L&T's wings clipped by geopolitical tensions, recovery likely in H2 of FY27
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Industry bellwether Larsen & Toubro (L&T) didn’t go unscathed from geopolitical tensions despite strong order inflows and a robust backlog. The management estimates the company lost almost ₹5,000 crore of revenue in the March quarter (Q4FY26).
This, along with higher input costs, meant the expected improvement in operating margins did not materialize.L&T’s core project & manufacturing (P&M) Ebitda margin of 8.3% in FY26 missed the target of 8.5%. P&M FY26 revenue growth of 12% missed the 15% guidance, hurt by delays in domestic water projects and slower international progress amid the West Asia war.Order inflow was L&T’s strong suit, growing 22% in FY26 versus the 10% target, aided by ultra-mega contracts across sectors and geographies.
The order book stood at an all-time high of ₹7.4 trillion in March, up 28%, aiding revenue visibility.About 92% of the total order book was from the infrastructure and energy segments. The share of international orders was at a peak at 52%.However, geopolitical tensions could mar L&T's execution capability and hinder the order intake trajectory.
L&T is cautious about the FY27 outlook, at least the first half. West Asiaforms about 78% of its international order book of ₹3.28 trillion.The management said all projects in the region stay operational with no cancellations and with payments on track.
However, execution is expected to remain soft in H1FY27 due to supply chain constraints and delays in domestic projects, with recovery likely in H2FY27.Given the West Asia overhang, the guidance for FY27 has been toned down. Revenue growth and order inflows are likely to improve 10-12% in FY27 with a P&M margin of 7.8%.The order prospects pipeline for FY27 is 6%
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