Seshaasai Technologies Ltd Q2 FY2026 Concall Summary & Transcript Notes

Source transcript PDF: https://www.stockscans.in/document/mx2vcve7i4bsii6o06pl4sie.pdf

# 1. Financial Performance

## A. Key Figures
   *   **Revenue:** ₹352 Cr Q2 FY26 (+13% QoQ) · ₹663 Cr H1 FY26 (–12% YoY)
   * EBITDA: ₹95 Cr Q2 FY26 (26.9% margin, +336 bps QoQ) · ₹169 Cr H1 FY26 (25.3% margin, +54 bps YoY)
   * PAT: ₹94 Cr H1 FY26 (–10.5% YoY) · 16.3% PAT margin in Q2 FY26
   *   **Cash Balance:** ₹564 Cr as of 30 Sep 2025
   *   **Debt Repayment:** ₹300 Cr repaid in early Oct 2025 (post-IPO)

## B. Revenue Trends
   *   **Rebound in Q2:** Sequential revenue recovery driven by **payment and IoT solutions**, with **98% of sales from existing customers**, signaling strong client retention.
   *   **Tough YoY Comparisons:** H1 revenue decline attributed to **high base from prior-year one-time projects**, including **INR150 Cr bulk re-carding revenue in FY24**.
   *   **H2 Revenue Outlook:** Management expects **year-on-year improvement in payments revenue**, though not on card volumes, with Q3 FY25 now confirmed at **₹54 Cr PAT**.

## C. EBITDA & Margins
   *   **Margin Recovery Underway:** EBITDA margin expanded **336 bps QoQ** on **favorable product mix** (high-margin communication, metal cards, value-added IoT services) and **operational efficiencies**.
   *   **Cost Tailwinds:** Gross margin improvement to **~46%** supported by **lower import and paper costs**, **better procurement**, and **in-house inlay manufacturing**.
   *   **Stable Pricing Environment:** **No price erosion** observed in payment cards or RFID, preserving realization amid volume recovery.
   *   **Forward Margin Guidance:** Margins expected to **hold in the 9% range** in H2, with **absolute expansion potential** from scale and **interest cost savings post-debt repayment**.

## D. PAT & Tax Rate
   *   **PAT Margin Compression:** Despite EBITDA improvement, Q2 PAT margin dipped to **3%** from 4% YoY, partly due to **higher tax rate in Q1 (33%)**.
   *   **Normalization Expected:** Tax rate is expected to stabilize at **25–26% long-term**, supporting future net profit conversion.
   *   **FY25 Profit Clarity:** Management corrected prior misperception, confirming **Q3 FY25 PAT at ₹54 Cr (8% margin)**, reinforcing profitability resilience.

## E. Cash & Balance Sheet
   *   **Strong Liquidity Position:** Robust cash balance of **₹564 Cr** includes IPO proceeds, enabling strategic investments and **deleveraging**.
   *   **Balance Sheet Optimization:** **₹300 Cr debt repaid** immediately post-IPO listing, enhancing financial flexibility and reducing interest burden from Q3 onward.

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# 2. Segment & Revenue Mix

## A. Key Figures
   *   **Payment Solutions Revenue:** **₹1,100 Cr** FY23 · **₹1,550 Cr** FY24 · **₹1,462 Cr** FY25
   * IoT Revenue: ₹65.4 Cr H1 FY26 (+31% YoY) from ₹50 Cr H1 FY25
   *   **Revenue Mix (Q2 FY26):** **51%** Payment · **38%** Communication & Fulfillment · **11%** IoT
   *   **Revenue Mix (H1 FY26):** **50%** Payment · **40%** Communication & Fulfillment · **10%** IoT

## B. Payment Solutions
   *   **Sharp Revenue Mix Volatility:** Payment solutions' share dropped from **67% in H1 FY25 to 50% in H1 FY26**, driven by industry-wide regulatory and programmatic headwinds, not customer attrition.
   *   **Strategic Portfolio Expansion:** Company is pivoting toward **financial inclusion, Mass Transit Cards, metal/eco-friendly cards**, and ESG-aligned offerings to capture emerging demand.
   *   **Market Position Intact:** Despite revenue decline, the company gained customers in payments and expects to **retain market share as of March 2025**, underscoring resilience.
   *   **Export Momentum Building:** Card exports active in **Nepal and Sri Lanka**, with **Africa projects in pipeline** via partner rollouts; global RFPs for metal cards underway.

## C. Communication & Fulfillment
   *   **Stable Core Contributor:** Segment delivered **40% of H1 FY26 revenue**, anchored in regulated, high-compliance services for BFSI and government.
   *   **Government Digitization Tailwinds:** Growth supported by large-scale **citizen ID, tax ID, and secure credential projects**, reflecting structural demand for digital identity.
   *   **Operational Scale:** Print Management Services ensure nationwide supply of branch materials, enabling **standardization and cost efficiency** across BFSI networks.

## D. IoT Business
   *   **Strong YoY Growth on Low Base:** IoT revenue grew **31% YoY in H1 FY26**, though from a significantly revised lower base (**₹50 Cr → ₹4 Cr**), driven by wallet share gains in renewables and new clients.
   *   **Retail-Dominated Mix:** Retail remains the primary revenue driver for TAG business globally, with renewables playing a **minor role** despite recent traction.
   *   **Data Transparency Commitment:** Management acknowledged investor demand for granular metrics (e.g., RFID issuance, tag volumes) and committed to **disclose more where feasible and compliant**.

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# 3. Order Book & Demand Trends

## A. Key Figures
   * Top 10 customers contributed 63.5% of revenues · >98% of revenues from existing clients

## B. BFSI Volume Outlook
   *   **Limited Visibility on Card Mix:** No disclosure on split between replacement vs. new issuance; customer data includes renewals and new cards but lacks granularity on add-on, replacement, or fresh issuance.
   *   **Stable Growth Drivers:** Revenue expansion supported by **strong retention** and incremental gains from existing clients, along with new opportunities in recently approved vendor categories.

## C. Government & ID Projects
   *   **IoT Growth Catalyst:** SIM card supplies to telecom operators to commence in **H2 FY26**, expected to accelerate IoT segment growth.

## D. New Customer Pipeline
   *   **Expanding Use Cases:** IoT solutions adopted by **large-format retailers**, **renewable energy firms**, and **exporters** for inventory, asset tracking, and product authenticity.
   *   **Strategic International Expansion:** Pursuing global alliances to diversify revenue beyond domestic BFSI, leveraging integrated tech and client base.
   *   **Major Recurring IoT Project:** A significant project set to launch in **Q4 next fiscal**, expected to be recurring with impact extending into the following year.
   *   **One-Off Payment Initiative:** A discrete payment-related project underway with **two-quarter visibility**, potential for Phase 2 pending performance.

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# 4. Product & Technology

## A. Proprietary Platforms
   *   **Integrated Tech Stack:** Proprietary platforms—**eTaTrak, izeIoT, RUBIC, and IOMS**—enable centralized control over logistics, IoT ecosystems, and order fulfillment, driving efficiency and **recurring revenue** in high-data-integrity sectors.
   *   **Innovation Pipeline:** Technology differentiation reinforced by **2 granted patents** and **13 pending applications**, underscoring commitment to IP-led growth.

## B. Metal Cards & Wearables
   *   **Strategic Market Penetration:** Metal card initiatives advancing on three fronts—existing clients, domestic mass migration RFPs, and global shortlists—indicating broadening commercial validation.
   *   **Near-Term Catalysts:** Two global opportunities in late-stage evaluation, including a **high-end metal card RFP** in final review and samples under qualification with another major player.

## C. IoT Innovation
   *   **End-to-End Capabilities:** Full-stack IoT solutions—from **custom RFID inlays** to **platform deployment**—are **developed and made in India**, enhancing customer stickiness and aligning with **Make in India** objectives.
   *   **Next-Gen R&D Focus:** Expansion into **BLE, sensor-based RFID, and hybrid systems** supports high-margin, customized applications in asset tracking, cold chain, and anti-counterfeiting.
   *   **Accelerated Innovation Cycle:** Strategic capability alignment and **selective acquisitions** have shortened time-to-market and deepened expertise in intelligent, data-driven IoT ecosystems.

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# 5. Capacity & Capex

## A. Key Figures
   *   **Capex Plan:** **INR 200 Cr** over 18 months · **INR 42 Cr** assets added in H1 (pre-IPO)

## B. Manufacturing Expansion
   *   **Pre-IPO Investment Momentum:** Significant capacity build-up already underway, with nearly INR 42 Cr in assets deployed using internal accruals ahead of IPO funding.

## C. Capex Plan Execution
   *   **Phased Expansion Strategy:** The INR 200 Cr IPO-related capex focuses on equipment, with **additional spending** planned for immovable infrastructure to support long-term scaling.

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# 6. Client & Market Risks

## A. Key Figures
   * PMJDY New Accounts: 13.2 Mn H1 FY26 vs. 38 Mn full-year projection
   *   **Inactive PMJDY Accounts:** **26%** as of Sep-25 (vs. 21% prior year)

## B. PMJDY & Card Renewals
   *   **Stable Client Base:** No customer churn, contract renegotiations, or order cancellations—key relationships remain active across new and existing initiatives.
   *   **Lower Volume Drivers:** Card issuance decline driven by **declining PMJDY account openings** and **reduced renewal rates** for FY21–22 vintage cards.
   *   **Data Compliance:** Strict adherence to regulatory norms with full purge of cardholder data within **48 hours of dispatch**, retaining only card count for billing.

## C. Unsecured Lending Stress
   *   **Tighter Lending Environment:** Private banks scaling back new card issuances due to **RBI-identified stress in unsecured retail lending**, prioritizing customer quality over volume.

## D. Macro & Geopolitical Delays
   *   **Expansion Headwinds:** International growth and customer acquisition delayed by macroeconomic volatility, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain disruptions.
   *   **Resilient Business Model:** Deep integrations with banks, fintechs, and enterprises—backed by compliance with **PCI-CP, NPCI, and IBA standards**—underpin trust and recurring revenue.
   *   **Differentiated Value Proposition:** Competitive edge rooted in **technology, trust, and customer intimacy**, emphasizing innovation and security over price competition.

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# 7. Guidance & Outlook

## A. H2 FY26 Expectations
   *   **Seasonal Strength Ahead:** H2 FY26 is expected to outperform H1, supported by historical BFSI spending patterns, customer business plans, and the ramp-up of new signed projects.
   *   **Payments Recovery Likely:** Payments business is anticipated to return to **year-on-year growth in H2**, aided by a low base from the prior year and improving momentum.
   *   **IoT Momentum Building:** Growth in H2 will be driven by new customer wins, product launches, and **sizable projects nearing closure**, with meaningful revenue contribution expected from Q4 onward.
   *   **Volume and Value Upside:** Improvement in H2 is expected across both **volume and realization metrics**, reflecting broad-based demand recovery and project execution.

## B. FY27 Growth Trajectory
   *   **Strategic Expansion Focus:** Growth outlook centers on scaling IoT from a **small base** to become a **dominant revenue contributor**, expanding payment and identity portfolios, and driving automation for operational excellence.
   *   **Sustainable Growth Framework:** Management aims to maintain **healthy margins, strong cash flows**, and increased wallet share, with selective inorganic opportunities under evaluation—though no deals are disclosed.
   *   **Confidence in Forward Growth:** While no formal FY27 guidance was issued, management expressed confidence in **good growth momentum extending into FY27**, underpinned by current project pipeline and market positioning.