Hexaware Technologies: Buy

Investors with a two-year perspective can buy the Hexaware Technologies stock. At the current market price, the stock trades at around 15 times its expected FY-07 earnings and 12.5 times its expected FY-08 earnings. This valuation is at a discount to its peers such as KPIT Cummins and iGate. A good business model, a strong order-book and healthy client additions reiterate our positive view. But the near-term returns are likely to be muted.
Business Prospects

With the acquisition of Focus Frame, the US-based testing consulting firm in November 2006, Hexaware plans to enter testing services in a big way. The company expects testing services to contribute $50 million (Rs 204.5 crore) to the revenues this year compared to $11 million (Rs 45 crore) last year. The management expects testing services to bring in $100 million (Rs 409 crore) by 2009. Testing has contributed to 17.5 per cent of the revenues in Q1 compared to an average of 5.3 per cent in FY-06, with the integration of Focus Frame. Focus Frame has also patented the ‘Acclerator’ technology which provides pre-defined testing components for several platforms including SAP and Peoplesoft. Since Hexaware is one of the largest providers of offshore services for the Peoplesoft suite, the availability of the acclerator would help the company obtain new businesses on the latest Peoplesoft version 9. Eight new clients were acquired in Q1 including those of Focus Frame and Hexaware Testing.
Reorganised business

Since January, Hexaware has restructured its business to bring in greater competency. It has identified six focus areas and henceforth, sales strategies including client wins and mining of existing clients are to be aligned to these focus areas. Despite higher client acquisitions, repeat business in this quarter stood at 88.7 per cent as against 88.4 per cent last quarter.
Financials

Hexaware ended Q1FY-07 on a reasonable note. The quarter saw an all-time high order booking of $61 million (approximately Rs 249 crore). Client acquisitions were healthy at 20. Revenue and profit figures were in line with the guidance; revenues grew by 10.1 per cent sequentially showing double-digit growth after two quarters. The management expects to double revenues in the eight-10 quarters beginning January 07. Profits grew by 4.3 per cent for the quarter, sequentially.

For the next quarter, the profit guidance stands at $7-7.2 million (about Rs 29 crore), lower than the $8.02 million (Rs 35 crore) PAT achieved in Q1. This is attributed to three reasons: A wage increase of 14-15 per cent offshore and 3-5 per cent onsite; one-time visa charges of $3 million; and rupee appreciation.
Margin pressures

The company is looking at increasing margins by 1-1.5 per cent this year. But the target appears ambitious. Focus Frame is an onsite business with margins lower than Hexaware. This is reflected in the onsite percentage in Q1 which has increased to 62.1 compared to 61.6 per cent last year.

This has also played a role in the flat operating margin for Q1 although gross margins have improved. Selling, general and administrative expenses in Q1, as a percentage of revenue, have risen to the 24-25 per cent levels as against the reductions achieved in the previous year. What has helped maintain Q1 margins is the stepped up utilisation rates and an increase in the billing rates . The pressure on the margins might remain until full integration of Focus Frame is achieved by end 2007.
Attrition and utilisation

The attrition rate (excluding Focus Frame) at 16.1 per cent in Q1FY-07 is not expected to reduce in a big way despite wage hikes. Utilisation rate in this quarter has touched the 70 per cent mark by keeping the head count lower. Given the revenue growth that the management wants to achieve over the next two years, utilisation must improve in such a way as to help the margins grow along with the revenues. The company has a forward cover of $60 million at Rs 44.73. Any adverse impact of rupee appreciation, competition from local and MNC peers and visa issues remain principal risks to this recommendation.

Last year, General Atlantic picked up a 7.95 per cent equity stake along with optionally convertible preference shares. Preference shares, when converted, would increase the holding to 14.99 per cent (the open offer trigger is 15 per cent). One needs to wait and watch as to how things unfold on this front.