PACEDIGITK - Pace Digitek
Financial Performance
Revenue Growth by Segment
Consolidated revenue for H1 FY26 reached INR 900.52 Cr. Q2 FY26 revenue grew 45% Q-o-Q to INR 533.45 Cr, driven by strong execution in the energy and telecom segments. FY25 revenue was INR 2,438.78 Cr, a slight decline from FY24's INR 2,512.51 Cr, but momentum has shifted upward in FY26 due to a robust order book of INR 9,135 Cr.
Geographic Revenue Split
Not specifically disclosed by percentage, though operations are focused on India with major projects like the MSEDCL BESS in Maharashtra and BSNL 4G saturation projects across various circles.
Profitability Margins
H1 FY26 PAT margin stood at 13.61%, an improvement from 12.79% in H1 FY25. FY25 PAT margin was 11.48% compared to 9.67% in FY24. The company expects PAT margins to stabilize at 11.5% for the full year FY26 as higher-margin milestones are completed.
EBITDA Margin
Consolidated operating margin improved to 19.87% in FY25 from 16.76% in FY24. Blended EBITDA margins are expected to reach 25-30% as the high-margin annuity business (80-85% EBITDA) begins to contribute more significantly in FY27.
Capital Expenditure
The company is doubling its manufacturing capacity from 5 GWh to 10 GWh. It also plans to avail debt of approximately INR 1,200 Cr (including VGF) for the MSEDCL BESS project, which has a total estimated cost of INR 1,851 Cr.
Credit Rating & Borrowing
Crisil Ratings has a 'Stable' outlook. Interest coverage is projected to exceed 15 times for FY26, a substantial improvement from 4.21 times in FY25, following the repayment of a INR 250 Cr intercorporate loan and equity infusion from the INR 819 Cr IPO.
Operational Drivers
Raw Materials
Key components include DC blocks, battery cells, and containerized BESS components. Backward integration is being pursued to control product design and reduce the cost of DC blocks, which are critical for energy storage systems.
Import Sources
The company is actively working to reduce reliance on foreign imports (primarily from China/East Asia) to mitigate cost volatility and duty uncertainty, though specific current source countries are not named.
Key Suppliers
Not disclosed in available documents; however, the company is moving toward backward integration to manufacture more components in-house.
Capacity Expansion
Current installed capacity is 5 GWh, with a planned expansion to 10 GWh to support the growing BESS order book and 'Make in India' initiatives.
Raw Material Costs
Raw material costs are subject to volatility from foreign imports and duties. The company targets a product margin of 15-18% by optimizing the cost of DC blocks and increasing local value addition.
Manufacturing Efficiency
The company achieved a healthy RoCE of 43% for FY25, reflecting high efficiency in capital utilization despite the EPC nature of the business.
Strategic Growth
Expected Growth Rate
18-20%
Growth Strategy
Growth will be achieved by converting the INR 9,135 Cr order book into revenue, specifically targeting INR 2,600-2,700 Cr in FY26 and INR 3,100-3,200 Cr in FY27. The strategy includes a shift toward a developer model (Build-Own-Operate) for BESS, providing 12 years of annuity revenue (INR 500 Cr/year) and doubling manufacturing capacity to 10 GWh.
Products & Services
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), telecom infrastructure (tower erection), and Operation & Maintenance (O&M) services for energy and telecom sectors.
Brand Portfolio
Pace Digitek, Lineage Power (subsidiary).
New Products/Services
Containerized BESS solutions and a developer model for energy storage expected to provide an EBITDA of INR 120 Cr from specific projects.
Market Expansion
Expansion is focused on the Indian energy transition market, specifically targeting large-scale utility projects through SECI and state electricity boards like MSEDCL.
Market Share & Ranking
The company holds a significant position in the Indian BESS market, having secured India's largest single-location containerized BESS project (1,159 Cr).
Strategic Alliances
Partnerships with SECI (INR 1,159 Cr contract) and Tata Teleservices (INR 186 Cr O&M agreement).
External Factors
Industry Trends
The industry is shifting toward renewable energy integration requiring BESS. The BESS market is growing rapidly, and Pace Digitek is positioning itself as a developer rather than just an EPC player to capture long-term annuity revenue.
Competitive Landscape
Intense competition in tender-based EPC work, requiring aggressive bidding which can restrict operating margins.
Competitive Moat
Moat is built on 'Make in India' policy preferences in government tenders, backward integration in BESS design, and a large order book providing revenue visibility for 3-4 years.
Macro Economic Sensitivity
Highly sensitive to India's energy transition policies and telecom infrastructure spending (e.g., USOF-funded projects).
Consumer Behavior
Shift toward green energy and reliable power storage is increasing demand for utility-scale BESS.
Geopolitical Risks
Trade barriers or duty changes on battery components from foreign markets could impact the cost structure of the BESS segment.
Regulatory & Governance
Industry Regulations
Preference in government tenders for local value addition under 'Make in India' policies; projects are often funded by the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
Environmental Compliance
The company's core business in BESS supports national decarbonization goals, making it eligible for Viability Gap Funding (VGF).
Risk Analysis
Key Uncertainties
Execution risk for the MSEDCL BESS project (likely completion by FY27) and the risk of margin compression due to aggressive bidding in tenders.
Geographic Concentration Risk
Concentrated in India, with significant project-specific concentration in Maharashtra (MSEDCL).
Third Party Dependencies
Dependency on government bodies (SECI, MSEDCL) for timely payments and VGF disbursements.
Technology Obsolescence Risk
The BESS field is evolving; the company mitigates this by strengthening control over product design and backward integration.
Credit & Counterparty Risk
Exposure to state-owned discoms and government agencies; however, these are generally considered strong counterparties.