressors would converge into one—four or five-star rated ACs
would be primarily inverters, while a current five-star rated AC would be a
three-star. The split AC market would gradually transition to split inverter ACs
over the next few years, accounting for a market share of 30% by FY18 and 50%
by 2020 (Source: Blue Star).
Exhibit 7: Break-up of ACs by star ratings
Exhibit 8: Region-wise sales of ACs
12
5 Star
10%
Inverter
3 Star
Others
60%
30
20
38
North India
South India
West India
East India
20%
20%
Source: Industry, MOSL
Source: Industry, MOSL
Exhibit 9: Inverter sales for key AC manufacturers vs. the industry
Description
Industry
Daikin
Blue Star
Hitachi
Voltas
% of total sales
10%
32–35%
13–14%
40%
5–7%
Source: MOSL, Media reports, Company
Japanese (Daikin, Mitsubishi, Sharp and Hitachi) players currently dominate the
Indian inverter AC market. Our channel checks indicate Voltas’s share would be
<10% in the inverter category that has not been its focus area until date. On the
other hand, Blue Star has one of the widest portfolios for inverter ACs in the
country and aims to gain a stronger foothold in the sector. The company derives
~13–14% of revenues from this category.
We highlight that Voltas’ 2016 AC advertising campaign of “All Star ACs”
emphasizes the benefits of using Inverters and therefore shows Voltas’ focus on
growing its share in the Inverter market where it has lagged behind peers.
North India remains the largest market for ACs; dominated by Window ACs
By region, North India (38–40% of total) continues to remain the largest market,
followed by South India (30%). A key trait of the North Indian market is the
preference for window ACs, while split ACs are largely in demand elsewhere in
the country. However, since the Northern region is the largest market,
companies tend to continue manufacturing window ACs and cater to the
demand.
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Exhibit 10: Voltas – Region-wise sales break-up (% of total)
Exhibit 11: Daikin – Region-wise sales break-up (% of total)
20
43
North
South
East
West
25
28
40
10
22
North
South
East
West
12
Source: Company, MOSL
Source: Company, MOSL
We observed that Samsung and LG exited the window AC market in 2012 as the
share of split ACs rose to ~75% of total sales and the price gap between split and
window ACs reduced considerably; this indicates customers were opting for split
ACs. However, LG has re-introduced select window AC models. For Voltas,
window ACs comprise 24–25% of sales compared to the industry level of 15–
16% as the former is a leader in the Northern market. Also, the window AC
market size has been relatively stable, with many buyers shifting from air
coolers to ACs for the first time (especially in Tier 2 and 3 cities).
Exhibit 12: India room ACs – split ACs continue to gain share
Split
Window
78%
82%
84%
86%
87%
88%
22%
FY13
18%
FY14
16%
FY15
14%
FY16
13%
FY17
12%
FY18
Source: Industry, MOSL
Key differentiators in the Room AC industry
A key differentiator in the Indian AC market is the distribution reach of a
manufacturer; this has become all the more important since ~50–55% of the
overall industry’s volumes are now outside metros/Tier 1 cities. In our
understanding, one of the main advantages for Voltas is more than 12,000 touch
points all over India which stood at 6,500 as of FY14.
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Exhibit 13: Dealer touch points across AC brands in India
Company Name
Voltas
Blue Star
Daikin
Videocon
Hitachi
Lloyd Electric
Touch points
>12000
3,800
4,000
7,000
4,000
7,000
Source: Industry, Media reports, MOSL
Dealer margins.
Voltas, LG are very dealer oriented and give high margins while
Samsung and Blue Star are not equally so. Voltas gives 35% margins to some of
the bigger dealers and 28% to smaller dealers while LG gives 28-30% margins to
dealers. Blue Star gives lesser margins (25-26% margin) and is a relative new
comer to the industry as it entered the retail market only in CY11. At the other
end of the spectrum are O General and Mitsubishi Electric which offer the
lowest margins in the 18-20% range to its dealers.
Exhibit 14: Dealer margins offered by various air conditioner manufacturer
Name of company
Voltas
LG
Blue Star/Samsung/Lloyd Electric
Daikin/Hitachi
Mitsubishi
O General
Margin offered
+++++++
++++++
+++++
++++
+++
+++
Source: Industry, MOSL, **higher denotes better margins
Branding and advertising spends:
Brand name and trust are other key
differentiators in the AC industry. For example, Voltas, through the highly
successful ‘Murthy campaign (launched in 2012)’, has strengthened its
connection with Indian customers over the past four years. The advertisement
was also used to highlight the company’s ‘All weather air conditioners’, which
can be used for both heating and cooling throughout the year. Blue Star has also
used the “Nobody cools better”, “Get office like cooling at home” and “Daddy
Cool” advertising campaigns to build a strong connect with the Indian
customers. Typically, with the onset of the summer season, AC manufacturers
step up their advertising spends to gain mindshare with the customer. For
details of marketing campaigns being run by various manufacturers in the 2016
summer season, please refer to the section “Marketing campaign being run for
the 2016 summer” at the end of the report. Companies typically spend 1-2% of
their sales on advertising.
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Exhibit 15: Advertising spends by player (FY16)
Name of company
LG
Hitachi Home
Blue Star
Samsung
Voltas
Whirlpool
Lloyd Electric
INR mn
500
1,092
350
300
500
704
345
% of
sales
NA
7%
1.8%
NA
1.9%
2.0%
1.9%
Source: Company, Media articles, *Hitachi, Lloyd Electric and Whirlpool spend for FY15, **** Blue Star
spend is INR400m in FY17
After sales service.
Another key differentiator in the room AC industry is the
after sales services provided by the manufacturer which in turn is dependent on
the quantum of service centers and their presence across the country. ACs are
typically used for a period of 10-12 years and therefore, it is critical that a
customer is offered a good after sales experience. All companies offer an Annual
Maintenance Contract (AMC) which is priced in the region of INR2000-2500 and
ensures regular servicing and maintenance of the AC. Most companies follow
the franchisee route for service centers – while the customer lodges the
complaint with the manufacturers’ call center, this is passed on to the service
center where the customer resides and the issue is addressed by the same. We
highlight that Voltas has the highest number of service centers followed closely
by LG and Carrier. With an increasing proportion of inverter AC sales, there
would be a higher need for service centers since these cannot be serviced by the
local unauthorized service centers.
Exhibit 16: Service centers across manufacturers in India
Name of company
Voltas
Blue Star
Hitachi Home and Life
Daikin
LG
Lloyd electric
Carrier
Panasonic
No. of Service centers
200
25
41
75
194
275
175
100
Source: Industry, MOSL
‘Outsource and Assembly’ business model in vogue in room ACs
R&D spending.
Most AC manufacturers in India follow the ‘Outsource and
Assembly’ model with low spending on R&D. The compressors are mostly
sourced from China or Thailand while the condensers are sourced from local
vendors with the complete AC being assembled in the AC manufacturers’
factory. Typical R&D spends are in the range of 0.2%-2% of sales. Daikin has
been amongst the front runners in terms of R&D spending and is also building
its first R&D facility at an investment of INR0.6b in Rajasthan. The center is
expected to become fully operational in July, 2016 and would enable
customization of the AC for Indian climatic conditions and other SAARC
countries.
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Exhibit 17: R&D spending as a % of sales (FY15)
Name of company
Blue Star
Voltas
Daikin
Hitachi Home and Life
Whirlpool
% of total
2.0%
0.2%
2.0%
1.0%
1.0%
Source: Company, MOSL
Product Portfolio.
A comparison of the company wise models across star
ratings indicates that the market leader, Voltas has the maximum number of
models on offer with ~50% being 3 star rated ACs and only 15% inverter
models. Similarly, LG has 39 models on offer with ~50% of the model of the 3
star category and 15% as inverter models. This is in sharp contrast to the
Japanese players - Daikin India, Hitachi and Mitsubishi Electric who have 60%,
40% and 40% respectively, of their models from the inverter range. This clearly
highlights the focus of these brands on the inverter range of ACs.
Exhibit 18: Star Rating wise product portfolio across key players
Name of company
Voltas
Hitachi Home and Life
LG India
Samsung India
Mitsubishi Electric
Daikin India
2 Star
8
1
3
4
0
8
3 Star
35
15
18
11
8
12
4 Star
0
6
0
0
4
0
5 Star
20
16
12
9
8
9
Inverter
13
26
6
6
12
43
Total
76
64
39
30
32
72
Source: Company, MOSL, **we have taken only the models listed on the company’s website
‘2016 Summer season’ AC models and new features launched
Typically, February-March of each year sees the launch of new model ranges by
AC manufacturers for the upcoming summer season and this year has been no
different. Key features being highlighted this year by AC manufacturers are:
‘Wifi’ enabled ACs which enables the user to control the machine from
anywhere using a smart phone. Additionally, smart phones can also be used
to monitor power usage and consumption.
Air purifiers as a result of increasing concerns of polluted air within cities. As
per our discussion with AC manufacturers, air purifiers would become an
integral part of ACs in the next five years.
R410A refrigerant gas being used in ACs as an alternative to the ozone
damaging R22 gas being currently used by most manufacturers. The R22 gas
has to be phased out by 2030 but the industry intends to completely switch
to R410 by FY20 itself.
Increased focus on power savings and therefore, increased range/models of
inverter ACs with each brand trying to highlight the energy savings.
Dehumidifiers for controlling the humidity, especially during monsoons so as
to offer better comfort.
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Exhibit 19: Comparison of AC features across companies
Name of company
Key features
Voltas has launched its "All Star" airconditoners with the theme of "Run
2 ACs at the cost of 1" which has a “2 stage inverter technology” for
significant power savings, environment friendly, super silent
"All Star" ACs"
operations, advanced air purifier and ambient cooling at high
“All Weather Smart A/C's"
temperature. It has introduced its advanced "All Weather Smart ACs"
which can be operated by a phone using Wifi /GPRS, senses outside
temperature and adapts to the weather and keeps a tab on power
usage and consumption
With the tagline " The AC that saves every day", LG ACs offer 30% faster
"Smart Inverter" ACs with
cooling, 66% energy savings, super quiet operation(19db) and 99%
Mosquito Away, Himalaya Cool, sterilized air compared to conventional ACs. LG's ACs also offer
Monsoon Comfort and Hot &
"Mosquito Away" technology to drive away mosquitoes, "Himalaya
Cold comfort
Cool" technology for faster cooling, "Monsoon Comfort" for controlling
the humidity and "Hot & Cold" AC for all weather usage
Hitachi's Inverter ACs offer "iClean Plus" technology which
automatically cleans the dust in the air filter, "iSense" which regulates
"iCare" ACs with "iClean", "iSense" the temperature as per the person's active body movements and "iSee"
and "iSee" technology
which detects faces of people and directs air flow to everyone, Wifi
technology to control the AC from anywhere and uses R410 green
refrigerant which is eco friendly
Life Conditioner’ range offers a smarter life (65% energy saving), a
healthier life (99% purer air) and a faster life (35% faster cooling
through iAutoX). Panasonic Life Conditioners are equipped with Nanoe-
"Life Conditioner" AC range
G & PM 2.5 Air Purification that eliminates airborne particles. Econavi
inverter technology monitors the product’s operations, while iAUTO X
delivers faster cooling.
The ‘Aryabot’ range of ACs can through a user’s GPS location, switch off
the AC when one leaves the house and switch it on before one enters
the premises, it comes with a dedicated USB slot for a web cam
connection and the web cam streams live video on the smartphone,
keeps a tab of power consumption and through its budgeting feature,
one can set limits on electricity consumption, Voice command to
"Aryabot" range
control the remote, the Sleep Graph mode allows to set desired
temperature levels for each hour of the night, Aryabot can also sense
the outside temperature and automatically adjust to set temperature
inside. The AC also intelligently detects problem areas and suggests
remedial actions basis its algorithms.It also has the ability to contact
the service centre on its own and log in service requests
Daikin ACs offer 64% more power savings (Good for savings), 15.3%
more comfort (Good for comfort), 75% less CO2 emission(Good for
"Fill the air with goodness"
environment) and Swing Inverter Technology(Good for living). Its' ACs
campaign
also have dehumidifiers, Streamer discharge air purifier, Intelligent
Eye(adjusts cooling to human presence), Smart phone connectivity for
ACs, Stabilizer free operation and all season AC for heating/cooling
Blue Star has launched Wifi enabled ACs which can be used from any
remote location within the Wifi network, can work at high
"Nobody cools better"
temperatures upto 50 degrees and within a voltage range of 160-270V
campaign
without stabilizer, 30% power saving vs. 5 star split ACs, Purifiers for
eliminating odors, dust, bacteria and other pollutants
“NXW” ACs
The NXW is the most energy-efficient inverter AC in the country with an
Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency ratio (ISEER) of 5.2. It is adaptable to
Indian climatic conditions and delivers high efficiency
Samsung’s Digital Inverter compressor offer power savings, stabilizer
free operation, Virus Doctor and Easy Filter to eliminate dust, Multi Jet
Plus technology for better cooling efficiency, Tropicalized compressor
for cooling till 52 degrees, Turbo Cooling, Good Sleep for regulating
temperature throughout the night, Full HD filter and Dry Cool for
comfort even in humidity
Source: Company websites, MOSL
Key products on offer
Voltas
LG
Hitachi
Panasonic
Videocon
Daikin
Blue Star
Godrej Appliances
Samsung
“Digital inverter” ACs
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Industry shifting to higher energy-efficient models
Premiumisation trends to continue; five-star and inverter ACs to be in demand
The room AC industry is gradually shifting toward more energy-efficient models
over the last few years as customers are increasingly aware of the lifetime costs
of ACs vis-à-vis upfront costs.
To promote energy efficiency, BEE initiated star labeling in 2007 for fixed-speed
ACs, where the compressor cuts off or cuts in when the desired temperature has
been achieved or the room temperature increases. This program was conducted
in 2006, involving key stakeholders including consumer organizations, and
manufacturers of ACs and components. January 2007 became a voluntary year
for AC star ratings. It was made mandatory from January, 2010 for one star to
five star. The ratings were upgraded in January 2012 and January 2014.
Inverter ACs are to be voluntarily labeled from January 2016. These ACs are
considered to be more efficient than fixed-speed. Apart from power savings, the
key unique sales proposition of an inverter AC is that the set temperature is
precise, delivering better comfort. Since inverter ACs have variable compressors,
they have different standards compared to fixed-speed compressor ACs.
BEE proposes to merge the standards for fixed-speed and inverter ACs from
CY18 and mandate compulsory rating for the latter. This implies the rating for
fixed and variable compressors will converge into one: a four- or five-star rated
AC will be primarily inverters, while a current five-star rated AC would become a
three-star. In our opinion, the split ACs market would gradually move toward
inverter split AC over the next few years, and inverters might constitute 30% of
the market by FY18 and 50% by 2020.
Since June 2015, BEE has introduced the ISEER ratio for inverter ACs. ISEER is
defined as the ratio of total amount of heat that an AC can eliminate to total
energy consumed to remove this heat. The minimum ISEER for a five-star rated
inverter AC is 4.5.
Currently, inverter ACs comprise 10% of the overall market, while five-star rated
ACs account for 20%. However, three-star rated ACs are the largest contributors
in the market.
Exhibit 21: AC volume breakup (by tonnage)
8
5 Star
2
20
<1 ton
1 ton
1.5ton
>2 ton
70
Source: MOSL, Industry
Source: MOSL, Industry
Exhibit 20: India AC volume break-up (by rating)
20%
20%
Inverter
3 Star
<3 Star
10%
60%
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Exhibit 22: AC tonnage and cooling area
Tonnage
1 ton
1.5 ton
2 ton
Appropriate area
120–140sq ft
150–180sq ft
180–240sq ft
Source: MOSL, Industry
While inverters ACs are typically 25–35% more expensive than a similar non-
inverter model, the extra capital cost is recouped within approximately one year
as it uses 35-40% less power.
A 1 ton AC uses 1100W of electricity every hour or 1.1kwh. With a normal
household running the AC for 9 hour, the daily electricity consumption is 10
units and 300 units per month. With cost per unit at INR7, the monthly bill
would come to INR2,100. With an inverter AC, the electricity usage goes down
by 40%, so the monthly saving is INR800 which implies a payback time period of
~1 year (Typically, inverter ACs are INR8,000-10,000 more expensive than a
regular split AC).
According to Blue Star, inverters ACs are likely to account for 30% of the overall
industry by FY18 and 50% by FY20. This is expected to be driven by increasing
consumer preference for energy-efficient products and convergence of star
ratings from CY18 onward.
Within the inverter AC segment, Japanese players like Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric,
and Hitachi have an edge over Indian peers as they have introduced these
models earlier in the Indian market and have access to technology from the
parent company.
With effect from January 2016, BEE has stopped the sale of one-star rated ACs.
This indicates two-star rated ACs would become the new entry level models that
are ~INR20–30b more expensive than one-star.
Exhibit 23: Star rating for window ACs (valid from January 1, 2016- December, 2017)
Description
Star Level
1 Star *
2 Star **
3 Star **
4 Star ****
5 Star *****
Energy Efficiency Ratios (Watt)
Minimum
Maximum
2.5
2.69
2.7
2.89
2.9
3.09
3.1
3.29
3.3
Source: BEE; one-star rated ACs cannot be sold from January 1, 2016
Exhibit 24: Star rating for split ACs (from January 1, 2016- December, 2017)
Description
Star Level
1 Star *
2 Star **
3 Star **
4 Star ****
5 Star *****
Energy Efficiency Ratios (Watt)
Minimum
Maximum
2.7
2.89
2.9
3.09
3.1
3.29
3.3
3.49
3.5
Source: BEE; one-star rated ACs cannot be sold from January 1, 2016
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Exhibit 25: Inverter ACs ISEER rating – mandatory from 1 January, 2018
Description
Star Level
1 Star *
2 Star **
3 Star **
4 Star ****
5 Star *****
ISEER
Minimum
3.1
3.3
3.5
4.0
4.5
Maximum
3.29
3.49
3.99
4.49
st
Source: BEE; one-star rated ACs cannot be sold from January 1, 2016
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Competitive intensity to remain high
Brand, Distribution reach, After sales and dealer margins key factors
We interacted with the largest dealers and channel partners with a presence across
India, to understand key summer trends in the AC industry. Our key takeaways are
described below.
Summer season off to a good start; growth target of 18–20% YoY in FY17:
The
summer season has begun earlier than normal in CY16; typically, AC sales start
by mid to end March. This year, the industry has witnessed an early onslaught of
summers, right from the middle of February. While the entire country witnessed
a relatively warm February, March saw a lot of traction in South India. Rising
temperatures in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Telengana pushed up
sales by up to 25 per cent for major manufacturers such as Daikin, Blue Star,
Carrier-Midea and Voltas between January and March. Dealers expect sales to
rise 18–20% YoY in CY16.
Inventory channelized during Q4; secondary sales in Q117:
Typically,
manufacturers start sourcing compressors/indoor units from China/Thailand
during Q4 (for the upcoming summer season) based on their AC sales forecast.
Thereafter, manufacturers channelize the summer inventory and follow it up
with marketing campaigns to promote their models.
Dealer margins:
Voltas and LG are dealer oriented and offer high margins, while
it differs for Samsung and Blue Star. Voltas offers a margin of 35–40% to some
bigger dealers and 28% to smaller dealers, while LG maintains 28–30% margin.
Blue Star has a lesser margin base of 25–26% and is relatively a newcomer in the
industry (entered the retail market in CY11). At the other end of the spectrum is
O General, which offers the lowest margin of 18–20%.
Exhibit 26: Dealer margins offered by various air conditioner manufacturer
Name of company
Voltas
LG
Blue Star/Samsung/Lloyd Electric
Daikin/Hitachi
Mitsubishi
O General
Margin offered
+++++++
++++++
+++++
++++
+++
+++
Source: Industry, MOSL, **higher denotes better margins
Energy efficiency – the way forward:
A clear shift toward five-star and inverter
ACs indicates customers are increasingly aware of the benefits of these
products. This is more so in the case of metros than in smaller cities and towns.
Inverter ACs:
Sales of inverter ACs are largely restricted to metros/Tier 1 cities
given their premium pricing (INR8, 000–10,000 higher relative to a three- star
with the same tonnage). Another factor that impedes growth is the high cost of
an annual maintenance contract (2x of fixed compressor variants). Moreover,
the converter chip (converts AC to DC power) is at a high risk of failure due to
voltage fluctuations. Each chip costs ~INR8, 000 and can prove to be a sizeable
cost for an end customer. To resolve this issue, inverter ACs would need to be
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
manufactured with in-built stabilizers.
Daikin, Mitsubishi, Sharp, Hitachi are the
bestselling inverter brands
Exhibit 27: Inverter AC sales for key manufacturers vs. the industry
Description
Industry
Daikin
Blue Star
Voltas
% of total
10%
32–35%
13–14%
5–7%
Source: MOSL, Company
AC prices retained at 2015 level:
With no change in the BEE star ratings in CY16,
most manufacturers have maintained last year’s prices for ACs. Conversely,
some brands, such as O General, Hitachi, and Blue Star, have hiked prices for
select models.
Sale promotions via exchange offers, discounts and free installations to
continue:
In order to promote sales during the summer season, brands are
offering exchange schemes for old aircons, free installation worth INR1500 and
discounts. Typical discounts being offered are in the region of 10-15% of the
MRP of the air conditioner. By company, the premium brands like Mitsubishi,
Hitachi, O General, Daikin the discounts are in the range of 8-12% while in case
of Voltas, LG the discounts are in the 12-15% range. This a regular feature during
the summer season and largely on expected lines. Companies are also offering
comprehensive warranty on the air conditioners for 5 years.
Increasing competition:
In terms of competition, our channel checks hinted
Daikin, Lloyd Electric, Panasonic, and LG are striving to increase market share/
volumes; in fact, Panasonic offered large dealer margins and witnessed
considerable growth in 2012, but could not sustain this trend. We believe Daikin
and Hitachi are trying to enter the “Popular” segment, which accounts for ~60-
70% of volumes from the erstwhile Premium category.
Voltas, Blue Star, LG, Daikin and Panasonic
are the most popular brands for
dealers. O General, Carrier, and Hitachi are considered premium brands, meant
for the discerning customer. Higher prices for these brands could be partly
ascribed to the use of 100% copper condensers.
20 April 2016
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Exhibit 28: Brand hierarchy in the Indian room AC market
Premium
• O General, Mitsubishi Electric, Carrier, Daikin, Toshiba,
Hitachi
Popular
• Voltas, Blue Star, LG, Whirlpool, Panasonic, Lloyd Electric,
Samsung
• Videocon, Electrolux, GREE, Midea
Economy
Source: Dealer feedback, Industry, MOSL
Voltas is expected to retain its leadership position in the industry. This has been
ascribed to the company’s persistent efforts to enhance brand name,
distribution reach and dealer support. Voltas’s focused advertising and brand
building exercise, along with the TATA brand, helped in gaining customers’ trust.
With more than 12,000 touch points in its distribution network, service network
and dealer margins are well ahead of competitors.
Daikin has started to focus on catering to the mid-range in the industry; earlier,
it was considered primarily a premium brand. The price difference between a
Daikin and a Voltas one ton (three-star) split AC has decreased to INR1,000–
2,000 from INR3,000–5,000 earlier. Globally, Daikin ranks number one in AC and
it aims to replicate this ranking in India by FY20. In our view, the company faces
two challenges: a) Daikin as a brand is not very well known outside of key
metros; therefore, the company needs to raise brand awareness. Nearly 50–55%
of industry sales are in Tier 2 to Tier 4 cities, where Daikin might not be very
popular; and b) Daikin’s distribution network stands at ~3,500 vis-à-vis Voltas’s
~12000, which gives the latter a strong edge.
Panasonic resorted to aggressive strategies in 2012 to gain a higher market
share; the company achieved the target by reducing prices and offering
significant discounts, but was unable to sustain at lower price points. Thereafter,
prices had to be normalized that, in turn, resulted in loss of market share.
Panasonic has resurfaced in 2016, with dealer margins raised to 27–28%. The
company is providing exclusive models to dealers to ensure no price under
cutting and launched a fresh marketing campaign to regain lost share in the
industry.
Voltas’s all-weather smart ACs are primarily sold in North India, where the
consumer also requires a heater during winter. As Mumbai is characterized by
mild winters, most dealers do not stock this model.
20 April 2016
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Key air conditioner manufacturers’ summer strategy
Based on media articles/channel checks and company feedback, we have
highlighted key strategies adopted by various players for the upcoming summer
season.
Blue Star – Impressive lineup of AC models; market share target at 12–13%
The company has a strong position in the inverter split AC segment, which,
along with five-star ACs, generates 30% of revenues. Inverter ACs contribute
10% to domestic industry sales compared to over 50% in China. Also, operating
costs (primarily electricity) for an inverter AC are 30% lower. Management
expects the market share of inverter ACs to triple over the next few years.
Blue Star’s line-up of new inverter split ACs are among the first to comply with
BEE’s voluntary labeling program (mandatory for inverter ACs from 2018). All
models have been designed to operate non-stop at 50 degrees and can function
smoothly without an external voltage stabilizer. In FY17, the company plans to
allocate INR300mn for further product development.
The company’s distribution network comprises 3,800 outlets across 500
locations, with smaller towns generating 50% of total sales. Blue Star plans to
introduce a same-day installation facility in NCR. IN our view, this is the largest
market for ACs in the country, with Voltas enjoying nearly 30–35% share in
several areas.
Blue Star currently has 70 exclusive product stores and targets to reach 100 by
the end of FY17. Also, it aims to open the first Blue Star Platinum Store in New
Delhi in 2016. These stores encompassing an area of ~2,000sq ft will
comprehensively display the entire product range; thereafter, Blue Star plans to
replicate the initiative in other metros.
The company’s targeted spending for summer 2016 stands at INR400mn. Blue
Star continues to use the brand message, ‘Nobody Cools Better’. The company’s
current market share (in value terms) stands at 10.5% and is projected to reach
12% in FY17.
Voltas – targeting a double digit growth this summer season
Voltas (~21.8% share) continued to lead the room AC industry in 9M16, aided by
a robust dealer network, strong brand name (trust in the TATA brand), and
focused advertising.
The company recently launched the ‘All Star ratings’ AC range based on the core
value proposition of ‘Run 2 ACs at the cost of 1 AC’ and the unique ‘Steady Cool’
compressor, which operates on a ‘two stage inverter’ technology. This cutting-
edge technology leads to significant power savings vis-à-vis an ordinary
compressor. In addition, the All Star ACs are environment-friendly and efficient
with super silent operation (noise levels as low as 18 decibels), high ambient
cooling (efficient in temperatures as high as 54 degree Celsius) and an advanced
air purifier. The company is offering this unique range with a five-year warranty.
Voltas introduced a range of advanced ‘All Weather Smart ACs’ by integrating
three smart features: a) Smart Access: Wi-Fi enabled ACs can be operated from
anywhere and anytime through a smart phone using local Wi-Fi or GPRS
19
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
connection; b) Smart Sense: The AC senses outside weather conditions and
adapts to the changing environment without any manual intervention; and c)
Smart Analytics: It keeps a tab on the energy usage and consumption trends. In
addition, the company revamped the new Smart AC mobile app.
Voltas expects a double digit growth in FY17 and is expecting a long and severe
summer in CY16; this along with pent up demand from customers will lead to
good growth in the industry.
With the latest launches, Voltas now has a strong product portfolio of over 150
variants of split ACs through more than 12,000 touch points in the country.
Daikin India – target to expand reach and market share
Under the leadership of the current MD, Mr. K. Jawa, Daikin plans to double
sales to 1mn units in 4–5 years, with the commissioning of a second plant.
Globally, the company ranks first in ACs and targets to achieve the same
position in India by 2020.
Over the last few years Daikin ACs were generally perceived as expensive;
nevertheless, the company has reduced the prices with effect from CY15. Daikin
aim is to sell at the right price, and use the right technology and right product
range to capture the market, including semi-urban areas.
The company’s plant in Neemrana was set up at a cost of INR11b and produces
0.5mn ACs, 6,000 ductable and 18,000 chiller units. Daikin intends to set up a
second plant at an investment of INR6b. The new facility, estimated to have a
manufacturing capacity of 1mn units per year, is scheduled to commence
operations in 2017–18.
Daikin will build its first R&D facility at an investment of INR0.6b which is
presumed to be the foremost in the country by an AC manufacturer. The center
is expected to become fully operational in 2016.
The company has tied up with the Delhi Daredevils IPL team to enhance brand
image and reach.
Daikin has launched its marketing campaign under the tag “Fill the air with
goodness” which reiterates the company’s commitment to provide state of the
art technology that offers comfort, great saving and is environment friendly.
Videocon – Targets 15% share in room ACs
Videocon is depending on sales network expansion and product launches to sell
0.6mn AC units this year and thereby garner 15% market share.
The company introduced eight split AC models, priced between INR34, 000 and
INR39,000, under the ‘Aryabot’ range.
To gain an additional 5% share, Videocon targets to increase its dealer strength
from 7,000 to 9,000 and sell 0.6mn units during summer.
The ‘Aryabot’ range of ACs are compliant with BEE ratings and can pair up with
smartphones and smart watches by enabling GPS access—through a user’s GPS
location, the feature notifies the need to switch off the AC when one leaves the
house and switch it on before one enters the premises.
20 April 2016
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Panasonic – ‘A better life, a better world’
Panasonic’s new advertising campaign is titled ‘A Better Life, A Better World’;
the campaign reiterates the company’s commitment to improve the quality and
standard of living, and creating a better world for the entire community.
‘Life Conditioner’, a new range of ACs enhance consumer experience by
providing pre-requisite cooling features and using latest Japanese technology.
The range is reported to offer 65% energy saving, 99% purer air and 35% faster
cooling. Panasonic Life Conditioners are equipped with Nanoe-G & PM 2.5 Air
Purification that eliminates airborne particles. Econavi inverter technology
monitors the product’s operations, while iAUTO X delivers faster cooling.
The advertising campaign features Panasonic’s brand ambassador, Katrina Kaif,
who, with a strong youth appeal, connects with techno-savvy consumers
seeking products aligned to global standards.
Godrej Appliances – Eyeing 15% share in the inverter AC segment
Godrej Appliances has rolled out an energy-efficient AC under its premium NXW
brand, which was used for super premium refrigerators until date. The company
targets to acquire 15% share in the inverter AC market.
The company highlighted it is the most energy-efficient inverter AC in the
country with an Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency ratio (ISEER) of 5.2. Since June
2015, BEE has introduced ISEER for inverter ACs. ISEER refers to the ratio of the
total amount of heat that an AC can eliminate to total energy consumed to
remove the heat. The minimum ISEER for a five-star rated inverter AC is 4.5.
Godrej’s inverter AC is expected to be among the top five-star rated inverter
ACs, with 31% savings over a five-star AC. It is adaptable to Indian climatic
conditions and delivers high efficiency. The NXW range would be available as
3440W and 5000W, and the company is offering a five-year condenser warranty
and a 10-year compressor warranty.
After gaining a 15% share in the premium and five-star rated AC segments,
Godrej now looks to acquire a similar share in the inverter AC market.
The company plans to double advertising spending and thereby increase market
share in FY17.
Carrier Midea – Targets 40% growth in CY16
The company has projected 40% growth in overall sales (INR10b in CY15), driven
by a strong performance in the AC division. Carrier Midea, a 40:60 JV between
US-based Carrier Corporation and China's G D Midea, is also expanding the sales
network to include 3,200 retail outlets by the end of March 2016 to sell its
product range.
Carrier Midea India has adopted a strategy of not increasing the price of existing
AC models this season due to local manufacturing and localization. The company
has a manufacturing unit at Bawal, Haryana, with a capacity of 0.7mn AC units
per year.
This season, the company’s product range would encompass 115 AC models,
wherein 78 would be sold under the Carrier brand and the remaining 37 as
Midea.
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Lloyd Electric – 11% share and still rising
The company accounted for ~11% in the Indian room AC industry during FY16
(8% in FY15). Lloyd continues to aggressively strengthen presence in the AC
market.
Lloyd’s TV campaign would be telecast during T20 World Cup series to garner
mindshare with customers.
As per a recent company release, Lloyd has already sold 0.2mn ACs in Q416
which is a record set by it.
LG – Looks to close the gap with market leader
With a new MD, Mr. Kim ki Wan at the helm, LG has already turned aggressive
in terms of dealer margins and discounts to gain a sizeable market share.
(http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-11-30/news/68661316_1_lg-india-
lg-electronics-lg-products).
Our channel checks indicate the company is targeting a growth rate of 15% in
FY17, based on new product launches such as dual inverter ACs that are more
efficient than normal inverter ACs.
Sales growth would come primarily from the Northern region where LG expects
a double digit growth in sales.
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Exhibit 29: Comparison of AC features across companies
Name of company
Key features offered
Voltas has launched its "All Star" airconditoners with the theme of "Run
2 ACs at the cost of 1" which has significant power savings,
environment friendly, super silent operations, advanced air purifier and
"All Star" ACs"
ambient cooling at high temperature. It has introduced its advanced
All Weather Smart A/C's"
"All Weather Smart ACs" which can be operated by a phone using Wifi
/GPRS, senses outside temperature and adapts to the weather and
keeps a tab on power usage and consumption
With the tagline " The AC that saves every day", LG ACs offer 30% faster
"Smart Inverter" ACs with
cooling, 66% energy savings, super quiet operation(19db) and 99%
Mosquito Away, Himalaya Cool, sterilized air. LG's ACs also offer "Mosquito Away" technology to drive
Monsoon Comfort and Hot &
away mosquitoes, "Himalaya Cool" technology for faster cooling,
Cold comfort
"Monsoon Comfort" for controlling the humidity and "Hot & Cold" AC
for all weather usage
Hitachi's Inverter ACs offer "iClean Plus" technology which
automatically cleans the dust in the air filter, "iSense" which regulates
"iCare" ACs with "iClean", "iSense" the temperature as per the person's active body movements and "iSee"
and "iSee" technology
which detects faces of people and directs air flow to everyone, Wifi
technology to control the AC from anywhere and uses R410 green
refrigerant which is eco friendly
Life Conditioner’ range offers a smarter life(65% energy saving), a
healthier life(99% purer air) and a faster life(35% faster cooling through
iAutoX). Panasonic Life Conditioners are equipped with Nanoe-G & PM
"Life Conditioner" AC range
2.5 Air Purification that eliminates airborne particles. Econavi inverter
technology monitors the product’s operations, while iAUTO X delivers
faster cooling.
The ‘Aryabot’ range of ACs can through a user’s GPS location, switch off
the AC when one leaves the house and switch it on before one enters
the premises, it comes with a dedicated USB slot for a web cam
connection and the web cam streams live video on the smartphone,
keeps a tab of power consumption and through its budgeting feature,
one can set limits on electricity consumption, Voice command to
"Aryabot" range
control the remote, the Sleep Graph mode allows to set desired
temperature levels for each hour of the night, Aryabot can also sense
the outside temperature and automatically adjust to set temperature
inside. The AC also intelligently detects problem areas and suggests
remedial actions basis its algorithms.It also has the ability to contact
the service centre on its own and log in service requests
Daikin ACs offer 64% more power savings(Good for savings), 15.3%
more comfort(Good for comfort), 75% less CO2 emission(Good for
environment) and Swing Inverter Technology(Good for living). Its' ACs
"Fill the air with goodness"
also have dehumidifiers, Streamer discharge air purifier, Intelligent
Eye(adjusts cooling to human presence), Smart phone connectivity for
ACs, Stabilizer free operation and all season AC for heating/cooling
Blue Star has launched Wifi enabled ACs which can be used from any
remote location within the Wifi network, can work at high
"Nobody cools better"
temperatures upto 50 degrees and within a voltage range of 160-270V
without stabilizer, 30% power saving vs. 5 star split ACs, Purifiers for
eliminating odors, dust, bacteria and other pollutants
NXW ACs
The NXW is the most energy-efficient inverter AC in the country with an
Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency ratio (ISEER) of 5.2. It is adaptable to
Indian climatic conditions and delivers high efficiency
Samsung’s Digital Inverter compressor offer power savings, stabilizer
free operation, Virus Doctor and Easy Filter to eliminate dust, Multi Jet
Plus technology for better cooling efficiency, Tropicalized compressor
for cooling till 52 degrees, Turbo Cooling, Good Sleep for regulating
temperature throughout the night Full HD filter and Dry Cool for
comfort even in humidity
Source: Company websites, MOSL
Key products on offer
Voltas
LG
Hitachi
Panasonic
Videocon
Daikin
Blue Star
Godrej Appliances
Samsung
Digital inverter ACs
20 April 2016
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Takeaways from ACREX 2016: Asia’s largest exhibition
for ACs, HVAC, refrigeration and energy efficiency
Industry growth at 15% YoY in CY16; no respite in competition
We visited ACREX, Asia’s largest exhibition for ACs, HVAC, refrigeration and energy
efficiency where we met the leading air conditioner manufacturers in the country.
Key takeaways are listed below.
AC manufacturers expect the industry to grow 10–15% YoY in CY16, following a
subdued CY15; sales from March–June (summer months) account for 50–55% of
industry volumes and companies expect a normal summer season.
Inventory has been cleared after strong industry growth in Q316 (35% YoY);
currently, channel filling is underway for the upcoming summer season.
As BEE star ratings remain unchanged, AC manufacturers do not expect any
price increases in CY16. However, if the rupee posts a substantial decline,
companies may to have to pass it on to end consumers.
Consumers have increasingly opted for energy-efficient products; five-star and
inverter AC sales constitute 30% of the market and are growing in high double-
digits.
After strong festive season sales in Q316, secondary sales have been subdued in
January, especially in the North and West, due to extended winters. However,
secondary sales have picked up over the past week in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Competitive intensity remains high with established players in the Premium
category (Daikin and Hitachi) seeking to enhance presence in the Popular
category (50–60% market share); smaller players like GREE, Midea, Lloyd Electric
and Videocon are also struggling to increase their share in the Popular segment.
Key differentiators in the AC market are brand name, distribution network, after
sales and dealer margins. Reduction in pricing alone would not lead to
sustainable market share gains.
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Company-wise key takeaways from ACREX, 2016
Blue Star
The company expects industry growth of 15%. Blue Star’s sales are projected to
accelerate by 25% YoY, driven by new model launches, increased distribution
network and focused advertising.
Blue Star has 30 inverter split AC models voluntarily rated as three and five-star.
The company aims to increase market share to 12% from the current 10%. Blue
Star has introduced a total of 130 AC models, of which 40–50 operate on green
gases (R410A/R22).
The company accounted for a market share of 11–12% in FY16 (FY15: 8–9%)
with sales rising 40% YoY. Hitachi expects the share to reach 13% by selling
0.5mn units in this year; the company currently ranks third in the industry after
Voltas and LG. Daikin and Lloyd Electric rank lower in terms of volumes.
Hitachi has voluntarily rated all of the inverter AC models for BEE star labeling; it
is now focusing on energy efficiency for boosting sales.
Though industry growth decelerated in CY15, the company expects CY16 to be a
strong year.
Hitachi has been targeting the Popular segment and has AC models across the
Premium, Popular and Economy level categories.
Competition is intense with Daikin, Midea, GREE and Lloyd Electric aggressively
targeting the market.
Extended winters during the year—normally winter ends by mid-January, but
this year it continued well into late Jan – early February; strong heat since then
has been positive for Voltas’s secondary sales over the last few days.
Generally, markets are weak after Diwali (festival of lights in
October/November) and sales are yet to pick up.
The company’s new AC model can be monitored from any Wi-Fi enabled
environment. Voltas raised the prices of this product and the SMART All
weather model by INR1, 500.
Since star ratings have remained unchanged, the company has largely not
resorted to price increases; however a sharp fall in the rupee could have an
adverse impact.
Voltas lags behind peers in inverter ACs and needs to launch models in this
segment – 2016 “All Star ACs” are being launched to aggressively enter this
market; moreover, the government needs to provide tax incentives to improve
usage. Indian consumers are price conscious and hence, the market may not
witness exponential growth.
LG’s sales grew 15% in CY15 and it projects 30% growth in CY16 given the early
onset of summer and predictions of an above normal summer in CY16.
In terms of market share, the company undertakes significant amount of B2B
sales to residential developers. This has not been captured in the Gsk Neilson
data that is only for multi-brand outlets. They are ahead and the market leader
in the room air conditioner segment.
25
Hitachi
Voltas
LG
20 April 2016

Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Marketing campaigns by key players
Aggressive campaigns planned to gain market share
Exhibit 30: LG - “The AC that saves every day” with its smart inverter AC
Source: Media reports, MOSL
Exhibit 31: LG - Smart Inverter technology with Mosquito away, Himalaya Cool and
Monsoon Comfort are additional features on offer
Source: Media reports, MOSL
20 April 2016
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Exhibit 32: Panasonic – “The Life Conditioner” - Faster cooling, Air purifier and Energy
savings as well
Source: Media reports, MOSL
Exhibit 33: Voltas – “All Star air conditioner” – Highlighting its inverter compressor which
enables “Run 2 aircons at the cost of one; bring home All Star savings”
Source: Media reports, MOSL
20 April 2016
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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Exhibit 34: Lloyd Electric – “Khushiyon ki gurantee”. Offering 60 months warranty on air
conditioners to celebrate its 60 years in India
Source: Media reports, MOSL
Exhibit 35: Kohinoor – exchange offer plus free standard installation with 5 year condenser
and 10 year compressor warranty on select brands
Source: Media reports, MOSL
20 April 2016
28

Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Exhibit 36: Vijay Sales – Promotional offer
Source: Media reports, MOSL
Exhibit 37: Daikin – “Fill the air with goodness”
Source: Media reports, MOSL
20 April 2016
29

Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Exhibit 38: Onida – “Regalio”
Source: Media reports, MOSL
Exhibit 39: Hitachi – IClean technology for automatic cleaning of filters while ISee to sense
people in the room and direct the air flow to them
Source: Media reports, MOSL
20 April 2016
30

Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Exhibit 40: Godrej Appliances – NXW range which is the highest rated inverter AC in India
Source: Media reports, MOSL
Exhibit 41: Whirlpool – 3D cool Xtreme AC
Source: Media reports, MOSL
20 April 2016
31

Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Exhibit 42: Carrier – “Round the clock” care
Source: Media reports, MOSL
Exhibit 43: Blue Star – “Nobody cools better” ad campaign
Source: Media reports, MOSL
20 April 2016
32

Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Companies
BSE Sensex: 25,844
Companies Covered
Voltas
Blue Star
Hitachi
*Prices as on 20 April 2016
34
37
40
S&P CNX: 7,915
April 2016
20 April 2016
33

Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
20 April 2016
Update
| Sector:
Capital Goods
Voltas
Buy
BSE SENSEX
25,844
S&P CNX
7,915
CMP: INR302
TP: INR350(+16%)
Leader in India’s room AC market
Stock Info
Bloomberg
Equity Shares (m)
52-Week Range (INR)
1, 6, 12 Rel. Per (%)
M.Cap. (INR b)
M.Cap. (USD b)
12M Avg Val (INR M)
Free float (%)
Key focus areas – brand, distribution, after sales service and dealer
support
VOLT IN
330.9
360/211
9/10/12
90.6
1.4
592
69.7
Financials Snapshot (INR b)
Y/E MAR
2016E 2017E 2018E
Net Sales
56.7
62.0
72.2
EBITDA
4.0
4.8
6.1
Adj PAT
3.3
4.0
5.0
EPS(INR)
9.9
12.0
15.1
EPS Gr. (%)
-3.4
21.9
25.7
BV/Sh. (INR)
70.9
79.9
91.1
RoE (%)
14.7
16.0
17.7
RoCE (%)
14.3
15.3
16.8
P/E (x)
30.7
25.2
20.0
P/BV (x)
4.3
3.8
3.3
Shareholding pattern (%)
As On
Promoter
DII
FII
Others
Dec-15 Sep-15 Dec-14
30.3
30.3
30.3
27.0
26.8
26.1
21.6
21.1
21.8
21.1
21.8
21.8
Channel checks indicate strong demand for air conditioners in upcoming
season:
We did a dip-stick study across large dealers and retail chains to
understand the demand scenario for the upcoming summer season,
competitive intensity, and new product launches in the market. Dealers
highlighted (1) robust demand for air conditioners (ACs) across brands, (2)
likely growth of 15-20% for the industry, and (3) intense competition,
preventing major price hikes across brands. There is a clear shift by consumers
towards energy efficiency, with more 4/5-star ACs being sold.
MEP business facing near-term headwinds:
VOLT’s MEP business posted a loss
in 3QFY16 and EBIT margins turned negative after six quarters (-1.2%). This was
because while the company booked costs for the UAE project, it is yet to book
the acceleration claim. Business environment in the Middle East remains
challenging, with slow project execution, reluctance to officially extend project
timelines, ‘engineered’ delays in settlement of commercial entitlements,
increasing tendency to legally dispute and go to arbitration. This has impacted
margins in the MEP segment – blended margins remain below the guided 4-5%.
Air cooler sales to kick in meaningfully from FY17:
To diversify its product
range in the Unitary Cooling Products (UCP) segment and as a natural
extension of its existing brand, VOLT has diversified into air coolers. It has
launched 11 models (7 desert coolers, 3 personal coolers, and 1 window
cooler) across India. It intends to be among the top-3 players in the country in
the next three years and is currently focused primarily on the residential cooler
market. The air cooler season begins from December and lasts up to May;
VOLT is focusing on the upcoming season to increase volumes. The residential
cooler market is estimated at 5m-6m units, with a market size of ~INR40b
(INR6,660 per unit), 80% of which is unorganized. Even if VOLT is able to gain 2-
3% of the overall market (8-12% of the organized market), it could add sales of
INR0.7b-1.2b in the UCP segment.
VOLT trades at 25x FY17E and 20x FY18E EPS. We maintain Buy; our target
price is INR350 (earlier INR290) which values the UCP segment at INR300 (25x
FY18E EPS) and the Engineered Product Segment at INR50 (15x FY18E EPS). In
our view, there are multiple triggers for the stock, which include (1) positive
impact of 7th Pay Commission hikes, (3) structural uptrend in the air
conditioner market, and (3) potential improvement in the MEP business, with
pick-up in domestic construction activity.
34
FII Includes depository receipts
Stock Performance (1-year)
Voltas
Sensex - Rebased
400
350
300
250
200
Valuation and view
20 April 2016

Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Financials and Valuations
Income Statement
Y/E March
Total Revenues
Change (%)
Raw Materials
Staff Cost
Other Expenses
EBITDA
% of Total Revenues
Other Income
Depreciation
Interest
Exceptional Items
PBT
Tax
Rate (%)
Reported PAT
Change (%)
Adj. Consolidated PAT
Change (%)
Balance Sheet
Y/E March
Share Capital
Reserves
Net Worth
Minority Intetest
Loans
Deferred Tax Liability
Capital Employed
Gross Fixed Assets
Less: Depreciation
Net Fixed Assets
Capital WIP
Investments
Goodwill
Curr. Assets
Inventory
Debtors
Cash & Bank Balance
Loans & Advances
Current Liab. & Prov.
Creditors
Other Liabilities
Net Current Assets
Application of Funds
E: MOSL Estimates
2012
51,857
(0.1)
37,800
5,995
4,698
3,365
6.5
985
340
314
(1,505)
2,191
571
26.1
1,620
(44.7)
3,126
(0.7)
2013
55,310
6.7
41,670
6,325
4,934
2,380
4.3
901
278
326
121
2,798
728
26.0
2,070
27.8
1,955
(37.5)
2014
52,660
(4.8)
38,543
5,947
5,515
2,656
5.0
1,002
248
225
215
3,399
941
27.7
2,458
18.7
2,238
14.5
2015
51,831
-2
35,974
5,899
5,857
4,100
7.9
1,087
280
233
462
5,136
1,276
25
3,860
57
3,381
51
2016E
56,663
9
40,468
6,165
6,029
4,001
7.1
1,083
282
162
0
4,640
1,392
30
3,264
-15
3,264
-3
2017E
61,955
9
44,385
6,442
6,316
4,812
7.8
1,199
288
198
0
5,525
1,547
28
3,978
22
3,978
22
(INR Million)
2018E
72,220
17
52,743
6,732
6,617
6,129
8.5
1,332
294
223
0
6,943
1,944
28
4,999
26
4,999
26
(INR Million)
2018E
331
29,800
30,131
161
2,717
(349)
32,660
4,849
3,524
1,326
44
10,939
814
53,446
12,081
18,652
8,401
3,631
33,909
18,510
15,399
19,537
32,659
2012
331
14,469
14,800
170
2,214
(242)
16,941
4,451
2,448
2,003
46
3,116
890
35,271
8,334
20,977
2,710
3,249
24,384
14,730
9,654
10,887
16,941
2013
331
15,926
16,256
118
2,612
(222)
18,765
4,678
2,568
2,110
0
4,074
888
38,352
9,784
21,927
3,498
3,142
26,658
17,191
9,186
11,694
18,766
2014
331
17,862
18,193
138
2,629
(239)
20,721
4,198
2,113
2,086
18
7,320
798
36,974
9,010
22,039
2,818
3,108
26,476
16,267
10,208
10,499
20,721
2015
331
20,690
21,021
161
1,217
(349)
22,049
4,114
2,223
1,891
44
10,939
798
34,844
8,671
21,051
2,516
2,606
26,466
15,414
11,051
8,378
22,050
2016E
331
23,119
23,450
161
1,717
(349)
24,979
4,649
2,941
1,708
44
10,939
814
39,631
9,479
14,634
4,289
2,849
28,157
16,076
12,082
11,473
24,979
2017E
331
26,080
26,411
161
2,217
(349)
28,440
4,749
3,229
1,520
44
10,939
814
45,060
10,364
16,001
6,418
3,115
29,938
16,728
13,210
15,122
28,439
20 April 2016
35

Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Financials and Valuations
Ratios
Y/E March
Basic (INR)
Adj EPS
Cash EPS
Book Value
DPS
Payout (incl. Div. Tax.)
Valuation (x)
P/E
Cash P/E
EV/EBITDA
EV/Sales
Price/Book Value
Dividend Yield (%)
Profitability Ratios (%)
RoE
RoCE
Turnover Ratios
Debtors (Days)
Inventory (Days)
Creditors. (Days)
Asset Turnover (x)
Leverage Ratio
Debt/Equity (x)
Cash Flow Statement
Y/E March
PBT before EO Items
Add : Depreciation
Interest
Less : Direct Taxes Paid
(Inc)/Dec in WC
CF from Operations
(Inc)/Dec in FA
Free Cash Flow
Investment in liquid assets
CF from Investments
(Inc)/Dec in Debt
Less : Interest Paid
Dividend Paid
CF from Fin. Activity
Inc/Dec of Cash
Add: Beginning Balance
Closing Balance
E: MOSL Estimates
2012
9.5
4.9
10.5
44.7
1.6
38.0
2013
5.9
6.3
6.8
49.2
1.6
29.8
2014
6.8
7.4
7.5
55.0
1.9
29.2
2015
10.2
10.2
11.1
63.6
2.3
23.3
2016E
9.9
9.9
10.7
70.9
2.2
25.6
2017E
12.0
12.0
12.9
79.9
2.6
25.6
2018E
15.1
15.1
16.0
91.1
3.3
25.6
23.8
34.2
20.0
1.0
2.9
1.1
22.6
20.9
18.3
1.5
3.6
1.0
30.7
28.3
24.4
1.7
4.3
0.7
25.2
23.5
20.0
1.5
3.8
0.9
20.0
18.9
15.4
1.3
3.3
1.1
21.1
23.3
12.0
15.8
12.3
16.3
16.1
21.9
14.7
14.3
16.0
15.3
17.7
16.8
148
59
152
3.1
145
65
158
2.9
153
62
164
2.5
148.2
61.1
161.4
2.4
94.3
61.1
103.6
2.3
94.3
61.1
98.6
2.2
94.3
61.1
93.6
2.2
0.1
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
2012
2,191
340
314
(571)
(3,651)
(1,378)
(289)
(1,666)
(430)
(719)
847
(314)
(615)
(83)
(2,179)
4,890
2,710
2013
2,798
278
326
(728)
(202)
2,472
(181)
2,291
(957)
(1,139)
399
(326)
(619)
(546)
787
2,710
3,497
2014
3,399
248
225
(941)
98
3,030
462
3,492
(3,247)
(2,785)
17
(225)
(716)
(925)
(679)
3,497
2,818
2015
5,136
280
233
(1,276)
1,425
5,798
58
5,856
(3,619)
(3,561)
(1,412)
(233)
(894)
(2,539)
(302)
2,818
2,516
2016E
4,640
282
-
(1,392)
(1,323)
2,208
(100)
2,108
-
(100)
500
-
(835)
(335)
1,773
2,516
4,289
2017E
5,525
288
-
(1,547)
(1,520)
2,747
(100)
2,647
-
(100)
500
-
(1,017)
(517)
2,129
4,289
6,418
2018E
6,943
294
-
(1,944)
(2,432)
2,862
(100)
2,762
-
(100)
500
-
(1,278)
(778)
1,983
6,418
8,401
20 April 2016
36

20 April 2016
Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Update
| Sector:
Capital Goods
Blue Star
Not Rated
BSE SENSEX
25,844
S&P CNX
7,915
CMP: INR414
Strong contender in India’s AC market
Stock Info
Bloomberg
Equity Shares (m)
52-Week Range (INR)
1, 6, 12 Rel. Per (%)
M.Cap. (INR b)
M.Cap. (USD b)
Avg Val ( INRm)/Vol m
Free float (%)
Gaining market share across segments
BLSTR IN
89.9
411/290
15/24/40
35.7
0.5
24 / 0.68
60.5
Financials Snapshot (INR b)
Y/E MAR
2013
2014
Net Sales
27.7
27.9
EBITDA
1.0
1.5
PAT
0.4
0.9
EPS (INR)
4.5
10.3
Gr. (%)
-145.1 130.6
BV/Sh (INR)
55
59
RoE (%)
8
18
RoCE (%)
9.3
15.5
P/E (x)
35.4
32.4
P/BV (x)
2.9
5.7
2015
30.8
1.7
1.1
12.2
18.0
70
19
16.3
27.4
4.8
Plans to increase share in room AC market by focusing on North India:
Blue
Star intends to increase its share in the room air conditioner market from the
current 10% to 12% in FY17 by expanding its distribution network and focusing
on North India. Its market share is weak in the North as compared to the South
and the West. North India currently constitutes ~45% of the air conditioner
market. To improve its focus and market share, Blue Star plans to set up two
new manufacturing facilities (Jammu and Sri City), with a capex of INR2.5b. We
believe that dealer network expansion, introduction of new product line (135
new models with star rating for inverter ACs) and new facilities to cater to
demand from the North and South would help the company to beat industry
growth.
Capex revival to aid growth in the projects business:
Electromechanical
projects and packaged air conditioning systems business, which contributes
about 52% of Blue Star’s total revenue, has witnessed muted growth over the
last five years due to weak macroeconomic scenario, delay in execution of
orders and the company’s focus on profitable growth. However, revival in
commercial construction and urban infrastructure activity will help grow the
electromechanical contracting business. Blue Star is the leader in the domestic
HVAC segment, with every third commercial building in the country having a
Blue Star-installed AC. Despite muted ordering activity in the industry, for
9MFY16, order inflow in the MEP segment has remained strong for Blue Star at
INR14.3b (up 40% YoY).
Focus on exports to support growth:
Blue Star intends to increase its revenue
share from exports from the current 5%. To increase exports, it plans to tap
new opportunities in AC&R products, MEP projects, after-sales services as well
as systems integration and agency business. It plans to export to the Middle
East, Africa, SAARC and ASEAN regions. Middle East Expo 2020, FIFA World Cup
2022, changes in rules and regulations in the GCC market for energy-efficient
air conditioners, and higher FDI limits in the SAARC and ASEAN regions would
be the key drivers for the air conditioning market.
Valuation and view
Focus on expanding dealer network, introduction of new models, and brand
strengthening through higher ad spends should help Blue Star to increase its
market share in the air conditioning business from the current 9.5% to 12% in
FY17. Bloomberg standalone earnings estimates are INR17.6 for FY17 and
INR19.9 for FY18. The stock trades at 28x FY17E and 21x FY18E EPS. We do not
have any rating on the stock.
20 April 2016
37

Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Financials and Valuations
Income Statement
Y/E March
Total Revenues
Change (%)
Raw Materials
Staff Cost
Other Expenses
EBITDA
% of Total Revenues
Other Income
Depreciation
Interest
Exceptional Items
PBT
Tax
Rate (%)
Reported PAT
Change (%)
Adj. Consolidated PAT
Change (%)
Balance Sheet
Y/E March
Share Capital
Reserves
Net Worth
Minority Intetest
Loans
Deferred Tax Liability
Capital Employed
Gross Fixed Assets
Less: Depreciation
Net Fixed Assets
Capital WIP
Investments
Goodwill
Curr. Assets
Inventory
Debtors
Cash & Bank Balance
Loans & Advances
Current Liab. & Prov.
Creditors
Other Liabilities
Net Current Assets
Application of Funds
E: MOSL Estimates
2010
25,250
0.9
18,821
1,849
1,833
2,747
10.9
311
347
85
140
2,766
651
23.5
2,115
17.3
1,975
9.6
2011
28,589
13.2
20,432
2,061
3,610
2,486
8.7
340
317
244
4
2,269
719
31.7
1,550
-26.7
1,546
-21.7
2012
27,008
-5.5
20,858
2,069
4,186
-105
-0.4
238
314
703
0
-884
7
-0.8
-891
-157.5
-891
-157.7
2013
27,671
2.5
20,379
2,155
4,149
988
3.6
365
329
499
0
526
124
23.5
402
-145.1
402
-145.1
2014
27,895
0.8
19,577
2,340
4,470
1,507
5.4
264
347
496
-169
759
0
0.0
759
88.7
928
130.6
(INR Million)
2015
30,808
10.4
21,335
2,568
5,168
1,736
5.6
101
393
435
419
1,428
-86
-6.0
1,514
99.4
1,095
18.0
(INR Million)
2015
180
6,071
6,251
0
3,319
-165
9,405
5,438
3,063
2,374
25
2,319
0
17,043
4,628
7,081
363
2,385
12,356
8,408
3,947
4,688
9,405
2010
180
4,737
4,917
0
89
-15
4,991
3,519
1,542
1,977
16
42
0
13,928
2,580
6,282
132
1,324
10,971
5,531
5,440
2,957
4,992
2011
180
5,555
5,735
0
4,214
-7
9,942
3,741
1,809
1,931
253
1,018
0
19,382
4,945
7,786
465
1,427
12,642
6,890
5,752
6,740
9,943
2012
180
4,559
4,739
0
3,462
0
8,201
4,146
2,087
2,059
315
1,214
0
16,919
4,372
6,935
508
1,692
12,306
7,030
5,276
4,613
8,201
2013
180
4,764
4,944
0
3,760
0
8,704
4,620
2,390
2,230
77
1,214
0
17,479
5,088
7,296
110
2,034
12,294
7,527
4,767
5,184
8,704
2014
180
5,116
5,296
0
4,337
0
9,633
4,994
2,681
2,314
0
1,208
0
18,830
5,814
7,329
473
2,450
12,718
7,893
4,825
6,111
9,633
20 April 2016
38

Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Financials and Valuations
Ratios
Y/E March
Basic (INR)
Adj EPS
Cash EPS
Book Value
DPS
Payout (incl. Div. Tax.)
Valuation (x)
P/E
Cash P/E
EV/EBITDA
EV/Sales
Price/Book Value
Dividend Yield (%)
Profitability Ratios (%)
RoE
RoCE
Turnover Ratios
Debtors (Days)
Inventory (Days)
Creditors. (Days)
Asset Turnover (x)
Leverage Ratio
Debt/Equity (x)
Cash Flow Statement
Y/E March
PBT before EO Items
Add : Depreciation
Interest
Less : Direct Taxes Paid
(Inc)/Dec in WC
CF from Operations
(Inc)/Dec in FA
Free Cash Flow
Investment in liquid assets
CF from Investments
(Inc)/Dec in Debt
Less : Interest Paid
Dividend Paid
CF from Fin. Activity
Inc/Dec of Cash
Add: Beginning Balance
Closing Balance
E: MOSL Estimates
2010
22.0
25.8
54.7
8.0
34.0
2011
17.2
20.7
63.8
7.0
40.6
2012
(9.9)
(6.4)
52.7
1.0
-10.1
2013
4.5
8.1
55.0
3.0
67.1
2014
10.3
14.2
58.9
4.0
47.4
2015
12.2
16.5
69.5
5.0
29.7
27.4
20.2
19.0
1.1
4.8
1.5
46.0
45.6
29.0
22.9
-17.0
-2.0
8.3
9.3
18.1
15.5
19.0
16.3
91
37
80
5.1
99
63
88
2.9
94
59
95
3.3
96
67
99
3.2
96
76
103
2.9
84
55
100
3.3
0.0
0.7
0.7
0.8
0.8
0.5
(INR Million)
2015
1,009
393
0
86
1,314
2,803
-103
2,700
-1,111
-1,214
-1,018
0
-526
-1,544
45
473
363
2010
2,627
347
0
-666
-1,667
641
-216
425
2
-214
-184
0
-839
-1,023
-596
92
-504
2011
2,265
317
0
-712
-3,450
-1,580
-509
-2,088
-976
-1,485
4,125
0
-732
3,393
329
132
461
2012
-884
314
0
0
2,170
1,600
-504
1,096
-195
-699
-753
0
-105
-857
43
465
508
2013
526
329
0
-124
-969
-238
-262
-500
0
-262
299
0
-270
29
-471
508
110
2014
928
347
0
0
-564
711
-103
607
6
-97
577
0
-421
156
769
110
473
20 April 2016
39

Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Update
| Sector:
Capital Goods
20 April 2016
Hitachi
BSE SENSEX
25,844
S&P CNX
7,915
CMP: INR1,495
Not Rated
Greater focus on room ACs
India a key market for growth
Stock Info
Bloomberg
Equity Shares (m)
52-Week Range (INR)
1, 6, 12 Rel. Per (%)
M.Cap. (INR b)
M.Cap. (USD b)
Avg Val ( INRm)/Vol m
Free float (%)
HTHL IN
27.2
-
-
31.7
0.5
-
-
Financials Snapshot (INR b)
FY13A FY14A FY15A
Y/E MAR
Net Sales
9.3
11.0
15.7
EBITDA
0.5
0.5
1.4
PAT
0.2
0.1
0.8
EPS (INR)
5.6
3.0
28.6
Gr. (%)
369.6 -47.6 868.7
BV/Sh (INR)
87.0
88.3 115.1
RoE (%)
7.5
3.4
28.1
RoCE (%)
8.3
6.1
26.7
P/E (x)
0.0 506.6
52.3
P/BV (x)
0.0
16.9
13.0
Gaining market share through penetration in ‘Popular’ segment of room ACs:
Historically, Hitachi has focused on the ‘premium’ segment of room ACs, where
it has been a leader. However, over the last few years, Hitachi has also begun
targeting the ‘popular’ segment, which accounts for 60-65% of total volumes.
Hitachi’s’ room AC sales have grown 53% in FY15, significantly higher than the
23% industry growth. Growth in Hitachi’s sales has been driven by (a)
increasing dealer presence, especially in North India, (b) introduction of a wider
range of models, and (c) increased advertising spends (INR1.1b; 7% of sales in
FY15, higher than industry average of 2% of sales). Hitachi’s’ dealer touch
points now exceed 4,000 across India and it has 41 service centers to take care
of after sales services.
Betting on inverter and 5-star ACs for growth:
Hitachi has been an early
identifier of the market trend of customers shifting to energy efficient ACs and
has focused on 5-star/inverter ACs. 65% of its models are of this variety. In
FY15, sales of Hitachi’s 5-star/inverter ACs grew by 63%. As per our channel
checks, inverter ACs are likely to touch 30% of the market by FY18 and 50% by
FY20.
JV with Johnson Controls strengthens presence in HVAC segment:
On January
21, 2015, US-based Johnson Controls and Hitachi had entered into an
agreement to form a 60:40 JV for the global air conditioning business of Hitachi
Appliances. The JV would build on the strengths of Johnson Controls in the
HVAC market and incorporate Hitachi’s strengths in the room AC, VRF and
chiller segments. In India, the JV is seen as a strong contender in the air
conditioner market.
Valuation and view
Focus on expanding dealer network, introduction of new range of models and
higher ad spends should help Hitachi to increase its market share in the room
air conditioning business from the current 11%. Bloomberg standalone
earnings estimates are INR35.8/share for FY17 and INR50.2/share for FY18. The
stock trades at 38x FY17E and 30x FY18E EPS. We do not have any rating on the
stock.
20 April 2016
40

Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Financials and Valuations
Standalone - Income Statement
Y/E March
Total Income from Operations
Change (%)
Total Expenditure
% of Sales
EBITDA
Margin (%)
Depreciation
EBIT
Int. and Finance Charges
Other Income
PBT bef. EO Exp.
EO Items
PBT after EO Exp.
Current Tax
Deferred Tax
Tax Rate (%)
Less: Mionrity Interest
Reported PAT
Adjusted PAT
Change (%)
Margin (%)
FY10
6,409
36.3
5,824
90.9
585
9.1
118
467
15
118
570
0
570
115
-6
19.1
0
461
461
119.0
7.2
FY11
7,640
19.2
7,053
92.3
587
7.7
161
427
74
47
399
0
399
108
-2
26.6
0
293
293
-36.4
3.8
FY12
7,981
4.5
7,689
96.3
291
3.7
183
108
89
9
28
0
28
25
-30
-16.8
0
33
33
-88.9
0.4
FY13
9,300
16.5
8,835
95.0
465
5.0
202
263
72
16
207
0
207
27
26
25.9
0
153
153
369.6
1.6
FY14
10,997
18.3
10,522
95.7
476
4.3
300
175
120
57
113
0
113
39
-6
29.0
0
80
80
-47.6
0.7
(INR Million)
FY15
15,729
43.0
14,348
91.2
1,381
8.8
359
1,022
83
71
1,010
0
1,010
212
21
23.0
0
778
778
868.7
4.9
Standalone - Balance Sheet
Y/E March
Equity Share Capital
Total Reserves
Net Worth
Deferred Tax Liabilities
Total Loans
Capital Employed
Gross Block
Less: Accum. Deprn.
Net Fixed Assets
Capital WIP
Total Investments
Curr. Assets, Loans&Adv.
Inventory
Account Receivables
Cash and Bank Balance
Loans and Advances
Curr. Liability & Prov.
Account Payables
Other Current Liabilities
Provisions
Net Current Assets
Deferred Tax assets
Appl. of Funds
E: MOSL Estimates
FY10
230
1,237
1,466
35
601
2,101
1,589
543
1,046
152
0
3,302
1,804
960
284
255
2,427
1,610
686
131
875
29
2,101
FY11
230
1,490
1,720
39
900
2,658
1,986
677
1,309
57
0
4,857
3,267
1,252
21
317
3,600
3,117
332
151
1,258
34
2,658
FY12
230
1,483
1,712
22
992
2,726
2,136
840
1,296
128
0
4,502
2,681
1,481
26
314
3,247
2,665
406
176
1,255
48
2,726
FY13
230
1,588
2,364
52
1,659
4,075
2,599
823
1,776
109
0
6,428
3,057
1,645
716
1,010
4,288
3,603
461
224
2,140
52
4,076
FY14
272
2,128
2,400
69
1,249
3,719
3,052
1,097
1,955
22
0
5,622
2,905
1,884
220
613
3,954
3,085
492
377
1,668
75
3,719
(INR Million)
FY15
272
2,857
3,129
108
1,396
4,632
3,811
1,381
2,430
26
0
8,327
4,903
2,838
57
528
6,244
5,044
761
439
2,083
93
4,632
20 April 2016
41

Capital Goods | Room air conditioners: At an inflexion point
Financials and Valuations
Ratios
Y/E March
Basic (INR)
EPS
Cash EPS
BV/Share
DPS
Payout (%)
Valuation (x)
P/E
Cash P/E
P/BV
EV/Sales
EV/EBITDA
Dividend Yield (%)
FCF per share
Return Ratios (%)
RoE
RoCE
Working Capital Ratios
Asset Turnover (x)
Inventory (Days)
Debtor (Days)
Creditor (Days)
Working Cap. Turnover (Days)
Leverage Ratio (x)
Current Ratio
Interest Cover Ratio
Debt/Equity
FY10
17.0
21.3
53.9
1.3
8.7
FY11
10.8
16.7
63.2
1.3
13.6
FY12
1.2
7.9
63.0
1.3
122.7
FY13
5.6
13.1
87.0
1.5
31.2
FY14
3.0
14.0
88.3
1.5
59.4
506.6
106.8
16.9
3.8
87.7
0.1
0.9
3.4
6.1
3.0
96
57
102
48
1.4
1.5
0.5
FY15
28.6
41.8
115.1
1.5
6.3
52.3
35.8
13.0
2.7
30.4
0.1
-7.9
28.1
26.7
3.4
114
61
117
47
1.3
12.4
0.4
0.1
-0.6
36.7
32.4
3.1
103
51
92
34
1.4
30.9
0.4
0.1
-17.4
18.4
20.2
2.9
156
55
149
59
1.3
5.8
0.5
0.1
1.9
1.9
4.4
2.9
123
62
122
56
1.4
1.2
0.6
0.1
-15.9
7.5
8.3
2.3
120
59
141
56
1.5
3.6
0.7
Standalone - Cash Flow Statement
Y/E March
OP/(Loss) before Tax
Depreciation
Interest & Finance Charges
Direct Taxes Paid
(Inc)/Dec in WC
CF from Operations
Others
CF from Operating incl EO
(Inc)/Dec in FA
Free Cash Flow
Others
CF from Investments
Inc/(Dec) in Debt
Interest Paid
Dividend Paid
CF from Fin. Activity
Inc/Dec of Cash
Opening Balance
Closing Balance
FY10
570
118
-4
-85
-186
413
-42
371
-388
-17
-37
-425
124
-15
0
109
55
229
284
FY11
399
161
-3
-84
-606
-133
44
-89
-385
-474
24
-361
246
-20
-40
187
-263
284
21
FY12
28
183
86
-41
-8
248
14
262
-210
52
3
-207
53
-63
-40
-49
6
21
26
FY13
207
202
43
-43
-395
14
664
677
-1,109
-432
-22
-1,131
1,234
-52
-40
1,143
689
26
716
FY14
113
300
42
-66
-313
76
504
580
-556
24
38
-518
-428
-83
-47
-559
-496
716
220
FY15
1,010
359
37
-216
-677
514
33
547
-762
-215
49
-712
146
-96
-47
3
-163
220
57
20 April 2016
42

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Capital Goods | Room air conditioners:
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