Sub-sector: Diversified Conglomerates
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Fundamental View
AS OF 29 Apr 2025We are comfortable with Reliance’s large diversified scale of operations and dominant presence in various key sectors (refining, petrochemicals, retail and telecom), which allows for earnings resilience.
We believe a lackluster oils-to-chemicals outlook is well mitigated by strong outlooks for telecom and retail.
Plans to ramp up its renewable energy business could provide the next leg of growth and improve ESG perception.
Reliance incurs significant capex that has weighed on free cash flow generation, though we acknowledge its historically prudent financial management and robust credit metrics that provide ample elbowroom for some credit profile deterioration.
Business Description
AS OF 29 Apr 2025- RIL is an Indian diversified conglomerate engaged in oil & gas refining, marketing, petrochemicals, organized retail, telecom and digital services, amongst others. It is the largest company in India by revenue, profits, exports and market capitalization (INR 20 tn).
- It is the second largest refiner in India and produces petroleum products such as petrol, high-speed diesel (HSD), aviation turbine fuel (ATF), LPG and lubricants.
- It is the largest petrochemicals producer in India, boasting production of ~38 mn tons in FY20. Through its integrated Jamnagar refinery complex, it produces Polymers/Plastics, Elastomers (synthetic rubber) and Polyester products.
- It is the largest retailer in India in terms of revenue. It operates 18.8k stores (as of March 2024) to sell products ranging from consumer electronics, fashion and lifestyle, grocery, petrol retail and telecom and digital services. It launched its online retail channel, 'JioMart', in December 2019.
- Reliance Jio is the largest mobile telecom operator by subscriber base (482 mn as of March 2024) in India and boasts the widest 4G wireless network in the country.
- In 2021, RIL announced investments to the tune of INR 750 bn/ $10 bn (for next 3 years) to build a renewable energy ecosystem which will include 4 giga factories. Set to be located in Gujarat, the factories will produce solar modules, hydrogen, fuel cells and battery grid to store electricity. Long-term goals also include building 100 GW of PV solar plants by 2030.
Risk & Catalysts
AS OF 29 Apr 2025Reliance’s O2C (oil-to chemicals) margins remain under pressure from global tariff-led growth slowdown concerns and persisting oversupply conditions in China.
Reliance incurs significant capex at historically high levels, particularly from continued investments into its O2C, retail, and nascent renewables businesses. This has weighed on its free cash flow generation, though we take comfort in Reliance’s historically prudent financial management and robust credit metrics.
Reliance faces key-person risk; 65-year old Chairman Mukesh Ambani has begun to hand over the reins of the company’s different business divisions to his children.
Key Metric
AS OF 29 Apr 2025INR bn | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Debt to Book Cap | 25.9% | 26.4% | 35.3% | 33.1% | 31.9% |
Net Debt to Book Cap | 24.3% | 23.4% | 29.9% | 26.1% | 24.8% |
Debt/Total Equity | 34.9% | 35.9% | 54.5% | 49.6% | 46.9% |
Debt/Total Assets | 21.1% | 21.3% | 28.1% | 26.1% | 24.3% |
Gross Leverage | 3.5x | 2.9x | 3.2x | 2.8x | 2.9x |
Net Leverage | 3.2x | 2.6x | 2.7x | 2.2x | 2.2x |
Interest Coverage | 3.1x | 5.7x | 5.0x | 7.0x | 6.8x |
EBITDA Margin | 16.6% | 15.3% | 15.9% | 17.7% | 16.9% |
CreditSight View Comment
AS OF 29 Apr 2025We have a Market perform recommendation on Reliance (RIL); we prefer its 2032 and would avoid its 2045 and 2052. We see room for RIL 2032 to tighten 10-15 bp versus Bharti 2031 and PTTGC 2032. We like RIL’s large diversified operations and dominant market shares in key sectors (refining, retail and telecom) that boosts earnings resilience. Its growing renewable business could aid ESG investor sentiment too. While we acknowledge persisting weakness in the O2C segment and RIL’s elevated capex needs, we think the impact is mitigated by RIL’s prudent financial management and healthy credit metrics that provide ample elbowroom for some credit profile deterioration. While key man risk remains a concern, we take comfort in gradually progressing succession plans.
Recommendation Reviewed: April 29, 2025
Recommendation Changed: June 30, 2021
Who We Recommend
International Container Terminal Services Inc
BDO Unibank
Woori Financial Group


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Fundamental View
AS OF 22 Apr 2025SMC’s FY24 earnings and credit metrics EBITDA improved YoY as we had expected from resilient broad-based demand recovery, lower thermal coal input costs, new project contributions, and good cost control measures.
We are comfortable with SMC’s large diversified operations and dominant market share in key sectors, which could outweigh its persisting high airport and infrastructure capex.
We see low non-call risk for the c.2025 and c.2026 perps in the SMC complex, given SMC’s strong ability and willingness to repay earlier perps at SMC GP, good access to diverse funding channels, and deep reputational concerns upon a non-call.
Business Description
AS OF 22 Apr 2025- SMC is a massive conglomerate in the Philippines with business interests across six business segments: Food & Beverage (F&B), fuel refining and retailing, power, packaging, infrastructure, and others.
- Its F&B business is operated through San Miguel Food & Beverage, the largest F&B company in the Philippines with three main divisions: Beer and Non-alcoholic Beverage (including beers and juices), Spirits (gin and Chinese wine), and Food (including packaged foods, animal feeds, poultry and fresh meats).
- SMC’s fuel refining and retailing business is operated through Petron Corporation (~68% stake), the largest oil refining and retailing company in the Philippines, and one of the largest in Malaysia. Petron has a total refining capacity of ~268k barrels/day.
- SMC’s power business is operated through SMC Global Power Holdings (SMC GP, 100% stake), one of the largest power generating companies in the Philippines. It maintains a diversified portfolio across coal (62%), natural gas (26%), and renewable energy (12%) sources.
- Through its packaging business, it manufactures glass containers, plastic crates, pellets, bottles and caps, aluminium cans, and other types of packaging products.
- It operates its Infrastructure business through San Miguel Holdings Corp (SMHC), in which it holds a 100% stake. It currently operates ~190 km of toll roads in the country, connecting high-traffic, arterial routes in Luzon.
Risk & Catalysts
AS OF 22 Apr 2025SMC’s revenues are concentrated in the Philippines (~80%), which poses geographical concentration risk.
SMC incurs significant capex, particularly in its power/energy and infrastructure businesses. In October 2020, SMC began construction of the mega New Manila International Airport (requires ~PHP 750 bn of capex spread over 5-7 years). This could keep SMC’s credit metrics elevated and free cash flows in negative territory.
As a holding company, SMC is reliant on dividend upstreaming from its operating subsidiaries to service its debt, which can be difficult should the operating subsidiaries face cash flow difficulties.
SMC operates in the businesses of thermal power generation and fuel refining, which may be looked at unfavourably by some ESG-focused investors.
Key Metric
AS OF 22 Apr 2025PHP bn | FY20 | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Debt to Book Cap | 65.2% | 66.4% | 72.3% | 71.6% | 73.0% |
Net Debt to Book Cap | 46.7% | 51.7% | 58.5% | 60.4% | 61.2% |
Debt/Total Equity | 187.0% | 197.9% | 261.3% | 251.9% | 269.9% |
Debt/Total Assets | 64.1% | 65.7% | 69.8% | 68.1% | 68.2% |
Gross Leverage | 10.9x | 8.1x | 9.1x | 8.4x | 8.3x |
Net Leverage | 7.8x | 6.3x | 7.4x | 7.1x | 7.0x |
Interest Coverage | 2.1x | 3.1x | 2.8x | 2.1x | 2.1x |
EBITDA Margin | 15.5% | 17.6% | 12.2% | 13.8% | 14.0% |
CreditSight View Comment
AS OF 22 Apr 2025We have a Market perform recommendation on SMC and its sole c.Jul-25 $ perp; we see limited extension risk for SMC’s perp, yet we don’t see much price upside from current levels. SMC’s c.Jul-2025 trades close to par and fairly to Ayala Corp’s c.Sep-2026 in our view. We like SMC’s dominant market position in multiple sectors, long operating track record and diversified operations. Yet it incurs sizable airport and infrastructure capex that would likely keep its credit metrics elevated and free cash flows negative. Meanwhile, we remain watchful of SMC’s ability to support SMC GP past 2025.
Recommendation Reviewed: April 22, 2025
Recommendation Changed: April 05, 2023
Who We Recommend
International Container Terminal Services Inc
BDO Unibank
Woori Financial Group

