1. Opening Hook
While most cement companies were busy blaming weather, elections, and vibes, JK Cement decided to casually post double-digit growth and then argue about incentives for an hour. Q3 FY26 wasn’t about survival—it was about swagger, with a side of accounting footnotes. Volumes ran faster than pricing, margins took a small caffeine break, and capex plans started sounding like a Netflix multi-season commitment. Management sounded confident, analysts sounded cautious, and the balance sheet sat there pretending it’s not about to lift a lot of debt.
This call had everything: GST incentive drama, non-trade price tantrums, coal mix gyaan, and a paint business patiently waiting for adulthood. Stick around—because the fun really begins once numbers meet reality.
2. At a Glance
- Revenue up 19% YoY: Demand showed up on time, pricing arrived fashionably late.
- EBITDA up 10% YoY: Growth did the heavy lifting; margins just followed politely.
- EBITDA margin at 17.1%: Lower incentives said “not today.”
- Volumes up 23% YoY: Central India doing cardio for the whole company.
- PAT down 5% YoY: New Labour Code entered like an uninvited wedding guest.
- Net debt/EBITDA at 1.41x: Still calm, but the capex storm clouds are visible.
3. Management’s Key Commentary
“Standalone net sales grew 19% year-on-year.”
(Translation: Cement sold well, despite everyone complaining about prices.) 😏
“EBITDA for the quarter
stood at ₹536 crore.”
(Margins improved quarter-on-quarter, but don’t ask about incentives.)
“Incentives reduced due to GST rate cut.”
(Policy giveth, policy taketh away—mostly taketh.)
“Buxar grinding unit will be commissioned within 30 days.”
(It’s always 30 days. Always.)
“Panna Line 2 has potential to go up to 4 million tonnes.”
(Right now it’s 3.3 MT. Dreams are free, debottlenecking takes time.)
“FY27 net debt-to-EBITDA could go closer to 2x.”
(Growth needs fuel, and fuel isn’t free.)
“Paint business to break even in FY27.”
(Teenager phase ongoing, adulthood expected next year.) 🎨
4. Numbers Decoded
| Metric | Q3 FY26 | YoY View |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | ₹3,132 Cr | Strong demand, modest pricing |
| EBITDA | ₹536 Cr | Volumes saved the day |
| EBITDA Margin | 17.1% | Incentives played villain |
| PAT | ₹276 Cr | Labour code cameo |
| Volume Growth | +23% | Central India on steroids |
| EBITDA/tonne | ~₹1,022 | Stable, not spectacular |
Decoded: This was a volume-led quarter. Pricing helped later, incentives hurt earlier, and costs behaved—mostly.
5. Analyst Questions (Decoded)
- Q: Why did margins dip
