Aeroflex Industries Ltd - The future of flexible engineering?

Overview

Aeroflex Industries is a Mumbai based manufacturer and supplier of metallic, flexible flow solutions including corrugated hoses, assemblies, and fittings; catering to both domestic and international markets. The company has shown consistent growth and is strategically shifting towards higher-margin assembly businesses and specialized applications.

Its products cater to diverse sectors such as oil & gas, steel, fire safety, solar energy, and emerging industries like electric vehicles and semiconductors. Aeroflex operates as part of the Sat Industries conglomerate.

The company is planning significant capex to expand capacity and diversify its product range into miniature metal bellows.

History

  • Aeroflex Industries Limited was incorporated on October 19, 1993.1 Originally established as Suyog Intermediates Private Limited.
  • The company underwent name changes to Aeroflex Industries Private Limited in 1998 and subsequently became a public limited company in 2006
  • A significant milestone in its history was the acquisition by Sat Industries Limited in April 2018.
  • Acquired Hyd Air in 2024 for 17 Cr, finances through internal accruals and IPO proceeds. This was done to facilitate entry into new sectors such as railways and shipbuilding.

Product portfolio

  • Specializes in the manufacture and supply of environment-friendly metallic flexible flow solutions
  • Stainless steel flexible hoses (both braided and unbraided)
  • Assemblies, fittings, braiding, interlock hoses, composite hoses
  • Future capital expenditure - miniature metal bellows

Assemblies and fittings accounts for highest revenue amongst others (~33% in FY 24). It is a high margin business and the company is focused to bring the assembly and components revenue share to around 80% over the next three years. With this change they are targeting EBITDA margin of ~27-28% over next three years.

Export focus
The company has a significant international presence, exporting its products to over 80 countries, with a substantial portion of its revenue derived from these exports. Exports accounted for 80.60%, 84.53%, and 80.90% in FY23, FY22, and FY21, respectively. his trend continued into FY24, with exports constituting 84% of the total revenue.

The company has witnessed an increasing demand for its products in international markets, particularly in developed economies. The company exports to over 80 countries, with a majority of its sales originating from the Americas and European regions.

They are strategically focusing on supplying solutions for specialized applications in industries such as semiconductors, aerospace, and pharmaceuticals. These specialized applications typically offer higher margins and face less intense competition.

Growth drivers
Aeroflex Industries operates within a sector benefiting from several tailwinds. There is an increasing demand for flexible flow solutions across various end-user industries, driven by infrastructure development, industrial growth, and the growing need for reliable and safe fluid transfer systems.
The global market for stainless steel flexible hoses is substantial and is projected to expand to US$ 38 billion by 2027. The Asia Pacific region is a leading exporter of stainless steel hoses, with significant growth coming from China and India. PLI schemes are also expected to support growth in the company’s end-user industries. Emerging sectors like electric vehicles, solar energy, and natural gas pipeline infrastructure are anticipated to further drive demand for flexible flow solutions.

Planned Capex
The company is planning ~100 Cr of capex in the coming years

  • 54 Cr for increasing the capacity in stainless steel hose and braidings from 16.5 Million meters to 20 Million meters, along with increasing assembly stations from 40 to 70 and installation of automized welding stations
  • 23 Cr for foray into miniature metal bellows
  • 18Cr in Hyd air for new machines and equipments

Challenges

  • The industry is competitive, necessitating continuous innovation and cost competitiveness.
  • Fluctuations in the prices of raw materials, primarily stainless steel, pose a potential challenge to profitability.
  • Given its substantial export and import activities, Aeroflex is exposed to volatility in foreign exchange rates.
  • The current uncertain scenario due to fluctuating tariffs, wars and de-globlization can lead to demand and supply disruptions.
  • Inherent risks associated with the introduction of a new product line, specifically miniature metal bellows, are subject to various risks, including market acceptance, production challenges, and competition from existing players in the niche market.

Valuation
The company’s TTM revenue stand at ~350CR with an EBITDA of ~77.6 CR at an EBITDA margin of 21.7%. Net profit stands at ~50CR.

The company has guided a revenue of ~650-675 Cr from assembly business after two years. From Hyd air, they are expecting a top line of 40-50 Cr in next couple of years (no specific timeline).
From miniature metal bellows, 25-30 Cr revenue is expected (again no specific timeline)
Along with this, they have guided an EBITDA margin of 24-25% by FY 27.

If we take a revenue estimate of ~725 Cr by FY 27 with an EBITDA margin of 24%, this gives EBITDA of ~174 Cr, and net profit of ~111 Cr.
The current PE is on a higher side for the industry, if we take a more conservative PE of 25 by FY 27, this gives an 18% upside from the current market price.
If the company continues to do good and enjoys a higher PE of ~30, it gives a potential ~42 % upside from the current market price.

Conclusion
While the current valuation seems to price in a good portion of future growth, potential remains—especially if margins improve as guided. That said, investors should be mindful of risks and maintain a margin of safety when considering Aeroflex Industries as an investment opportunity.

Disclaimer: Not holding right now, considering taking a starting position and will monitor future developments.

12 Likes

The parent company SAT industries is valued pretty attractively at PE of 12. Parent also has a track record of churning successful subsidiaries and has invested in lot of new entities. Worth a look

2 Likes

Aeroflex Industries Q4 FY25 Concall:

  • Strong financial performance in FY25 despite global economic headwinds and uncertainties.
    • Total Income grew by 18% year-on-year (YoY) to 379 crores.
    • EBITDA grew by 24% YoY to 82 crores, with a margin of 21.5%.
    • Profit After Tax (PAT) grew by 26% YoY to 52 crores, with a margin of nearly 14%.
    • The board recommended a final dividend of 15.8% (0.3 rupees per equity share).
  • Capacity Expansion and Utilization: Planned capacity expansion for FY25 was completed seamlessly and ahead of schedule. Capacity utilization for FY25 stood at around 75%. The flexible hoses capacity is expanding from 16.5 million to about 20 million meters. They plan to utilize the 16.5 million capacity in FY26 and expect full utilization of the entire 20 million capacity by FY27.
  • Shift to High-Margin and Value-Added Products: The company is focusing on transitioning towards value-added and high-margin products. The high value-added assembly segment now contributes more than 50% of total sales, exceeding their internal target. They aim for 65-70% of their business to come from assemblies over the next 3-4 years, specifically targeting around 70% in the next 2-3 years.
  • Metal Bellows Segment Growth: Started seeing initial business from the bellows segment. They are collaborating with a multi-billion dollar US global company for providing flow solutions for liquid-based cooling for AI data centers using metal bellows. Metal bellows are also used in traditional industries like power generation, steel, petrochemicals, and oil & gas. Production for metal bellows started in Q4 FY25. Peak revenue potential for metal bellows is about 85-90 crores and for miniature metal bellows is about 25-30 crores. Optimum utilization for metal bellows is expected by FY27, and for miniature metal bellows in FY28.
  • Healthy Market Demand: Witnessing healthy and sustained demand across key sectors including energy, oil and gas, chemicals, metals, railways, and new age sectors.
  • US Tariffs and Trade Dynamics: Tariffs on their product in the US have increased from about 3.5-4% to 10%. Despite this, they have not seen a major shift in orders from the US market. They believe the evolving global trade environment may prove beneficial to Indian manufacturers over the medium to long term, helping them capture additional market share. While there might be short-term pain due to uncertainties and shipping delays, they expect demand from the US to increase over the next couple of quarters.
  • Domestic vs. Export Growth: Domestic sales increased at a much faster pace than export sales in FY25. This was driven by penetrating new segments (ports, irrigation) and increased demand from traditional industries. Domestic business also offers benefits like shorter inventory and credit cycles, improving working capital. They expect high double-digit growth in exports as well, particularly looking at Europe and aggressively pursuing Southeast Asia.
  • FY26 Outlook: The focus remains on delivering profitable growth. They expect growth in profitability (EBITDA) to be close to 25% with at least a 100 basis point increase in margin. They anticipate a bottom line growth of at least 20-25%.
  • Strategic Initiatives & Fundraise: Actively exploring both organic and inorganic opportunities. They obtained shareholder approval for a fundraise of 400 crores, primarily for inorganic acquisitions. They are planning to expand their local presence in the US, potentially through collaboration or acquisition, and are identifying companies for this.
  • Competition: They face competition globally and in India from international players with local manufacturing. They aim to remain the number one player in India and ultimately become the number one worldwide. Competition is seen as a positive force that encourages innovation.
  • The company continues to remain debt-free.
6 Likes


Consider 120 additional revenue from metal bellows in 30/40/50 cr. from FY 26/27/28.

1 Like