FDC - FDC

📊 NSE: FDC 🏢 Pharmaceuticals - Indian - Bulk Drugs & Formln 📅 Last Updated: 12/13/2025 22:03

💰 Financial Performance

Revenue Growth by Segment

In H1 FY24, Domestic business grew 6% YoY to INR 836 Cr, Export Formulations grew 31% YoY to INR 144 Cr, and API business grew 14% YoY to INR 41 Cr. However, by H1 FY26, overall revenue from operations stood at INR 1,121 Cr, reflecting a de-growth of 2.7% YoY, with Domestic Formulations facing pressure and US business revenue declining 31.2% YoY due to lower profit shares.

Geographic Revenue Split

As of H1 FY24, the revenue mix was dominated by the Domestic market at 83%, followed by Export Formulations at 13% and API at 4%. The company is actively expanding its footprint in non-US markets including Europe, Asia PAC, and Africa to increase the export contribution.

Profitability Margins

Profitability has shown significant volatility; H1 FY24 PAT grew 46.6% YoY to INR 179.6 Cr with a PAT margin of approximately 17.5%. By H1 FY26, EBITDA margins compressed significantly to 7.5% from 13.7% in the previous year, primarily due to a surge in R&D and employee costs.

EBITDA Margin

EBITDA margin was 19.4% in H1 FY24 (INR 198.42 Cr), up from 15.5% YoY. However, in H1 FY26, EBITDA dropped to INR 35 Cr with a margin of 7.5%, a sharp decline caused by strategic expenditures in R&D and field force expansion.

Capital Expenditure

The company maintains a regular annual maintenance capex of approximately INR 50 Cr. As of November 2023, planned capex for the following 12-15 months was estimated at INR 170 Cr for a new corporate office and manufacturing projects. In H1 FY26, acquisition of property, plant, and equipment amounted to INR 81.44 Cr.

Credit Rating & Borrowing

FDC appears to be largely debt-free with zero long-term borrowings reported in the H1 FY26 balance sheet. Finance costs for H1 FY26 were minimal at INR 2.31 Cr, primarily related to lease liabilities rather than bank debt.

⚙️ Operational Drivers

Raw Materials

Specific chemical names for APIs and formulations like Flurbiprofen and Timolol Maleate are mentioned as core R&D focuses. COGS represented 34.4% of revenue (INR 352 Cr) in H1 FY24, improving from previous periods due to efficiency measures.

Capacity Expansion

The company recently expanded its field force by adding over 1,500 Medical Representatives (MRs) to drive domestic growth. Manufacturing expansion is ongoing with a project pipeline of INR 170 Cr as of late 2023.

Raw Material Costs

COGS for H1 FY24 was INR 352 Cr, a marginal increase of 0.9% YoY despite an 8.8% revenue increase, indicating improved procurement and manufacturing efficiency. By H1 FY26, costs were impacted by higher R&D and employee expenses.

Manufacturing Efficiency

H1 FY24 saw EBITDA improvement to 19.4% attributed to lower COGS and optimized operating expenses, though this efficiency was offset in FY26 by strategic growth investments.

Logistics & Distribution

The company utilizes a large field force (including 1,500+ added MRs) and a new Nutrica division to manage distribution and sales across therapeutic baskets.

📈 Strategic Growth

Expected Growth Rate

14.50%

Growth Strategy

Growth is driven by beating the market growth rate (14.5% vs 10.3% market growth) through the expansion of the field force (1,500+ MRs), launching new therapeutic divisions like Nutrica, and increasing penetration in non-US export markets such as Europe and Asia PAC.

Products & Services

Pharmaceutical formulations including Ophthalmic and ENT ranges, APIs, and specialized nutrition products under the Nutrica division.

Brand Portfolio

Vanmycetin (Eye Drops), Flurbiprofen, Timolol Maleate, and various brands within the Nutrica division.

New Products/Services

The company recently launched two new divisions and therapeutic baskets, including the Nutrica division which started with a ballpark revenue of INR 35 Cr by shifting existing brands.

Market Expansion

Targeting aggressive growth in non-US markets (Europe, Asia PAC, Africa) to make exports a more sizable portion of total revenue (currently 13% of formulations).

Market Share & Ranking

FDC grew at 14.5% in its covered market, outperforming the Indian Pharmaceutical Market (IPM) growth of 10.3% by approximately 5%.

Strategic Alliances

The company works with US partners for profit-sharing arrangements, though these were recently impacted by product recalls.

🌍 External Factors

Industry Trends

The industry is seeing a shift toward specialized divisions and non-US export markets. FDC is positioning itself by expanding its field force and R&D pipeline to capture growth in Europe and Asia PAC.

Competitive Landscape

Competes in the domestic formulation market against other Indian pharma majors, maintaining a growth rate 5% higher than the market average in its covered segments.

Competitive Moat

FDC's moat is built on its long-standing presence (established 1940), strong R&D heritage (CSIR awards), and a dominant domestic position where it consistently outperforms the broader market growth.

Macro Economic Sensitivity

The company noted beating the market by 5% during 'turmoil times,' suggesting resilience to general economic volatility through essential medicine portfolios.

Consumer Behavior

Demand for ophthalmic and ENT products remains consistent, with seasonal variations leading to higher margins in Q1.

Geopolitical Risks

Exposure to international regulatory standards is high, particularly with US FDA-related recalls affecting profit shares.

⚖️ Regulatory & Governance

Industry Regulations

Operations are subject to stringent pharmaceutical manufacturing standards and regulatory approvals for exports (US FDA, European regulators). US business was recently impacted by a recall-related profit share reduction.

Taxation Policy Impact

The effective tax rate for H1 FY24 was approximately 23.1% (INR 53.9 Cr tax on INR 233.5 Cr PBT).

Legal Contingencies

The company maintains compliance with SEBI Listing Regulations (17 to 27). No specific pending court case values in INR were disclosed in the provided documents.

⚠️ Risk Analysis

Key Uncertainties

The primary uncertainty is the recovery of the US business following recalls and the successful break-even of new divisions, which typically takes two years.