Vishnu Chemicals has reported a strong start to FY27, posting broad-based double-digit growth in the first quarter as robust execution, a richer product mix and expanding speciality chemicals operations drove higher revenue and profitability despite a planned maintenance shutdown at its Vizag facility.

The speciality chemicals manufacturer reported consolidated operating revenue of Rs. 433.4 crore for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, up 24.9% from Rs. 346.9 crore in the corresponding quarter last year.

EBITDA rose 17.5% year-on-year to Rs. 65.5 crore, while profit after tax (PAT) increased 23% to Rs. 39.6 crore. Gross profit grew 22.6% to Rs. 193.9 crore.

The company said the quarter's performance reflected strong operational execution and resilience, although sequential performance was impacted by a planned maintenance shutdown of nearly one month at its Vizag manufacturing facility.

Vishnu Chemicals maintained a balanced 45:55 domestic-to-export revenue mix, with other income of Rs. 12.8 crore, primarily driven by net foreign exchange gains from higher exports during the quarter.

The company said profitability in its chromium business improved as it continued shifting toward higher-value-added derivatives, which offer superior margins and stronger long-term growth potential.

Its barium business continued to operate at optimum capacity utilisation, while expansion of the Ramadas facility, using specialised U.S. technology, is progressing to strengthen backward integration and improve product quality.

The strontium business also gathered momentum, with first-quarter revenue nearly matching the entire revenue generated during FY26, reflecting a rapid scale-up of operations.

In South Africa, the company continued preparations for commercial operations by focusing on infrastructure refurbishment, engineering and stability assessments, contractor mobilisation, employee hiring and regulatory compliance. Commercial operations are expected to begin in the second half of FY27.

The company also highlighted rising global logistics costs amid geopolitical tensions in West Asia. Freight rates from India to Latin America have climbed from around USD 3,000-4,000 to nearly USD 9,000 over the past three months, while rates to Africa have doubled from about USD 3,500 to USD 7,500. The company said such freight levels are unlikely to be sustainable over the medium to long term.

As part of its sustainability initiatives, Vishnu Chemicals plans to add about 20 MW of solar power capacity across its Vizag and Srikalahasti facilities, significantly expanding its existing renewable energy portfolio of 4.3 MW and reducing electricity costs.

The company said upcoming capacity additions in speciality chemicals, expansion of backward integration in barium, a higher-value chromium product mix and the commissioning of South African operations are expected to drive medium-term growth. However, it remains cautious about global macroeconomic uncertainty and volatility in raw material, fuel and logistics costs.

Commenting on the performance, Chairman and Managing Director Krishna Murthy Ch. said: "At Vishnu Chemicals, we are pleased to share a strong set of results for the first quarter continuing our momentum from previous year. Our team’s disciplined approach to sales execution, procurement and serving the customer is enabling us to outperform in the end use markets consistently."

Joint Managing Director Siddartha Ch. added: "We are pleased to report 20%+ YoY growth in operating revenues and PAT in the first quarter of the fiscal despite uncertain global environment. Our growth outlook is underpinned by multiple expansions across existing and new chemistries. These initiatives are expected to strengthen our competitive positioning and support sustainable medium-term growth while focusing on a customer-first approach."