Pakistan: Initial Public Offering by Engro Powergen

Scheduled to become the latest addition to Pakistan’s listed power companies, Engro Powergen Qadirpur Limited (EPQL) will be formally listed on October 27, 2014 after an initial public offering (IPO) of 40.475 million shares (12.5% of total paid up capital) at PkR30.02/share. The unique hallmark of the 225MW plant (net 217.3MW) includes utilization of flare gas from Qadirpur gas field, which insulates it from gas shortages being faced by other independent power plants (IPPs).

This allows EPQL to more fully benefit from the cost efficiency of a combined cycle plant. EPQL posted profit after tax of PkR1.09 billion (EPS: PKR3.36) for 1HCY14, up by 4%YoY. At the same time, interim 1HCY14 dividend stood at PkR1.54/share. On an annualized basis, this translates into an attractive P/E of 6.72 and offering dividend yield of 10% which compared well against a forward P/E of 9.85 for LPL and D/Y of 12% and 12.8% for HUBC and KAPCO, respectively.         . 

EPQL was set up under the 2002 Power Policy and operates a 225MW combined cycle, gas and HSD fired power plant in Qadirpur, Sindh. The Company has a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with NTDC commencing from Mar 27'10 (COD), and a Fuel Supply Agreement (FSA) with SNGP/OGDC for running the plant on unsweetened flare gas (75mmcfd) from the second largest gas field of Pakistan. This is underpinned by an average load factor of 85% over 2011-13, which improved to 95% in 1QCY14 following turbine repairs in 4QCY13.  

EPQL posted NPAT of PkR1.09 billion (EPS: PkR3.36) for 1HCY14, up by 4%YoY (increase in other income by PkR148 million YoY). It paid interim dividend of PkR1.54/share for 1HCY14 stood at adding PkR552 million to unappropriated profit).

For CY13, EPQL posted net profit of PkR1.01 billion (EPS: PkR4.5), lower by 31%YoY due to a rotor blade fault that shut the plant down for 95 days. That said, the full-year CY13 dividend was PkR6.17/share, following the circular debt repayment last year.    

A total of 80.95 million shares are being offered (inclusive of 40.47 million shares under pre-IPO placement through institutional investors). Priced at PkR30.02/share, this issue will help in raising an amount of PkR2.43 billion. The purpose of the issue is ostensibly to pay-off liabilities incurred by EPL for project financing and finance new projects including the LNG terminal being constructed by ENGRO subsidiary, Elengy Terminal Pakistan Ltd. 

Compared to Lalpir Power Ltd (LPL), a recently listed IPP of similar capacity, EPQL's implied valuation multiples at PkR30.02/share. Furthermore, EPQL stacks up well on payouts as well with a CY14E dividend yield of 10% as compared to a forward dividend yield of 12% for HUBC and 12.8% for KAPCO. In this regard, HUBC and KAPCO trade at a forward P/E of 10 and 7.35, respectively. A consistent payout ratio of 50% (ex-CY13 payout of 137% due to circular debt payment) and a consistent 31% average ROE over 2011-13 would encourage investors to buy its shares