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Wednesday, November 29, 2023

LAUGFS Gas PLC is a public limited company

 

Executive Summary

Financial statement analysis entails analyzing financial reports to comprehend an organization's financial performance. Decisions about lending and investing can be based on the findings.

LAUGFS Gas PLC is a public limited company incorporated in Sri Lanka under the Companies Act No. 17 of 1982 and re-registered as required under the provisions of Companies Act No. 7 of 2007 and is listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange since December 2010.

The principal activities of LAUGFS Gas PLC are downstream business of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and other related products and services. The Company caters to domestic, commercial and industrial LPG markets.

During the past  years under review has challenged the LP gas sector as the country’s economic downturn put pressure on the domestic foreign exchange reserves. LAUGFS Gas being the only private sector LP gas supplier to the Sri Lankan market faced severe shortages in meeting the local demand on the insufficiency of foreign currency for LPG purchase. This negatively reflected on the overall financial performance of the Company and the Group as sales and distribution activities were limited to available supplies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.0            Introduction

Financial statement analysis is a quantitative technique that focuses on examining a company's balance sheet and income statement in order to evaluate business and financial ratios for representations, business appraisal, and financial forecasts.

There are two main approaches to financial statement analysis. The first method involves the application of horizontal, vertical, and trend analysis. Horizontal analysis compares financial information over a series of reporting periods, whereas vertical analysis is a proportional examination of a financial statement in which each line item is listed as a percentage of another item. This usually means that every line item on an income statement is expressed as a percentage of gross sales, whereas every line item on a balance sheet is expressed as a percentage of total assets. Thus, horizontal analysis is the assessment of many time periods' outcomes, whereas vertical analysis is the review of the percentage of accounts to each other within each time period.

The use of various types of ratios is the second approach of examining the financial statements. Ratios are used to determine the size of one number in comparison to another. There are various types of ratios, each of which is intended to investigate a different aspect of a company's performance.

 

Financial Statement Analysis Controversies

While financial statement analysis is an effective tool, there are certain considerations to keep in mind that can interfere with the interpretation of the data. These are the issues:

• Periodically comparability - For example, an expense may appear in cost of Salest of goods sold in one period and administrative expenses in another.

• firm comparability - Because each firm aggregates financial information differently, the outcomes of their ratios are not comparable. This can cause an analyst to form inaccurate conclusions about a company's results in relation to its competitors.

• Operational data - Financial analysis solely looks at a company's financial information, not its operational information.

 

 

2.0           LAUGFS Holding (PVT) Ltd.

2.1  Profile of the Company

LAUGFS Gas PLC is a well-known LPG provider that is subsidiary of the LAUGFS group. The global creation of the LAUGFS conglomerate dates back to the mid-1990s. It was founded in 1995.  Mr. WKH Wegapitiya and Mr. UK Thilak De Silva founded LAUGFS Holdings.  Power and energy, manufacturing, consumer retail, logistics, and other industries are among them. LAUGFS has risen to become one of the world's most important LPG players. For example, they are the largest LPG distributor in Bangladesh, distributing 60000MT of LPG each year. They made significant investments in the LPG industry. They built South Asia's largest LPG transshipment facility in Sri Lanka's Hambanthota International Port.

LAUGFS Gas PLC's exposure to Sri Lanka commenced in 2001. When the government liberalized the LPG industry, the company began operations. Then, as the second player in the Sri Lankan LPG market, LAUGFS Gas PLC emerged. The company was listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange. They now operate throughout the entire island. Their main storage and filling facility is located in Mabima and has a capacity of 3000MT LPG.  LAUGFS currently controls 30% of the domestic market and 60% of the industrial bulk market. They established dealer locations throughout the island, and they currently cover the entire island's LPG demand.

 

2.2 Product Range Performance

 

LAUGFS main business is the supply of LPG. They operate at various business levels as follows:

Domestic

According to analysis, 42% of the population exclusively utilizes household gas cylinders. Because of the huge demand, the domestic sector contributes a large amount of LAUGFS revenue. LAUGFS provides three types of residential gas cylinders to meet household demand: 12.5kg, 5kg, and 2.5kg cylinders. They deserve the courtesy for pioneering the 2.5kg pack, which revolutionized the industry. It is popular, particularly among housewives, because it is inexpensive, simple to use, and easy to store. They estimate that if a cylinder is properly maintained, it can be refilled a hundred times.

 

Commercial

This area caters to the commercial business sector, such as SMEs. Hotels, bakeries, restaurants, and other food-related businesses fall into this group. Aside from LP gas, they also offer after-sales services and commercial consulting.

Industrial Bulk

This facility caters to large-scale businesses that rely heavily on gas as a primary source of energy. Demand for bulk LPG is mostly created by the tile, confectionery, rubber, and steel industries; for example, Lanka Walltiles PLC and Lanka Aluminum PLC fall into this category. Apart from gas supply, LAUGFS offers piping systems, big storage tanks, vaporizers, pressure regulators, safety auditing checks, and other services to these large-scale businesses. LAUGFS Gas Ltd has constructed storage facilities throughout the island for the convenience of their large-scale customers.

Accessories and value-added services

Apart from LPG, LAUGFS additionally offers accessories such as authorized regulators, valves, and pipes for both the household and commercial markets.

LAUGFS also offers technical assistance for energy solutions. They have a professional team with extensive expertise of the energy industry.

They also provide their clients training and development services. Companies can hire a LAUGFS energy expert team to educate their staff in the energy sector, both theoretically and practically. This facility is largely used by bulk businesses like steel and tile companies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.3 Share Market Performance

Figure 01: Share price performance

 

3.0           Sample and the Financial Data

The information gathered from the company's financial statements, which include the Comprehensive Income Statement, Statement of Financial Position, and Cash Flow Statement. The financial reports for 2016/2017, 2017/2018,2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022  are included in the following statement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAUGFS GAS PLC – Statement of Financial Position

 

Figure 02: LAUGHS Statement of Comprehensive Income (2018-2022)

Figure 03: CFL Statement of Comprehensive Income (2018-2022)

 

 

4.0           Financial Report Analysis

4.1  Vertical Analysis Overview

Financial statement analysis is a quantitative procedure that primarily analyzes the business's balance sheet and income statement in order to interpret business and financial ratios of the business performance evaluation, as well as financial forecasting.

I.          Vertical Analysis

II.        Horizontal Analysis

III.       Ratio Analysis

This research examines Laugh Gas PLC's financial status utilizing vertical, horizontal, trend, and ratio analysis.

 

4.2  Vertical Analysis on Statement of Comprehensive Income

Vertical analysis is a financial analysis tool that evaluates each line item on the financial statements as a percentage of its overall category. In this case, each component of the income statement will be calculated as a percentage of the company's revenue. Each asset element on the balance sheet will be determined as a percentage of total assets, and each equity and liability element will be calculated as a percentage of total equity and liabilities.

This application is designed to evaluate financial information from a single reporting period. The proportionate relationship of the elements is measured using the vertical analysis technique. Vertical analysis is also utilized to determine the business's trend through time.

Revenue is primarily comprised of product sales to third-party customers. Revenue is calculated based on the fair value of the consideration received or due, excluding taxes collected on behalf of third parties, rebates, discounts, and certain marketing expenses that are not distinguishable from sales. The Group views the sale and delivery of products to be one performance obligation, and revenue is recognized when control is transferred to a customer.

The vertical analysis table below is obtained from Laugh Gas PLC's financial reports for the fiscal years 2017/2018 to 2021/2022.

 

 

4.2.1 Cost of sales

By the analysis of cost of Salest of sales it was noted that over the 5 years the majority of cost of Salest was for sales. On average this represent 91% of the cost of Salest. The notable increase in the cost of Sales of sales was noted in 2021/22 fiscal year this accounts for 99% of component of the revenue. Over these 5 years the minimum cost of Sales was noted in the year 2021 with 89.49%. 

The Cost of Salest of Sales of sales drastically increase in 2021/22 due to  increase in natural gas prices in the world market the cost of Sales has nearly quadrupled and the start of Ukraine Russia War  has reduced the world production of natural gas by a large margin.

 

 

Figure 04: Cost of Sales (2018-2022)

 

 

The COS in 2019 was reduced by almost 3%. This could be accounted by the Global Pandemic Covid -19 in 2019 where imports in the final half of the fiscal year. Another factor helps to reduced the COS is the slight growth in SL economy in the first Quarter (Post easter bombing economic measures undertaken)

 

 

4.2.2 Gross profit

The laugh Gas PLC has enjoyed a healthy Gross profit margin for the last five years despite heavy economic turmoil.  The minimum Gross profit was noted in 2022 as this directly corelate with a sudden depreciation of LKR against the dollar by nearly 200%. This heavily increased the cost of Sales. The government undertook initiative to control the price of LPG Gas to regulate a cost of living for the people of Sri Lanka. This saw an increase in cost without an increase in the product pricing thereby incurring heavy losses for the company.

The average gross profit noted over the last 5 years was 8.25%. The maximum profit was noted in 2019 and the minimum was recorded in 2022.

4.2.3 Other Income

Other Income generated by Laugh Gas PLC was noted to be fairly consistent over the last 5 years with a maximum of 2.56% noted of total revenue and in 2020 minimum of 1.45% of total revenue was noted in 2022.

The company invest in a number of other income sources and key consistent performances were noted in Expiration of Refundable Deposits Liability & sundry income. And these were consistent over the last 5 years.

4.2.4 Selling and Distribution Expenses

Selling and distribution expenses as a % of revenue is fairly consistent over the last 5 years. The maximum cost was noted of 9.8% of total revenue in the year 2020. The minimum was noted  in 2018. The average similar distribution cost for laugh Gas products is at 7.88% against revenue over the 5 years.

4.2.5 Income Tax Expenses

The average income taxe over the last5 years was 0.56% of total revenue. A notable variation is noted in the income tax returns were noted in the year 2020 & 2022 and these were recorded as 0.71% of revenue and 2.75% of revenue which has come in to the company. These could be tax returns for maintaining consumer retail prices despite increases in cost of production. The highest tax expenses was noted in 2018.

4.2.6 Profit for the year

The average profit after tax on revenue is at -9.25% over the last 5 years. A sharp increase to -18.65% in the loss was noted in 2022 which directly coincide with an increase in world natural gas prices and Ukraine Russia war which has pampered availability of natural gas.

Without taking in to the account the year 2022 the average net loss after tax is -6.92%. The company has experienced this loss consistently in these 4 previous years.

4.2.7 Administration expenses

The company experienced consistent administration expenses throughout the 5 years averaging at 5.80% on revenue. The minimum expenses were incurred in the year 2022 and the maximum was noted in 2019 & 2021 each boasting 6.49% of the revenue.

 

4.3  Vertical Analysis on Statement of Financial Position

 


4.3.1 Total Non-Current Assets

The average noncurrent assets position represents 76% of the total assets during 2015 - 2019. In financial year 2018/2019 the non-current assets represented 48% of the total assets which is the lowest during analysis period.

 

4.3.2 Current Assets

The average represent of the current assets from the total assets for the determined financial years is 20%. During 2018/2019 total current assets have increased drastically due to inventories, trade receivables and other financial assets. 

 

4.3.3 Capital and Reserves

 

Figure 05:  Vertical Analysis on Statement of Financial Position (2018-2022)

In the fiscal year 2017/2018, stated capital accounted for 34% of total assets. However, in

 

 

4.3.4 Non-current Liabilities

Non-current liabilities, which account for 41% of total liabilities, increased by 18% to Rs. 20,941Mn as a result of currency exchange losses as of the reporting year 2021/22.

4.3.5 Current Liabilities

Current liabilities climbed by 28% to Rs. 30,572Mn during the fiscal year as trade payables, interest bearing loans and borrowings, and income tax payables increased.

 

4.4  Horizontal Analysis Overview

Horizontal financial statement analysis is comparing a financial ratio, a benchmark, or a line item over a number of accounting periods. Trend analysis is another name for this type of analysis. Horizontal analysis allows for the evaluation of relative changes in several things throughout time. It also shows the evolution of sales, costs, and other financial statement line items through time.

Accounting periods might have two or more periods. Accounting periods might be monthly, quarterly, or annual. When determining the right number of accounting periods, the analyst's judgement will be required.

Horizontal financial statement analysis can be performed on any item in the income statement, balance sheet, or cash flow statement. This analysis can be performed on revenue, cost of sales, expenses, assets, cash, equity, and liabilities, for example. It can also be applied to earnings per share (EPS), price earnings ratio, dividend payout, and other comparable ratios. For Example, This analysis can be performed on revenue, cost of sales, expenses, assets, cash, equity, and liabilities, for example. It can also be applied to earnings per share (EPS), price earnings ratio, dividend payout, and other comparable ratios.

Horizontal analysis can be accomplished using one of two methods: absolute comparison or percentage comparison.

 

• Absolute Comparison:

Comparing the absolute currency amounts of various goods across time is one method of undertaking horizontal analysis. For example, cash in hand at the end of an accounting period can be compared to cash in hand at the end of earlier accounting periods. This strategy is useful for determining the elements that change the most.

 

 

• Percentage Comparison:

The second way of horizontal analysis compares percentage differences in specific elements across time. To facilitate comparison, absolute currency quantities are transformed into percentages. This strategy is effective for comparing the performance of two companies of varying size and scope.

 

4.4.1 Horizontal Analysis of Statement of Comprehensive Income

 

Figure 06: Horizontal Analysis on Statement of Comprehensive Income

 

Figure 07:  Trend Analysis (2018-2022)

 

4.4.2 Gross Profit

 

Due to rising LPG import costs and rupee depreciation, gross earnings decreased by 23% to Rs 2,144 million, with gross profit margins falling to 10% in 2017/18 from 17% the previous year. During the year 2018, LPG prices jumped by 23% from 2017.Group gross margins dropped to 1% from 11% in 2021 and consolidated gross profits dropped by 91% to Rs. 339Mn.Throughout the year, a number of factors had an impact on the Group's expenses. Depreciation of currencies and fluctuating contract prices on the global market. The retail price of LPG was restricted to a maximum of Rs. 1,856 for a 12.5kg cylinder during the first two quarters of the year. At the same time, the cost of LPG was US$ 656.50 per MT on the international market.

 

4.4.3 Profit Before Tax (PBT)

 

Loss before tax increased dramatically from Rs. 915Mn to Rs. 4,570Mn in 2022. This was mostly brought on by a lack of supply, difficulty obtaining foreign cash for LC opening, and other macroeconomic issues that hindered Sri Lanka's economic activity.

Loss after taxes totaled Rs. 3, 982Mn, which was 505% more than the previous year's loss. The sum of the equity investors' post-tax loss was Rs. 4,077Mn.

 

4.4.4 Profit for the year

 

Group In ongoing operations, the loss after tax was Rs 1,628 mn as opposed to Rs 623 million in the 2017.

This was principally brought on by increased import prices for LPG, rising costs for selling and distributing it, and growing borrowing charges. The group recorded a profit of Rs 296 million from terminated operations due to the sale of the non-core businesses.

 

 

4.5

Figure 08: Horizontal Analysis on Statement of Financial Position


 Horizontal Analysis on Statement of Financial Position

 

Figure 09:  Trend Analysis (2018-2022)

 

4.5.1 Total Non-Current Assets

 

In the financial year 2017/2018 a decrease by 22% recorded in non-current assets compare to the base year 2017. With the sale of the group's non-core businesses, the group's assets, which totaled Rs 31,395mn, decreased by (12%) from the previous year. Total assets grew by 13% to Rs.35bn as we invested Rs.6.5bn in enhancing our capacity with the bulk of it invested in the LPG Import/Export Terminal. (Annual Report, 2019) Total assets of the Group increased by 37% to Rs. 57,703Mn. Non-current assets, forming 89% of Group assets increased to Rs. 51,162Mn.The net book value of property, plant and equipment amounted to Rs. 42, 010Mn, an increase of Rs.14,900Mn due to revaluation of assets and benefiting from foreign currency appreciation.

 

4.5.2 Total Current Assets

 

Total current assets recorded continues year on year growth from 2017 to 2022. During  the period current assets has decreased to 87% in 2020 and increase to maximum of 123% in 2018. Current assets primarily driven by inventories and trade and other receivables decreased by 20% to Rs. 6,540Mn. Value of inventory decreased to Rs. 1,941Mn compared to Rs. 2,956Mn. Trade and other receivables declined by 24% to Rs. 3,420Mn. (Annual Report, 2022)

 

4.5.3 Total Assets

 

Total assets increased by 13% to Rs.35 billion as LAUGFS invested Rs.6.5 billion in expanding our capacity, the majority of which was put in the LPG Import/Export Terminal in 2018. In 2022, the Group's total assets increased by 37% to Rs. 57,703Mn. Assets increased by 3% to Rs. 45,431Mn in 2021. Total assets increased by 12% to Rs. 39.7 billion in 2020 due to the acquisition of our own fleet of gas tankers for LPG transportation, the largest LPG storage and transhipment terminal in South Asia, and bottling and distribution businesses in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Total assets increased by 13% to Rs.35 billion as we invested Rs.6.5 billion in expanding our capacity, the majority of which was put in the LPG Import/Export Terminal. With the disposal of the organization's non-core operations, group assets fell by (12%) year on year to Rs 31,395 million.

 

4.4.4 Equity

 

Total equity comprises of stated capital, other reserves and retained earnings. In 2017/18 fiscal year loss before tax increased dramatically from Rs. 915Mn to Rs. 4,570Mn this year. This was mostly brought on by a lack of supply, difficulty obtaining foreign cash for LC opening, and other macroeconomic issues that hindered Sri Lanka's economic activity. Loss after taxes totaled Rs. 3, 982Mn, which was 505% more than the previous year's loss. The sum of the equity investors' post-tax loss was Rs. 4,077Mn. Equity grew by 1,034% to Rs. 6,189Mn for the year 2022

4.4.5 Non-Current Liabilities

 

2022 Non-current liabilities, which account for 41% of total liabilities, increased by 18% to Rs. 20,941Mn as a result of currency translation losses as of the reporting date. Non-current liabilities, which account for 43% of total liabilities, fell by 2% to Rs. 17,675Mn in 2021 as long-term borrowings were repaid throughout the year. Debt obligations became due in 2020. Non-current liabilities were 17% lower at Rs. 8,425Mn.

 

4.4.6 Current Liabilities

 

2022 Current liabilities climbed by 28% to Rs. 30,572Mn during the fiscal year as trade payables, interest bearing loans and borrowings, and income tax payables increased. 2021 Current liabilities climbed by 14% to Rs. 23,825Mn during the fiscal year, as trade payables and short-term borrowings increased. Since 2018, the current liabilities have constantly increased in comparison to the base year.

 

4.4.7 Total Equity and Liabilities

 

Equity dropped by 31% to Rs. 546 million as retained losses increased to Rs. 3,192 million from Rs. 2,336 million in 2020.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.6  Ratio Analysis

Ratio analysis is a quantitative method of gaining insight into a company's profitability, operational efficiency, and liquidity by studying its financial statements such as the balance sheet and income statement. Ratio analysis is a cornerstone of fundamental equity analysis.

Investors and analysts employ ratio analysis to evaluate the financial health of companies by scrutinizing past and current financial statements. Comparative data can demonstrate how a company is performing over time and can be used to estimate likely future performance. This data can also compare a company's financial standing with industry averages while measuring how a company stacks up against others within the same sector.

The ratio analysis is mainly used in two major ways.

           Trend analysis

Compare the financial ratios of the company over a period to determine the trend of the business.

           Industry comparison

The company ratios compare and analysis with the competing industries to access the present position of the company.

These ratios can be mainly segregate in to five main categories.

·         Profitability Ratios

·         Efficiency Ratios

·         Liquidity Ratios

·         Solvency Ratios

·         Market Performance Ratios

 

In this report the financial ratios of the Convenience Foods (Lanka) PLC are analyzed and interpreted.

 

 

 

4.6.1 Profitability Ratios

 

Every company's primary priority is its profitability. Profitability ratios are one of the most commonly utilized methods in financial ratio analysis. They are used to discover the bottom line for the company's managers and the return on equity for its investors. Profitability metrics are crucial to both firm managers and owners.  In order to drive the business in the right direction, management must have a gauge of profitability. If a corporation has outside investors who have purchased stock in the company, management must demonstrate profitability to those equity investors.

Profitability Ratios

2017/2018

2018/2019

2019/2020

2020/2021

2021/2022

Return on Equity

-36%

-100%

-174%

-99%

-118%

Return on Assets

0.11%

1.53%

0.76%

2.93%

1.20%

Gross Profit Margin

10.04%

13.22%

10.38%

10.51%

0.98%

Net Profit Margin

-7.62%

-5.21%

-6.21%

-1.85%

-11.51%

Figure 10: Profitability Ratios Comparison

 

Return on Equity

A financial indicator based on shareholders' equity that gauges a company's profitability and efficiency in generating profits for its shareholders. Investors and analysts frequently use it to evaluate a company's performance and capacity to properly use its equity capital.

In 2017/2018 fiscal year the return on equity was at -36%. The following 4 years also shows a negative return on equity showing a poor financial health over the years. The fiscal year 2019/20 marked the worst return on equity. This however coincide with the global Covid -19 pandemic and the easter bombing.

 

Return on Asset

A financial ratio that compares a company's profitability to its total assets. It reveals how successfully a company's assets are being used to generate profits.

 

The Return on Assets does not show much variation over the last 5 years and LAUGFS PLC maintains a lower ROA which is observed in this market sector. The changes observed on the return on investment were a low of 0.11% in 2017/2018 and a high of 2.93% in 2020/21.This also indicates the utilization of assets to generate income has been fairly consistent.

 

Gross Profit

The gross profit margin of an organization is a measure of its profitability that is computed as the gross profit as a percentage of revenue. The amount available after deducting the cost of goods sold (COGS) or direct costs of earning revenue from revenue is the gross profit.

 

 

The gross profit margin through the years of LAUGH PLC 2018/2019,2019/20, 2020/21 shows a consistent gross profit margin in to maximum noted in 2019/2020 and a minimum noted in 2017/18. This indicates an insight into the efficiency of LAUGFS production and sales processes. This gross profit indicates that the LAUGFS is able to sell its products at a price higher than the cost to produce them, which is a positive sign of profitability. However this has not observed in 2021/22 due to several variables influenced the Group's costs during the year. Currency depreciation, contract price volatility in the global market.

 

Net Profit

A financial measurement that reflects the percentage of a company's income that is converted into net profit after deducting all expenses such as operational costs, taxes, interest, and other related charges. It is an important profitability ratio used to evaluate an organization's ability to generate profit from its operations.

 

 

The net profit of the Group shows a continuous loss over the last 5 year period. The highest net loss was observed in the fiscal year 2021/2022 and the lower net loss was noted in the fiscal year 2017/18.

 

Figure 11: Gross Profit and Net Profit Comparison

 

 

4.6.2 Efficiency ratios

 

Efficiency ratios are financial indicators that measure how well a business uses its resources in order to generate revenue, manage assets, and control expenses. These ratios contribute in determining a company's overall operational efficiency and effectiveness. Different efficiency ratios concentrate on different parts of a company's operations and are frequently used to assess a company's performance over time or against its competitors.

 

Efficiency Ratios

2017/2018

2018/2019

2019/2020

2020/2021

2021/2022

Accounts Receivable Turnover

         5.15

         6.15

         7.05

         8.29

         8.76

Merchandise Turnover

       12.84

       12.39

       13.91

       14.03

       13.99

Debtor Collection Period (Days)

            71

            59

            52

            44

            42

Inventory Holding Period (Days)

            28

            29

            26

            26

            26

Asset Turnover Ratio

         0.64

Figure 12: Efficiency Ratios and Average

         0.75

         0.72

         0.87

         0.69

 

 

Asset Turnover Ratio

 

The Asset Turnover Ratio is a financial metric that measures a company's ability to generate sales revenue from its assets. It assesses how successfully a corporation uses its assets to generate sales.

 

Figure 13: Asset Turnover times

 

Figure 12: Efficiency Ratios and Average

 

LAUGHS PLC maintains a fairly consistent Asset Turnover Ratio averaging to 0.75 times. However in 2021/2 it shows a lowest Asset Turnover of 0.69 showing the inefficient asset management of the company.

 

Merchandise Turnover Ratio

The ratio indicates how many times a company's inventory was sold and replenished during a particular time frame. This ratio is critical for making pricing, production, and purchasing new inventory decisions.

LAUGHS on a average sells it entire inventory LAUGFS maintain appropriate liquidity through implementing strong inventory management systems, centralizing credit management, and regularly evaluating the Group's liquidity needs.

 

Working Capital Cycle

The Working Capital Cycle (WCC), also known as the Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC), is a financial indicator that evaluates how long it takes a company to convert its investment in inventory and other current assets into cash by selling products and receiving payments from consumers. It is a key metric for determining a company's operational efficiency and liquidity.

Accounts Receivable Turnover

Accounts Receivable Turnover is a financial metric that indicates how well a company manages its receivables, or the values due by consumers for goods or services offered on credit. This ratio indicates how rapidly a corporation collects outstanding receivables over a specified time period, usually a year.

4.6.3 Gearing Ratios/Solvency Ratios

Figure 14: Liquidity Ratios and Average

 


Liquidity Ratios

2017/2018

2018/2019

2019/2020

2020/2021

2021/2022

Current Ratio

         0.75

         0.47

         0.31

         0.34

         0.21

Quick Asset/Acid Test Ratio

         0.62

         0.35

         0.23

         0.22

         0.15

 

Current Ratio

It is a financial indicator that measures a company's capacity to cover its short-term commitments with its short-term assets. It is a widely used indication of a company's financial health and ability to satisfy future obligations.

The Group's current ratio dropped to 0.21 times. In comparison to 2021, the Group's fast assets ratio decreased to 0.15 times from 0.22 times.

 

Quick Ratio

The Quick Ratio, also referred to as the Acid-Test Ratio, is a financial indicator used to analyze a company's short-term liquidity as well as capability to meet its most liquid financial obligations. Because it eliminates inventory and other less liquid assets from the computation, it is a more strict measure of liquidity than the current ratio.

Figure 16: Solvency Ratios and Average

Figure 15: Current Ratio and Quick Asset Ratio comparison

 

Gearing ratio / Solvency ratio

The gearing ratio and solvency ratio are financial measurements that are used to evaluate a company's financial leverage and capacity to satisfy long-term debt obligations. These ratios provide information on the capital structure and general financial health of the company.

The gearing ratio, commonly known as the debt-to-equity ratio, calculates the percentage of a company's total capital that is financed by debt versus equity. It is computed by dividing total debt by shareholders' equity.

The solvency ratio evaluates a company's capacity to meet long-term debt obligations by comparing total assets to total liabilities. It shows how much the company's assets would cover its liabilities in the case of bankruptcy.

 

Solvency Ratios

2017/2018

2018/2019

2019/2020

2020/2021

2021/2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

Debt Ratio

95.41%

96.74%

98.02%

98.70%

89.27%

Equity Ratio

4.59%

3.26%

1.98%

1.30%

10.73%

Times Interest Earned

0.020575

Figure 16: Solvency Ratios and Average

0.263548

0.117182

0.535132

0.263819

 

Figure 16: Solvency Ratios and Average comparison

 

Debt Ratio

The debt ratio, often known as the debt-to-equity ratio, is a financial indicator that compares a company's total debt to total equity. It reveals the company's leverage or financial risk by demonstrating how much of its assets are funded by debt versus equity.

 

LAUGFS is maintaining the debt ratio below 1 translates to the fact that a greater portion of a company's assets is funded by equity.

 

Time Interest Earned

TIE, also known as the Interest Coverage Ratio, is a financial statistic used to analyze a company's capacity to cover interest payments on outstanding debt. It assesses the company's ability to generate sufficient operating income to cover its interest costs.

 

Figure 17: Interest Cover comparison

 

The firm is able to repay interest on financial obligations’ minimum 55 times from earnings before interest and tax.

 

Equity Ratio

The equity ratio, also known as the equity-to-assets ratio or the shareholder's equity ratio, is a financial indicator that is used to evaluate a company's financial stability and leverage. It reveals the percentage of a company's total assets that are funded by shareholders' equity rather than debt or liabilities.

 

4.6.4 Market Performance Ratios

 

Figure 17: Interest Cover comparison

Market performance ratios are financial indicators that assist investors and analysts in determining the performance and health of a company's stock in financial markets. These ratios indicates how effectively a company is performing in comparison to its rivals, its previous performance, and broader market trends.

Market Performance Ratios

2017/2018

2018/2019

2019/2020

2020/2021

2021/2022

Price Earnings Ratio (Times)

-2.4878

-2.80394

-1.98769

-5.79859

-1.65192

Dividend Yield

-421.00%

-345.00%

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

Figure 18: Market Performance Ratios

Basic Earnings Per Share

      (5.31)

      (4.23)

      (5.51)

      (2.15)

   (12.98)

Earnings Per Share

Earnings Per Share (EPS) is a financial measurement that shows the percentage of a company's earnings that is given to each outstanding share of common stock. It is an important measure of a company's profitability, and investors, analysts, and shareholders frequently use it to evaluate a company's financial performance on a per-share basis.

 

Dividend Yield

Dividend yield is a financial indicator that expresses the annual dividend income an investor can expect to earn from an investment as a proportion of the investment's current market price. It allows investors to compare the income potential of a dividend-paying stock or investment to its market value. Dividend yield is frequently employed by income-seeking investors, such as retirees or income-focused portfolios.

 

Price to Earnings Ratio

The Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio is a financial measurement used to determine a company's stock's relative value. Investors frequently use the P/E ratio to determine how pricey or cheap a stock is in relation to its earnings potential.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.0           Conclusion

 

This report was created to examine LAUGFS GAS PLC's financial performance. For the years 2017/2018 through 2021/2022, methodologies such as Vertical Analysis, Horizontal Analysis, and Ratio Analysis were used. According to the report, the firm is financially secure and has maintained its market leader position in the LPG sector.

The year 2018-2022 under consideration has presented challenges to the LP gas sector, as the country's economic slump has put strain on local foreign exchange reserves. Due to a lack of foreign cash for LPG purchases, LAUGFS Gas, the only private sector LP gas supplier to the Sri Lankan market, had acute constraints in meeting local demand. This had a detrimental impact on the Company's and Group's overall financial performance since sales and distribution activities were constrained by available supply. The performance of the 2021/22 fiscal year must thus be considered in the light of the overall country condition and ability to meet LP gas import requirements.

Despite the authorities lifting the maximum price cap, downstream operations in Sri Lanka have lost revenues over the last five years due to uncertain macroeconomic conditions.

The operations in Sri Lanka generate 27% of the Group's income, and the affected downstream operations had a substantial influence on the company's overall performance.

 

 

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