Zomato Limited (ZOMATO)

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Summary from August 2024

Zomato Q1FY25 Earnings Conference Call Summary

Key Management Representatives • CEO: Deepinder Goyal • CFO: Akshant Goyal

Conference Call HighlightsForward-Looking Statements: Reminder issued at the start. • Q&A Session: Analysts posed various questions regarding business performance.

Food Delivery BusinessGrowth: Year-over-year growth of 20-28% expected. • Margin Targets: Focus on sustainable growth rather than strict timelines. • Zomato Gold: Significant contribution to overall growth.

Quick Commerce SegmentProfitability: Confidence in long-term profitability despite short-term challenges. • New "District" App: Separate app to leverage Zomato's traffic for customer acquisition.

Operational InsightsCost Dynamics: Management provided insights into operational costs and future updates. • Capital Expenditure: Increased due to Blinkit store expansion and warehousing capacity.

Strategic QuestionsStore Expansion: Plans to grow from 1,000 to 2,000 stores, reflecting confidence in growth opportunities. • Market Share: Significant growth in South India, nearing national average.

Challenges and ConsiderationsGovernment Plans: Uncertainty regarding social security benefits for delivery partners; minimal expected impact on margins. • Execution Hurdles: Challenges in scaling store count in quick commerce.

Financial ManagementCash Accumulation: Emphasis on maintaining a strong balance sheet; no current plans for cash distribution to shareholders. • Bank Guarantees: Used to support partners without recognizing them as revenue.

Conclusion • Positive remarks on company performance and confidence in maintaining growth despite external challenges.

Summary from May 2024

Zomato Limited Q4FY24 Earnings Conference Call Summary

Key Management Representatives • CEO: Deepinder Goyal • CFO: Akshant Goyal • CEO of Blinkit: Albinder Singh Dhindsa

Conference Call HighlightsForward-Looking Statements: Reminder issued at the start. • Q&A Session: Analysts posed questions on various topics.

Quick Commerce SegmentStore Count Plans: Aim to double store count within a year. • Breakeven Expectations: Breakeven times may exceed two months but are included in projections. • Growth Trends: Quick commerce expected to continue strong growth compared to food delivery.

Blinkit OperationsFocus on Optimization: Current operations prioritized over expansion into new areas. • Store Expansion: Aggressive rollout plans with a focus on quality service. • Average Order Value (AOV): Seasonal factors affect AOV; improvements in take rates noted.

Financial PerformanceGrowth Trajectory: Year-over-year growth rates decreased from 146% to 99%. • Margin Improvements: Margins improved from negative 9% to negative 2%. • Employee Costs: Reduction in employee costs as a percentage of adjusted revenue from 29% in FY22 to 12% in FY24.

Strategic InsightsService Quality Focus: Emphasis on high-quality services over discounting strategies. • Competitive Dynamics: Confidence in service quality to capture growth despite competition. • Advertising Revenue: Expected growth in Blinkit's advertising revenue, significant for unit economics.

Future OutlookExpansion Plans: Gradual expansion of Zomato Everyday beyond Gurgaon. • Store Additions: Healthy pipeline for new store openings; potential missteps acknowledged. • Innovation in Quick Commerce: Continuous innovation identified as a key concern for the next 12 to 18 months.

ConclusionOptimism for Growth: Overall positive outlook on growth trajectory and Blinkit's performance. • Thank You to Participants: Call concluded with appreciation for attendees.

Summary from February 2024

Zomato Limited Q3FY24 Earnings Conference Call Summary

Key Management Representatives • CFO: Akshant Goyal • Blinkit CEO: Albinder Singh Dhindsa • Head of Corporate Development: Kunal Swarup

Growth Guidance • Expected Adjusted Revenue growth: • Over 40% year-on-year • Potentially exceeding 50% in upcoming quarters • Caution against specific guidance for individual business segments

Analyst Questions and InsightsTake Rates and Revenue: • Slight decline in take rates; increase in platform fees and advertisements. • Monthly Transacting Users (MTU): • Focus on increasing transaction frequency to drive MTU growth. • Blinkit Business Model: • Average Order Value (AOV) influenced by product assortment.

Store Expansion and Revenue Impact • New stores added only when existing stores reach 50%-60% utilization. • Breakeven time for new stores reduced to two months, but predicting 5% contribution margin remains challenging.

Capital Usage and Growth Strategy • No new capital allocation plans; focus on existing initiatives. • Commitment to breakeven strategy for quick commerce to reduce capital consumption.

Advertising and Expenses • Improved ad monetization per order is a derived metric. • Rising expenses in dining attributed to restaurant acquisitions and team building.

Quick Commerce Growth Sustainability • Growth driven by increased coverage, not tightly linked to consumer demand.

Restaurant Commission Rates • Potential increases depend on multiple factors, including advertising and platform fees.

Fixed Costs and Seasonal Expenses • Slight increase in fixed costs due to seasonal marketing and tech infrastructure costs.

Blinkit Strategy • Focus on rupee value rather than percentage take rates. • Cash usage remains focused on business growth; no immediate plans for dividends or buybacks.

Conclusion • Emphasis on growth over margin enhancement; near-term EBITDA margin target of 4% to 5%. • Confidence in maintaining margin expansion alongside growth, with future adjustments possible.

Summary from November 2023

Zomato Q2FY24 Earnings Conference Call Summary

Key Management Attendees • CFO Akshant Goyal • CEO of Blinkit Albinder Dhindsa

Conference Call Overview • Date: November 3, 2023 • Format: Q&A session following a reminder about forward-looking statements

Key Topics DiscussedFood Take Rates • Increase attributed to platform fees and improved ad monetization • Platform fee likely to remain but may be adjusted over time

Loyalty Program • Strategic pricing influenced by competition • Majority of new Zomato Gold members are existing customers

Growth Expectations • Anticipated 25-30% year-over-year growth in food delivery • Blinkit experiencing strong growth with selective city expansion

Contribution Margins • Improvements due to increased revenue per order despite rising delivery costs • Gold membership at 20% of monthly transacting customers, slower growth expected

Blinkit InsightsBreakeven Timeline • Varies by location; recent openings did not significantly impact margins

Synergies with Hyperpure • Benefits in infrastructure and sourcing, especially for fresh produce

Advertising Income • Significant driver of take rates; fluctuations expected based on market conditions

Financial AspectsWorking Capital • Reduction attributed to quarter-end timing affecting payables and liabilities • Similar working capital intensity between Blinkit and food delivery

Fixed Costs for Blinkit • 35% quarter-on-quarter increase due to base effects from previous disruptions

Competitive DynamicsMarket Positioning • Strong competition in quick commerce, including from major players like Amazon • Zomato aims to be a category creator rather than benchmarking against competitors

Conclusion • The call highlighted Zomato's strategic focus on growth, profitability, and competitive positioning in the food delivery and quick commerce sectors.

Summary from August 2023

Zomato Limited Q1FY24 Earnings Conference Call Summary

Key Management Representatives • CEO: Deepinder Goyal • CFO: Akshant Goyal

Key Topics Discussed

Growth Factors

• Minimal impact of IPL on business growth. • 11% quarter-over-quarter growth in Gross Order Value (GOV) attributed to seasonal factors.

Average Order Value (AOV)

• Fluctuations influenced by seasonal consumption patterns and supply constraints.

Margins

• Projected stabilization of food delivery margins at 4-5% of GOV in the medium term.

Employee Expenses

• Decline linked to previous rightsizing efforts; annual pay hikes expected next quarter.

Delivery Rider Compensation

• Awaiting clarity on regulations affecting gig workers; existing payout structures maintained.

Additional InsightsRisky Bets: Personnel changes and strategic decisions like Zomato Gold were highlighted. • Growth Projections: No specific targets provided; focus on maintaining cash reserves. • Customer Additions: Healthy and robust numbers consistent with previous reports. • Revenue Guidance: Over 40% year-on-year growth expected, with strong performance in Hyperpure and Blinkit. • Food Delivery Outlook: Confidence in achieving 25-30% growth in food delivery revenue.

Quick Commerce Developments • Plans for 100 new store additions in high-volume areas.

Financial Metrics • 200-basis point increase in take rates attributed to growing ad sales. • Impact of recent floods on service capabilities acknowledged.

Strategic Considerations • No plans for implementing a platform fee currently. • Increase in restaurant count despite a reduction in cities served due to new restaurant onboarding.

Conclusion • The call emphasized Zomato's focus on navigating market dynamics, managing costs, and optimizing growth strategies amidst evolving industry conditions.

Summary from May 2023

Zomato Limited Earnings Conference Call Summary (May 19, 2023)

Financial Performance Highlights • Achieved profitability in core food delivery business. • Improved cost management and revenue growth noted. • Modest sequential growth forecast for the upcoming quarter.

User Engagement and Membership Insights • 30% of users opted for Zomato Gold membership; order frequency for non-Gold members remained flat. • Concerns raised about the decline in monthly active users (MTUs) due to city shutdowns and customer churn.

Macroeconomic Factors and Profitability • Profitability improvements achieved without sacrificing growth. • Key levers like delivery charges and radius remained stable.

Blinkit Business Update • Minimal disruptions reported; operations returning to normal. • Technological advancements in inventory and supply chain management highlighted.

Gold Program and Contribution Margins • Gold program has a fee; pricing will be optimized based on customer behavior. • Contribution margins expected to improve through reduced delivery costs and increased revenue.

Revenue Accounting and Employee Expenses • Revenue reported net of discounts, leading to decreased figures. • Decrease in employee expenses attributed to reduced ESOP charges.

Working Capital and Store Openings • Significant changes in working capital due to reduced current liabilities. • Store openings on track with guidance despite occasional closures.

Average Order Values and Partnerships • Power customers have higher average order values. • EV partnerships aimed at promoting sustainability.

Competitive Landscape and Market Growth • Market still has room for growth despite competitive pressures. • Generative AI being used for recipe discovery platform development.

Hyperpure Business Growth Plans • Continued growth expected with decreasing losses. • Focus on profitability in current cities before expansion.

Treasury Income and City Contributions • High treasury income attributed to investment nature and cash flow variations. • Contribution from top cities remains stable; average order value (AOV) has increased.

Dark Store Integration and Future Plans • Integration of Hyperpure with Blinkit for fresh supply chain development. • Target of 30% to 40% increase in dark store count in the next fiscal year.

Dining Out Business Update • Dining out business is growing but remains small in overall financial impact.

Summary from February 2023

Zomato Limited Q3FY23 Earnings Conference Call Summary

Overview • Date: February 10, 2023 • Participants: CEO Deepinder Goyal, CFO Akshant Goyal, and other key management. • Focus: Growth, profitability, market share, and strategic initiatives.

Key InsightsGrowth and Profitability • Recent growth slowdown attributed to macroeconomic factors, not market share loss. • Profitability achieved through margin expansion despite lower growth. • Trade-off acknowledged between growth and profitability.

Zomato Gold and Membership Program • Discussion on Zomato Gold's performance and potential integration with Blinkit. • Importance of customer retention highlighted; ongoing investments in customer acquisition.

Order Volume and Take Rate • Analysts inquired about order volume growth, average order value (AOV), and take rate stability. • Room for improvement in take rate indicated.

Sector PerformanceQuick Service Restaurant (QSR) Sector • Consumption slowdown observed across various cuisines and geographies. • Individual restaurant performance varies based on marketing and new openings.

Customer Dynamics • High-frequency users increased, but new customers order less frequently initially. • Rising operating costs attributed to seasonal marketing and tech expenses.

Blinkit PerformanceConsumer Demand and Growth • Blinkit shows healthy customer growth and order frequency, but a 3% decline in average ticket size noted. • Focus on becoming contribution positive with a current -4.5% contribution margin.

Strategic Initiatives • Zomato Everyday initiative aimed at increasing order frequency among existing customers. • Optimism about Blinkit achieving profitability sooner than expected.

Competitive LandscapeMarket Competition • Strong competition in quick commerce; Zomato focused on growth strategy without immediate acquisitions. • Recent drop in Blinkit's dark store count due to lease expirations, with plans to increase store numbers.

Marketing and Brand EfficiencyMarketing Strategies • Different marketing channels have varying effectiveness; continuous evaluation emphasized. • Key performance indicators: overall business growth, profitability, and stakeholder NPS.

ConclusionFuture Outlook • Confidence in long-term growth despite current macroeconomic challenges. • Leadership roles shared among existing leaders while seeking new talent.