Ajanta Pharma Limited (NSE:AJANTPHARM)
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May 8, 2026, 3:29 PM IST
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Q3 25/26

Jan 30, 2026

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, good day, and welcome to the Ajanta Pharma Q3 FY 2026 earnings conference call. As a reminder, all participant lines will be in the listen-only mode, and there will be an opportunity for you to ask questions after the presentation concludes. Should you need assistance during this conference, please signal an operator by pressing s tar and then zero on your touchtone phone. Please note that this conference is being recorded. I now hand the conference over to Mr. Yogesh Agrawal, Managing Director of Ajanta Pharma Limited. Thank you, and over to you, sir.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to Ajanta's earnings call. With me today, I have Mr. Rajesh Agrawal, our Joint Managing Director. Mr. Arvind Agarwal , our CFO. Mr. Rajeev Agarwal , our VP, Finance and Investor Relations. I hope all of you have received the results by now. For the overall business performance, we have now completed the third quarter and first nine months of the current financial year on a strong note.

For the quarter, our revenue from the operations grew by 20%, and our margins remained resilient despite higher investments and operating expenses. All our businesses are shaping broadly in line with our plans, and we remain confident about sustaining this growth momentum going forward. This strength is also reflected in our returns.

As of December 2025, our return on capital employed stands at 34%, and Return on Net Worth stands at 26%, reinforcing our position among the best-performing companies in the industry. Let me take you through the different business verticals. I will start with the Branded Generic business in Asia and Africa, which contributed 40% of total revenue. We continue to invest heavily in people, products, and market expansions to ensure long-term consistent growth. I'll give you the overview of Asia first. During the quarter, Asia Branded Generic business sales stood at INR 288 crore, compared to INR 316 crore last year, reflecting a degrowth of 9%. For the nine-month period, sales stood at INR 902 crore compared to INR 888 crore last year, registering a growth of 2%.

Asia performance was modestly below our internal plans, driven by softer than anticipated performance in the few markets. We remain confident that the business will return to its normal growth trajectory over the coming quarters. During the nines months, we launched 13 new products, largely in chronic therapies, which strengthens the long-term quality and sustainability of the Asia business.

Now, we move to Africa. During the quarter, Africa Branded business sales stood at INR 230 crore compared to INR 173 crore last year, registering an impressive growth of 33%. For the nine-month period, sales stood at INR 679 crore compared to INR 617 crore last year, reflecting a growth of 10%. During the quarter, we launched one new product, taking the total number of launches to seven during the nine months of the year.

At the beginning of the year, our internal plan envisaged double-digit growth from Asia, while Africa was expected to deliver modest, mid-single-digit growth. Over the course of the year, the performance mix evolved differently. Africa delivered stronger than anticipated performance, surpassing our initial plans for both the quarter and the nine-month period. Asia, on the other hand, remained modestly below our original plans due to softer traction in certain markets.

Overall, our Branded Generic business continues to remain in line with our guidance, and we are confident of continued healthy performance over the coming quarters. Let us talk about other two verticals of international business now. U.S. Generics. As guided earlier, the U.S. Generic business delivered an excellent performance. During the quarter, U.S. Generic business sales stood at INR 399 crore compared to INR 263 crore last year, registering an impressive growth of 52%.

For the nine-month period, sales stood at INR 1,052 crore compared to INR 723 crore last year, reflecting robust growth of 46%. The strong performance was driven by eight new product launches over the last 12 months, supported by consistent execution and strong customer relationships. The U.S. Generics business contributed 26% of the company's total revenue during the nine-month period.

We continue to remain a preferred partner for the distributors and customers due to our reliable supply, quality standards, and committed execution. Moving to Africa Institution. During the quarter, Africa Institution business sales stood at INR 41 crore compared to INR 33 crore last year, registering an excellent growth of 22%. For the nine-month period, sales stood at INR 111 crore compared to INR 118 crore, reflecting a modest degrowth of 6%.

The institution business contributed approximately 3% of the company's total revenue during the nine-month period. We expect modest growth for the full year, with Q4 performance anticipated to be stronger than the first nine months. Now I invite Mr. Rajesh Agrawal, our Joint MD. Thank you, and over to you.

Rajesh Agrawal
Joint Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. I will now take you through the India business performance. We have completed current quarter and nine months on a strong note for the India business. In current year, India business contributed 31% to the company's total revenue, supported by the launch of 16 new products, including one first time in the country. During the current quarter, sales stood at INR 409 crore, compared to INR 345 crore in the same quarter of the previous year, registering an excellent growth of 19%. In nine months of the year, sales stood at INR 1,250 crore, compared to INR 1,083 crore in the previous year, registering a healthy growth of 15%.

Our India business also includes revenue from the trade generics segment, which contributed INR 48 crore in Q3 against INR 43 crore, a growth of 10%, and in the first nine months, INR 139 crore against INR 130 crore, a growth of 7%. I will now take you through Ajanta's performance as per IQVIA MAT December 2025. We continue to outperform the Indian pharmaceutical market by 28% as per IQVIA MAT December 2025, with Ajanta delivering an impressive growth of 11% compared to IPM's 9%. We continue to exceed volume growth by 47% to IPM and new launches by 59%. This positive trend is evident across most therapeutic segments in which we operate, where our growth has consistently outpaced the segment growth. We remain confident of sustaining this momentum in the coming quarter.

In the covered market, we are fifth largest in IPM and among top 10 in all our therapeutic segments, as per IQVIA MAT December 2025. Cardiology contributed 36%, followed by ophthalmology, 30%, dermatology, 24%, with remaining 10% coming from pain in India branded sales. You may observe that the growth in cardiology segment as per IQVIA is slower than IPM, but our internal growth numbers indicate growth in line with the IPM. This appears to be due to some anomaly in the IQVIA data, and we are in touch with them to resolve the same. The new therapy of gynecology is taking good shape and is expected to contribute meaningfully to the revenue in the coming years.

I am pleased to share that during the quarter, we added 150 medical representatives across our existing therapy areas, taking the total additions for the current year to 300. With this, our overall MR strength now stands at 3,750 MRs. The newly onboarded teams are being integrated swiftly with a strong focus on accelerating productivity and driving effective field execution. With this, I now invite Arvind Agarwal , our CFO, to take you through the financial performance. Thank you, and over to you.

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Thank you, and, good afternoon to all. Before we begin, I would like to mention that during this call, we may make certain forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. The company does not undertake any obligation to update these statements publicly. I will now take you through the consolidated financial performance on year-on-year basis. Total revenue in the third quarter stood at INR 1,375 crore, compared to INR 1,146 crore last year, registering a healthy growth of 20%. For the nine-month period, revenue stood at INR 4,031 crore, compared to INR 3,478 crore last year, reflecting a growth of 16%.

As you may have observed, our diversified business segments have consistently helped us maintain growth momentum over the years, despite temporary softness in some markets, which is a normal part of business. Growth during the year so far has been mainly driven by the India branded business and the U.S. generic segment. Gross margin stood at 79% for the quarter and 78% for the nine-month period. For the full year, FY 2026, we expect gross margin to remain around 78% ±1%. Personnel cost for the quarter stood at INR 331 crore, compared to INR 265 crore last year, reflecting an increase of 25%. For the nine-month period, personnel cost stood at INR 950 crore, compared to INR 810 crore last year, reflecting an increase of 17%.

The increase was mainly due to medical representative additions across branded generic businesses over the last 12 months. During the quarter, the government of India's new labor code became applicable. Based on our initial assessment, an additional provision of INR 7 crore has been made towards liabilities arising from the new code. Other expenses for the quarter stood at INR 376 crore, compared to INR 302 crore last year, reflecting an increase of 24%. For the 9-month period, other expenses stood at INR 1,140 crore, compared to INR 918 crore, also reflecting an increase of 24%. These expenses represent our continued strategic investment in products, brands, and people across our branded generic portfolio. We expect other expenses to broadly remain in line with trends seen during the current quarter.

R&D spend, which is included within personnel and other expenses, remained at around 5% of the total revenue and is expected to continue at similar level. R&D expenditure for the quarter stood at INR 63 crore, compared to INR 53 crore last year. For the nine-month period, R&D spend stood at INR 182 crore, compared to INR 161 crore last year. EBITDA for the quarter stood at INR 382 crore, compared to INR 321 crore last year, reflecting a growth of 19%. For the nine-month period, EBITDA stood at INR 1,061 crore, compared to INR 962 crore last year, registering a growth of 10%. EBITDA margin stood at 28% for the quarter and 26% for the nine-month period.

Excluding the impact of mark-to-market foreign exchange movement, EBITDA margins remained in line with our guidance of 27%, ± 1% for the nine-month period. Mark-to-market forex loss recorded under other expenses, stood at INR 61 crore during the nine months, while forex gain under other income stood at INR 53 crore. Excluding this impact, EBITDA margin for the nine-month period would have been around 28%. There were no mark-to-market losses during the quarter. We remain confident of maintaining EBITDA margin of 27%, ± 1%, for the remaining period and for the full year. Profit after tax for the quarter stood at INR 274 crore, compared to INR 233 crore last year, reflecting a growth of 18%.

For the nine-month period, PAT stood at INR 789 crores, compared to INR 695 crores last year, reflecting a growth of 14%. PAT margin remained stable at 20% for both the quarter and the nine-month period. The effective tax rate for the nine-month period stood at 23% and is expected to remain in the similar range for the full year. Capital expenditure during the nine-month period stood at INR 235 crore and is expected to be in line with our full year guidance of around INR 300 crores. With this, we now open the floor for question and answer. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you very much. We will now begin the question and answer session. Anyone who wishes to ask a question may press star and one on their touchtone telephone. If you wish to remove yourself from the queue, you may press star and two. Participants are requested to please use handsets while asking a question. Ladies and gentlemen, we will now wait for a moment while the question queue assembles. Our first question comes from the line of Tushar Manudhane from Motilal Oswal. Please go ahead.

Tushar Manudhane
Research Analyst, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd

Yeah, thanks for the opportunity. Sir, firstly, some clarification on the growth guidance, which you gave for full year 2026, if you could just sort of repeat.

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

It is in line with what we said, maintains growth for the whole year.

Tushar Manudhane
Research Analyst, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd

Understood. And sir, secondly, on gross margins, which has seen significant improvement for the quarter, and wherein we've seen geographies like U.S. growing at a much higher rate. So if you could just, you know, explain this improvement in gross margin and sustainability of gross margin?

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

I think, what I just mentioned, I think, you should consider 78%, ±1%. Some variations keep on happening quarter to quarter, but overall, I think we are very confident that we should be able to maintain it at about 78%, ±1%.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

For the U.S. business, we have launched eight products in the last 12 months, which are now we are seeing the full year benefit of that. Plus, we have seen the increase in the market share for some few products. And also, we have one seasonal product for the flu, where basically the disease season starts in December, January. So that also aided the growth for the current quarter. The combination of all these three aspects, it has of course resulted into a very robust growth for the U.S. business.

Tushar Manudhane
Research Analyst, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd

Got it, sir. So, now that the launch benefit has been sort of reflected entirely, and we will end FY 2026 on a very strong note as far as U.S. business is concerned, given the pace of launches, if you could, it may not be in terms of exact numbers per se, but how you think about FY 2027 for U.S. geography?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

It should be good only, but I think it will be a bit early to give the guidance for that. I think let's do that in the next quarter, when we have all our plans closer, and then we'll have the more concrete numbers in terms of our budgets, which are finalized. But overall, I think, may not, the growth probably not be in the similar line of, what we have seen current year, but I think we should be able to post, double-digit growth for sure.

Tushar Manudhane
Research Analyst, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd

Just lastly on this, how much would have been the constant currency growth for U.S. business?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Come again?

Tushar Manudhane
Research Analyst, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd

Sir, how much would be constant currency growth for U.S. business for Q3, FY 2026, and nine months, FY 2026?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

I think I don't have that figure right now.

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Maybe you can get it, yeah.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Yeah, I will give it, share it later. We've seen some dollar movement. Our growth is of course far, far the volume growth is far wider, bigger than the currency growth, currency rupee appreciation.

Tushar Manudhane
Research Analyst, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd

Got it. Thanks. That's it from my side. We'll join later.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Okay.

Operator

Thank you. Our next question is from the line of Abdulkader Puranwala from ICICI Securities. Please go ahead.

Abdulkader Puranwala
Assistant Vice President, ICICI Securities Limited

Yeah, hi, sir. Thank you for the opportunity. So first, on the India growth of close to 19%, so you mentioned the cardiology portfolio has grown in line with the pharma market growth, or, you know, the like-to-like basis growth. But, what exactly has driven this outperformance, if you could highlight?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

No, I think it's mostly a little bit of seasonal also for us in some sense. But at the same time, we have had some very good activities, some very good customer connect that has happened. Like I said, our gynecology has done much better than what we were expecting. Dermatology, as you would have seen, we have gained two ranks, so we outperformed the market by nearly two times the growth rate. So these are the segments that have contributed better than what we were expecting.

Abdulkader Puranwala
Assistant Vice President, ICICI Securities Limited

Understood. And, so with the 150 reps, what you have added this, this quarter, and I believe in international geography as well. So, you know, where exactly are the MRs getting deployed and, you know, any new product, you're launching, you know, either on the GLP side in India and overseas with your recent partnership? And, you know, should we think of this addition in that way, or that will be over and above what you have done recently?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Number of reps, what we have added in domestic are across these four therapeutic segments, and that is basically Pan India. So in that sense, there is no new division or new therapy launch. These are basically just to increase the coverage, wherever our productivity was higher. We felt that, we need to cover more effectively, so that is what it is. For GLP, we will be launching in India under our own trademark, and, we hope to be in the first wave of the product launches that will happen, in the month of March. So, so that is, that will naturally be factored into the growth plans of next year, which will start from April to next March. So that is what it is. I don't know if you have... Do you have any other question in this?

Abdulkader Puranwala
Assistant Vice President, ICICI Securities Limited

Yeah. So, with regards to GLP, then, you know, your overseas partnership with Biocon, if you could shed some light as to, you know, how the arrangement is?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

So the arrangement will be that, they will be supplying to us the finished product. They have the finished product, they have all the required data, which they have filed in all the regulated markets. And, we have tied up with them for 26 countries, where 23 is exclusive tie-up with us. 3 countries is semi-exclusive, which, which means semi-exclusive is they can come by on their own, or they can give to one. So at the most, they can give one more company Ajanta, other than Ajanta. So we are, looking to start filing the dossiers from, Q1 in all our markets, and, from 12 months onwards, we should start getting the approvals in various countries.

So we are looking, if all going well, from, like, I think, I think 2027, 2028, the revenues for those GLP -1s should start coming in. So it's fairly straightforward. They will give us the product, we will take, commercialize it in these 26 countries, where we have a very strong ground presence through our all field force and promo plans.

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

This is also from

Abdulkader Puranwala
Assistant Vice President, ICICI Securities Limited

Yeah.

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

It will be in our brand. Yeah.

Abdulkader Puranwala
Assistant Vice President, ICICI Securities Limited

Okay.

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

It will be in our brand name.

Abdulkader Puranwala
Assistant Vice President, ICICI Securities Limited

Okay, okay. So, so fair to assume that, this would be like a profit sharing agreement, or, you will be paying some upfront fee, something like that, yeah?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

There is some confidentiality agreements which we have in place, so I'm not able to give the exact details, but it's a combination of all what we have just mentioned. It is going to be the transfer price, and there'll be some arrangement on some kind of mechanism, on some profit share, things like that, yeah.

Abdulkader Puranwala
Assistant Vice President, ICICI Securities Limited

Understood. So last one, if I may, just a bookkeeping question on the depreciation expense. So that has been, you know, ranging a little higher as compared to what we have done last year. So what exactly, you know, is the reason for that?

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Basically, we commenced one more manufacturing facility at Pithampur for the liquid line, which we announced last quarter. So that particular depreciation is already coming in this particular quarter. So because of that, the depreciation is increasing.

Abdulkader Puranwala
Assistant Vice President, ICICI Securities Limited

Got it, sir. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. Our next question is from the line of Aman Kumar Singh, an individual investor. Please go ahead.

Aman Kumar Singh
Shareholder, Private Investor

Yeah. Good evening. I have two questions to ask. One is about the dividend payouts in terms of percentages of PAT. We have maintained the payout, both payout in terms of dividend and buyback in last 4, 5 years in a range between 60%-80%. This year, we have given a payout of about 44%. Do we expect the similar kind of a payout from the trend what we have seen in the past?

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

I think it is still not decided because there is one more quarter which is going to be there. So we need to take a call in the board meeting. But as we mentioned, there was, you know, you must have seen the article, we are increasing our thrust on the acquisition. So if that happens, then in that case, maybe board will advise accordingly. So I think we need to wait till quarter four for the decision of the board.

Aman Kumar Singh
Shareholder, Private Investor

Yeah. And another question is that we are nearing, you know, becoming a $500 million turnover company. What is our roadmap or a plan to go from a $500 million to $1- b illion company? Please elaborate on this.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

The plans are. It's a everyday progress which is being made in the existing markets. We are continuously, as you have seen the last two, three years, increasing the field.

Aman Kumar Singh
Shareholder, Private Investor

Okay.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

We are increasing the therapeutic segments. In India, we have launched two new therapeutic segments. Internationally, we have got into the psychiatry portfolio. So idea is to increase the new therapeutic segments. Internationally, we are looking at, to add at least one new therapeutic segments next year. So the idea is to increase our field presence in various markets, add new therapeutic segments, and we are also looking to expand into the new territories, possibly to Latin America, which is probably I think we want to take a serious look at it. So there'll be some new geographies also which will get added in the coming time. So with all this, I think we are expecting and hoping the growth momentum to continue in the coming years.

Aman Kumar Singh
Shareholder, Private Investor

Okay, good. Thank you so much.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Yeah, go ahead.

Aman Kumar Singh
Shareholder, Private Investor

Yeah, please continue.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

It was there in the press also that we are actively looking for the acquisition also, and we are as, as it was there in the news that we are here INR 1,000+ crore for that. So all those possibilities also do exist. Let us see if and when they materialize.

Aman Kumar Singh
Shareholder, Private Investor

Yeah, and one last question I have is like, there was also a news article regarding, you know, although it was denied by the company, that there can be an acquisition of, you know, non-related business from Ajanta Pharma. So I hope that the denial is firm and we are still only focusing ourselves on the pharmaceutical business.

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Absolutely. We are very clear about this. We, you know, you must have seen that later on, the clarification also came that it is, by one of the promoter's family office, not by Ajanta Pharma. So Ajanta Pharma remains only in pharma business, and we will continue to do this business only.

Aman Kumar Singh
Shareholder, Private Investor

Okay. Thank you, sir. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. Our next question comes from the line of Kashish Thakur from Elara Capital. Please go ahead.

Kashish Thakur
Equity Research Analyst, Elara Capital

Hi, sir. Thank you for the opportunity. Sir, just two questions related to India business. India business you have shown quite good numbers. So just wanted to understand the breakup of the India growth, like in the terms of volume growth, price and new products.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Yeah, sure. I will share that with you in a second. So volume growth, IPM is at 2.1%. This is a composition of 8.9% IPM growth. Ajanta has grown at 3.1%, as far as should be. So we are 1.5x after the IPM in the volume. And, for the new products, IPM has shown a contribution of 2.5% in the growth, and Ajanta has shown 3.9%. Is it 4.9%?

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Yeah, 3 .9%

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

It's 3.9%. So again, nearly 1.5 x the IPM growth rate, in the contribution towards our 11.4% growth.

Kashish Thakur
Equity Research Analyst, Elara Capital

Understood. And sir, what has to be the PCPM plus, although we've been adding around again 150 amount during this quarter as well, so wanted to know that as well.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

PCPM for the quarter, you. I'm not able to hear you clearly, sorry.

Kashish Thakur
Equity Research Analyst, Elara Capital

Yes, yes. PCPM for the quarter.

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

PCPM. For the quarter, it will not be there, but I think, for the PCPM, if you want, for nine months period, we are at about INR 3.6 crores.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Lakhs.

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

INR 3.6 lakhs per month, per month. INR 3.7 lakhs , sorry.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

INR 3.7 lakhs is the first nine months. Monthly average, PCPM. Yeah.

Kashish Thakur
Equity Research Analyst, Elara Capital

Understood, sir. Thank you.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. Our next question is a follow-up from Tushar Manudhane from Motilal Oswal. Please go ahead.

Tushar Manudhane
Research Analyst, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd

Yeah, thanks for the opportunity again, sir. Sir, just on this, GLP semaglutide for Asia, Africa, while, you know, at least in India, it seems it's going to be a competitive market even in the first wave of market permission. If you could just provide certain insights on this Asia, Africa-focused geography, how do you see the competition shaping up, post-patent expiry in these markets, where you have sort of tied up exclusively with Biocon?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

We believe that India will be more aggressive competition in India, which could be in the range of what, 10-12, around-

Tushar Manudhane
Research Analyst, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd

15-20.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

15-20+. But in our markets, we believe it will not be as aggressive. We are expecting, it should remain around four to six, depending on which companies get approval, what kind of, what timing point. But it will not be. The competition intensity will not, in the emerging markets, will not be as high as what we are going to see in India.

Tushar Manudhane
Research Analyst, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd

And subsequently, given this low competition, but from a pricing point of view, given your experience with the earlier products in, let's say, India, Asia, Africa, how do you see the pricing playing out, given their per capita income, given the demand? Any color you can throw, or it's too early to ask? Whichever way.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

I can give you a general sense. As you know, the DNA of Ajanta, we operate at an acceptable margin, and we, we're not interested to de-sell the product below the margin threshold, which is good enough for us. So overall, the margin should be good only, decent only. And as I said, the pricing is also a factor of how much competition you will be having in the market. And since we are not expecting as aggressive competition as we are going to see in India, we believe the pricing should remain pretty decent, and we are expecting a good margin on it, so. Overall, I think that's the broader color which I can give you.

Tushar Manudhane
Research Analyst, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd

Would it require additional marketing, as in MRs or marketing spend, or this, this product will get funneled through existing?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Exactly. It will go through the existing. In all our markets, we already have CVD presence, cardio, diabeto presence is there on all our markets wherever we are going, we've tied up this. And that's precisely the reason for us to go, because it really complements our presence in the segment. And the second is the weight loss. So both these segments, so every existing team will be able to handle this product. In fact, we'll be able to capitalize on this product better because we already have the relationships with the doctors in the field, in this specialty.

Tushar Manudhane
Research Analyst, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd

Interesting. Interesting. Yeah, that's about it, sir. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. Our next question comes from the line of Veeresh from WhiteOak Capital. Please go ahead.

Veeresh Kumar
VP of Institutional Sales WhiteOak Capital, WhiteOak Capital

Yeah, thank you, sir. So I don't know if you already answered this. For nine months, Asia is quite muted, so if you can just explain that, sir?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

No particular reason I can say. I mean, we started the year, as I said in my opening comments, hoping that Asia would probably post a double-digit growth. But somehow we've seen some low traction in certain countries. Because of that, our growth has been slightly below what we would have liked it to be. But I think we are very confident structurally, fundamentally, there's nothing wrong. I think we are hoping that Q4 onwards itself, we will start seeing the revival, and we should start posting some good growth. So also there are some export-

Veeresh Kumar
VP of Institutional Sales WhiteOak Capital, WhiteOak Capital

Secondly thing, is it like-

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Yeah, that also little bit. That also a little bit. There were some exports which got delayed, shipments from the Q3, and which will get pushed over to the Q4. So had that supplies also come in, the Q3 would have looked better than what it is right now. So that also effect we will see in the Q4, the Q3 spill over into Q4, and then we should be able to catch up.

Veeresh Kumar
VP of Institutional Sales WhiteOak Capital, WhiteOak Capital

Understood. And Rajeev, did not see any Forex loss in other expense. I was surprised by that, because of my hedge book, kuch na kuch mark to market toh hona chahiye tha, right?

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Fortunately, everything got, you know, booked into the second quarter. And, fortunately, the closing of quarter three was, you know, lower than the quarter two. So because of that, there was no loss at all during this quarter.

Veeresh Kumar
VP of Institutional Sales WhiteOak Capital, WhiteOak Capital

That was the case for USD, but euro was lower only, right? Apna euro-

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Yeah, [Foreign language]

Veeresh Kumar
VP of Institutional Sales WhiteOak Capital, WhiteOak Capital

[Foreign language] . And sir, a last question. This, Biocon partnership is also for India, or it's for non-

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

No.

Veeresh Kumar
VP of Institutional Sales WhiteOak Capital, WhiteOak Capital

It's not for India-

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

No, it's only for-

Veeresh Kumar
VP of Institutional Sales WhiteOak Capital, WhiteOak Capital

For other emerging markets.

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Yeah.

Veeresh Kumar
VP of Institutional Sales WhiteOak Capital, WhiteOak Capital

Okay. So, sir, there, the responsibility for approval is for the regulatory approval is on us or is on Biocon?

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

It is on us. It is on us.

Veeresh Kumar
VP of Institutional Sales WhiteOak Capital, WhiteOak Capital

Okay.

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Biocon only will provide the, dossier- Uh, but-

Veeresh Kumar
VP of Institutional Sales WhiteOak Capital, WhiteOak Capital

Okay

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

...the responsibility in terms of the approval is ours.

Veeresh Kumar
VP of Institutional Sales WhiteOak Capital, WhiteOak Capital

T here's a process called CoPP route. So we are following that, or we are going through, individual, or we are going through a CoPP route, sir?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

No, CoPP route is applicable for Europe, no? I think it is not, there in the... There are few countries in Africa which have this, mutual recognition, but mostly it is individual countries only.

Veeresh Kumar
VP of Institutional Sales WhiteOak Capital, WhiteOak Capital

Okay, so we are doing individual country.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Yeah, yeah.

Veeresh Kumar
VP of Institutional Sales WhiteOak Capital, WhiteOak Capital

All right. All right, sir. Thank you. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. Our next question is from the line of Umesh Laddha from Nirmal Bang. Please go ahead. Umesh, your line has been unmuted. You may proceed with your question.

Umesh Laddha
Research associate of Institutional Equity, Nirmal Bang

Hello? Hello, am I audible?

Operator

Yes, you are audible. Please go ahead, sir.

Umesh Laddha
Research associate of Institutional Equity, Nirmal Bang

Yeah. Thank you for the opportunity, sir. So, sir, if you just see then in last nine months, our U.S. business is almost 50% up. So is it that the only newer products are contributing for this 50% growth, or it is the older products also which have started to grow in volume terms?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Yeah, as I mentioned, older products also, we have increased the market share in some of the important products, and that also is one of the factor besides the new products.

Umesh Laddha
Research associate of Institutional Equity, Nirmal Bang

Okay. So like, will it be fair to assume that the older products would have grown by almost like 15%, and then the rest is only the new launches, roughly?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Difficult to give you the exact granular details as much, but I can say that it's a combination of both the new products as well as the existing products, both. And as I mentioned in the Q3, the small bump up also happened because of the flu seasonal product, which we have, which sells typically in December, January, February. So it starts November, December, January, February, is three, four months when we have the sales for that product, so.

Umesh Laddha
Research associate of Institutional Equity, Nirmal Bang

Okay, sir, got it. And sir, just wanted to know that in which all therapeutic segments are we majorly present in U.S., if that's okay?

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

U.S. as such, there is no focus on therapeutic segment. It is the opportunity which we really look at, the individual product opportunity. So therapeutic segment is not much, but CNS is there and mostly it is oral solids.

Umesh Laddha
Research associate of Institutional Equity, Nirmal Bang

Okay, sir, got it. That's it from my side. Thank you, sir.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Dhruv Maheshwari from Perpetuity Ventures LLP. Please go ahead.

Dhruv Maheshwari
Investment Professional, Perpetuity Ventures LLP

Hi, sir. I just have one quick question. If you can provide a guidance on how should we look at the impact of labor costs on staff, labor costs on the staff costs going forward?

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

We have already provided for it, so, we have provided INR 7 crore in the employee cost on account of the new labor code regulation. So there will be an additional liability on account of gratuity and leave pay, which has already been provided in this quarter.

Dhruv Maheshwari
Investment Professional, Perpetuity Ventures LLP

Okay, sir. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Forum Parekh from Bank of Baroda Capital Markets. Please go ahead.

Foram Parekh
Equity Research Analyst, Bank of Baroda Capital Markets

Thank you for the opportunity. My first question is on the Asia business. We have seen softness due to softer traction in certain markets. So could you name the markets where we are seeing softer traction?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Unfortunately, we don't give such granular details of the country-wise or things like that. But, yeah, I think that's all about as much as I can... Yeah.

Foram Parekh
Equity Research Analyst, Bank of Baroda Capital Markets

Okay. So could you just give us a guidance or like, you know, for FY 2027 or FY 2026, what are we guiding full year for Asia branded and Africa branded?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

So I think Asia, we should be able to post mid-teens to... Sorry, mid-single digit to high single digit.

Foram Parekh
Equity Research Analyst, Bank of Baroda Capital Markets

For FY 2026?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

I think that's what we are looking for the FY 2026 for the Asia.

Foram Parekh
Equity Research Analyst, Bank of Baroda Capital Markets

Okay.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

For Africa, we should probably post in low double digit, I think.

Foram Parekh
Equity Research Analyst, Bank of Baroda Capital Markets

Okay. Can we give guidance for FY 2027 as well?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

It's too early. I think, let's wait for the next quarter, no?

Foram Parekh
Equity Research Analyst, Bank of Baroda Capital Markets

Okay. My second question is on the India business. So we mentioned that gynecology is picking up well. So if you can give us some more color, like, how big is the therapy now, or how much does it contribute to the India business? Some color there.

Rajesh Agrawal
Joint Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

The contribution is insignificant. Primary reason being, it's a very new therapy. To have any meaningful contribution to the entire India business, it will take some years. What is very important and encouraging is the fact that we are getting good acceptance from the gynecologists. Our brands have been picked up well in an otherwise highly competitive segment. We are able to make a good inroad for ourselves, and we are very confident that in the next two to three years, it should become an important and a prominent therapy, just the way we have developed the other four therapies. So I think that's what's more important.

Foram Parekh
Equity Research Analyst, Bank of Baroda Capital Markets

Okay, that's helpful. And, we mentioned that we will be participating in the GLP first wave. So, the guidance for FY 2027 would also include the GLP contribution. So, could you just tell, I mean, give us the number, like, what guidance should we look at for FY 2027 India business?

Rajesh Agrawal
Joint Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Again, that's still in the works. We would rather focus on the current quarter, last quarter. I think we'll come out with the guidance in the Q4 earnings call. I think that will be more firm and better in that sense. But yes, we will be in the first wave of GLP launches, and that brand, that product would be included in the growth plans for the next year.

Foram Parekh
Equity Research Analyst, Bank of Baroda Capital Markets

Okay. And lastly, if you can just help us understand the TAM that you're looking at for Asia market for the GLP products? Would it be like, would some geographies have, like, a billion-dollar kind of market, or would it be lower? How should we look at it? And likewise for Africa as well.

Rajesh Agrawal
Joint Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

It will not be to that level, our Africa markets are not comparable to Europe or to U.S.

Foram Parekh
Equity Research Analyst, Bank of Baroda Capital Markets

Right. But Asia?

Rajesh Agrawal
Joint Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Yeah. Yeah, Asia can do better than Africa, but not in the tons of billions of dollars. I think currently, yeah, it's very difficult to put a number on it, but it's a growing segment. You know that it's every year it's growing exponentially.

Foram Parekh
Equity Research Analyst, Bank of Baroda Capital Markets

Yeah.

Rajesh Agrawal
Joint Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

We've never seen a launch of a product like this in the longest time. Already, globally, it's become, I think, what? $35-$40 billion and $25 billion each, $50 billion. And it's still growing at 25%-30%. So I'll hesitate to put any number on the market size on these, on these products. It's still, it's evolving.

Foram Parekh
Equity Research Analyst, Bank of Baroda Capital Markets

Sure, no problem. That's helpful. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, to ask a question, you may please press star and one on your touchtone telephones. Our next question comes from the line of Kunal Randeria from Axis Capital. Please go ahead.

Kunal Randeria
Analyst, Axis Capital

Hi, good evening, everyone. So I'm quite not able to wrap my head around this 19% domestic growth, so I'd appreciate you trying to give a bit more color. Is it because since the MR dynamic is largely new, is there some channel filling happening here, or is there some recovery in cardiac that is led to higher primary sales? Because there is a fair bit of discrepancy between, you know, what you're actually reporting, what the IQVIA number suggested.

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Yeah, you are right, you know, because, see, ultimately, this 19%, neither it is a channel filling, nor it is something which is bump up. It is something which is normal sales. What happens is that, every quarter there is some traction which takes, comes into some of the segments, and that is what is happening in this quarter. There is absolutely nothing, you know, really abnormal, in this case. And as you see, if you know, every year, this quarter is always good quarter. Next quarter will be little, you know, lower, because as you must have seen in your last four, five years, our last quarter is always low. So that is what is going to happen. But I think, it's in the normal course. There is no channel filling, or there is no abnormal thing at all.

Kunal Randeria
Analyst, Axis Capital

So no particular therapy you would like to point out?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

The IPM is recording Ajanta growth at 14.8% for Q3. So IPM is, the IQVIA, I'm sorry. IQVIA is showing a mere 15% growth for Ajanta. So this is all pure secondary growth that they are reflecting. As against that, our internal growth is 19%.

Kunal Randeria
Analyst, Axis Capital

Fair. So no, no particular therapy, right, Sir? I mean, all therapies are starting to do well, or I have learned well.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Yeah. In the 15% that they are reporting, cardiology is lesser than what we actually are, we are actually recording internally, right? So if you add that back into 15% , it will come up to nineteen percent or eighteen percent or whatever the number may be. So it's essentially exactly the same what we are actually posting.

Kunal Randeria
Analyst, Axis Capital

Got it, Sir. And Sir, just one more clarification. Sir, you mentioned that you have been adding some sales force in your export businesses. So is it in your existing markets or is it in some of the new frontiers, like Latam or Anglo Africa, that you're targeting?

Arvind Agrawal
CFO, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Not able to understand that.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

In the existing countries only.

Kunal Randeria
Analyst, Axis Capital

Okay, it's in the existing countries.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Existing countries, correct.

Kunal Randeria
Analyst, Axis Capital

Right. Right. And Sir, can you give us some guidance on how much the expansion is yet to take place in the next couple of years?

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Expansion in terms of what?

Kunal Randeria
Analyst, Axis Capital

Sales force, Sir.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Next few years is a very long outlook to give. I think I will stick to the current year. I think let's talk about next year in the next quarter, conference call.

Kunal Randeria
Analyst, Axis Capital

Sure, Sir. Sure. Thank you, Sir, and all the best.

Operator

Thank you. Participants who wish to ask questions may press star and one. Ladies and gentlemen, to ask a question, may press star and one at this time. We have no further questions, ladies and gentlemen. I would now like to hand the conference over to Mr. Yogesh Agrawal for closing comments. Over to you, Sir.

Yogesh Agrawal
Managing Director, Ajanta Pharma Limited

Thank you, everyone, for joining this call. In case if there are any further questions that remain unanswered today, please reach out to our investor relations team. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. On behalf of Ajanta Pharma, that concludes this conference call. Thank you all for joining us. You may now disconnect your line.

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