IPO Alert: What to expect from VLCC Health Care when it goes public

The wellness and beauty services industry in India stood nearly at $10.4 billion in 2020. It has grown at a combined annual rate of 8-9% between 2017 and 2020. Over the next five years, growth is expected to accelerate to 12-14%, reaching $19.1 billion by 2025.

VLCC Health Care Ltd recently filed draft papers with the Securities and Exchange Board of India to raise funds through an initial public offering. The IPO comprises a fresh issue of equity shares worth ₹3 billion and an offer for sale of up to 8.92 million shares by promoters and shareholders.

VLCC plans to utilize ₹832.37 million from the net proceeds for setting up wellness clinics across India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and for refurbishing existing wellness clinics. A total of ₹660 million will be used for part/full repayment and/or pre-payment of certain borrowings and the interest accrued therein.

Further, ₹308 million will be used for investment in brand development and ₹400 million for investment in digital and information technology infrastructure. The remaining amount will be used for general corporate purposes.

Company Profile

VLCC Health Care Ltd is one of the largest players in the country’s wellness and beauty services industry, with the widest footprint of company-operated clinics. It made a successful transition from a wellness and beauty services company to a wellness and beauty services and products company.

The New Delhi-based company serves customers in 310 locations in 143 cities and across 12 countries in South Asia, South East Asia, GCC Region, and East Africa.

The company has created an ecosystem of comprehensive services and products, including wellness programs, weight management solutions, personal care products, nutraceutical products, and skill development programs for creating personal-care and practical training curriculum for its institutes.

Key figures

In FY21, total income stood at ₹5.65 billion against ₹7.75 billion a year ago. Net profit was at ₹62.4 million versus a loss of ₹153.1 million last year.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 has caused a decrease in footfall in outdoor wellness and beauty centers globally, which has impacted the company’s clinics as well. The pandemic also impacted consumer spending and affected the sales of personal care products directly.

Further, VLCC has been experiencing a decline in revenues for the past two fiscal years i.e., in 2020 and 2021, due to COVID-19. Though the company has laid down future business plans and growth strategies, there is no guarantee that revenues would grow.