India's coal output remains below estimate at 58 MT in August

Coal India | CMP: Rs 219.80 | The stock added 2 percent on August 10. Coal India reported a healthy growth in its coal dispatch of 10.6 percent on-year, though it was down 1.9 percent on-quarter, at 177 million tonnes. Axis Securities said it expects average selling prices (ASP) to stay strong – up 12 percent YoY but down 2 percent QoQ (on a higher base) due to higher e-auction premium over fuel supply agreements (FSA). The broker said revenue will increase 24 percent YoY to Rs 31,321 crore. Gross profit will likely rise 107 percent YoY to Rs 9534 crore, it said. “EBITDA to increase 81 percent YoY led by higher topline, Q1 impacted by stripping activity adjustment. Margins to remain healthy on higher revenue and cost control PAT EPS to follow the EBITDA increase,” it said.

India produced 58.33 million tonnes of coal in August, missing its target of 67.94 MT for the month, according to the government data. The coal production target for August was 67.94 million tonnes (MT), according to the government's monthly statistics (provisional). The coal production target for August was 67.94 million tonnes (MT), according to the government's monthly statistics (provisional).

However, the production during last month increased by 8.27 per cent to 58.33 MT in August from 53.88 MT in the corresponding month of previous fiscal. Country's coal output in the first five months of the ongoing financial year increased to 324.39 MT as against 263.97 MT in the April-August period of the previous fiscal.

The total despatch of coal also increased by 5.41 per cent to 63.43 MT in August over 60.18 MT in the year-ago month. Amid rising demand, the supply of coal to power utilities grew by 10.84 per cent to 54.09 MT during August compared to 48.80 MT in the same month last fiscal.

The overall power generation last month was 3.14 per cent higher than that of August last fiscal. Coal-based power generation in August has been 85,785 MU in comparison to 86,039 MU in July this fiscal, registering a minor drop of 0.3 per cent.