Ranganath Mavinakere
Analyst · Joseph Foresi from Cantor. Please go ahead
Thanks, Pravin. Hello everyone. In Q1, we had broad based financial performance on multiple trends, and we continued our trajectory on key financial parameters. Let me start with a few of them. First, our operating margin for the quarter was 23.7% at the higher end of margin guidance of 22% to 24%. I will provide more color on this shortly. Second, free cash flow was robust and was up 32.1% quarter-on-quarter to $552 million. Third, our return on equity further improved and was healthy at 25.5%, and increased from 22% of Q1 in last year. Fourth, EPS growth year-on-year was 3.9% in dollar terms and 9.1% in rupee terms. Fifth, due to continued productivity improvement, utilization and increase in digital share, revenue per employee increased year-on-year 5.7% to 54,878 which is one of the highest in recent years. Salil and Pravin have already talked about digital revenues, deal wins, client metrics, and business outlook. Now let me come to revenues, price realization and margins. Revenues in Q1 ’19 were $2,831 million, growth of 2.3% in constant currency terms and 0.9% in dollar terms on quarter-on-quarter basis. In rupee terms, the revenue for the quarter was INR19, 128 crores, which is a sequential growth of 5.8%. As compared to Q1 of last year, revenues grew 6% in constant currency terms, 6.8% in dollar terms, and 12% in rupee terms. Price realization remained flat in constant currency terms on a quarter-to-quarter basis. Operating efficiency parameters continued to improve. Utilization was at a new high of 85.7% as compared to 84.7% last quarter. Our continued efforts towards improvement of on-site mix resulted in the onsite mix decreasing further to 28.6% this quarter as compared to 30.1% same quarter last year . This is the lowest level in the last 14 quarters. Our focus on optimizing onsite employee costs, including sharper focus on productivity, onsite pyramid levels, localization and optimization measures led to a decrease in the onsite employee costs as a percentage of revenue to 37.9% in Q1 as compared to 38.3% in the previous quarter. At the beginning of the financial year, we had planned several investments in digital to leverage opportunities, enhance investments in U.S. talent localization, and other local markets, revitalized teams for tapping market opportunities, and repurpose [ph] talent. These investments are being made in a gradual manner to leverage business opportunities. Operating margin in Q1 was 23.7%, which is near the high end of the guidance range of 22% to 24%. Operating margin for the quarter declined 100 basis points sequentially. During the quarter, the benefits of rupee depreciation were partially offset by cross currency headwinds, leading to a net benefit of 100 basis points on the currency front. This was fully offset by the compensation increases that were effective at April 1 for 85% of our employees. Operating parameters, including utilization and onsite/offshore mix improved during the quarter, which helped operating margins by 40 basis points. However, that was offset by investments in building onsite talent supply chain, including sub-contractors, higher sales investments, cost of new H1 visas, and an increase in other business overheads, all of which impacted margins by 140 basis points. So overall, there was a 100 basis points reduction in operating margin sequentially. We ended the quarter with a total headcount of 209,905 employees, which is an increase of 2.8% from last quarter. Gross headcount addition increased to 17,709 from 12,329 last quarter. The sub-contractor expenses this quarter stood at 6.8% of revenue as compared to 6.1% of revenue last quarter. As you know, the sub-contractor expenses are driven primarily by utilization levels and onsite talent demand. Cash generated from operating activities in Q1 as per IFRS consolidated was $631 million and we paid $64 million of taxes as per the APA entered into United States IRS earlier in 2018. Capital expenditure for the quarter was $79 million, which is about INR537 crores. Free cash flow, which is operating cash flow less CapEx for the quarter was $552 million. Cash and cash equivalents including investments stood at $4,202 million, which converts to approximately INR28,774 crores. Day sales outstanding for the quarter stood at 66 days compared to 67 days last quarter, decrease of one day led by better collections. Q1 witnessed huge volatility in currency markets and we managed to navigate the same effectively. Yield on cash for the quarter was 7.2% as compared to 7.29% last quarter. Hedge position as of June 30 was $1,956 million. In Q1, the EPS declined 6.5% sequentially in dollar terms and 2.1% in INR terms. As compared to Q1 of last year, EPS growth stood at 3.9% in dollar terms and 9.1% in INR terms. As you would recall that in March 2018, based on the conclusion of strategic review of portfolio of businesses, we had initiated identification and the valuation of potential buyers for Panaya and Skava and reclassified their assets and liabilities as held for sale. During the quarter, we continued negotiations with potential buyers of Panaya. On re-measurement, including consideration of progress negotiations on offers from prospective buyers for Panaya, the company has recorded a reduction in the value of disposal group held for sale amounting $39 million in respect of Panaya. This impacted the net profit for the quarter by $39 million, and EPS for the quarter by $0.02. During the quarter, the Company executed its capital allocation policy announced earlier by paying a final dividend of 20.5 shares. With this, dividend paid to shareholders for fiscal ’18, the 70% of free cash flow was distributed in line with the capital allocation policy. The Company also took steps executing the capital allocation policy announced in April 2018. As per the policy, out of the $2 billion identified to be paid to shareholders, approximately $400 million was paid out as special dividend in June 2018. The balance amount of $1.6 billion will be paid out to shareholders for fiscal 2019 in such manner to be decided by the Board. Further updates on this will be provided in due course. The Board in its meeting held on July 13 has considered, approved, and recommended a bonus issue of one equity share for every equity share held, and a stock dividend of one American Depositary Share for every American Depositary Share held, as on the record date yet to be determined. Consequently, the ratio of equity shares underlying the ADS’ held by the American Depositary Receipt holder would remain unchanged. The Board approved and recommended the issue of bonus shares to celebrate the 25th year of Company’s public listing in India, and to further increase the liquidity of its shares. The bonus issue of equity shares and ADS will be subject to the approval of shareholders and any other applicable statutory and regulatory approvals. We voluntarily delisted our ADS from Euronext Paris and London. The primary reason for voluntary delisting from Euronext Paris and London was the low average daily trading volume of Infosys’ ADS on these exchanges, which was not commensurate with the related administrative expenses. However, our ADS will continue to be listed and traded in New York Stock Exchange as before. Coming to operating margin guidance for fiscal '19, we’re retaining our operating margin guidance in the range of 22% to 24%. Coming to revenue guidance, in constant currency terms, we continue to retain 68%, and based on March 31, 2018 rate, we retained in U.S. dollar terms 7% to 9%. With that, we will open the floor for questions.