1 hr ago
Solar Industries Bets on Omnia to Reach Rs 32,000 Crore
Solar Industries makes explosives and defence products.
It wants to buy a company called Omnia Holdings in South Africa.
The deal could help Solar sell its products in more countries and use Omnia’s factories and distribution network.
Solar expects the combined companies to make about Rs 31,000-32,000 crore in revenue by FY28.
The purchase will be paid for partly with borrowed money.
Omnia currently earns a smaller profit percentage than Solar.
Analysts think Solar may improve Omnia’s performance over time, but they are watching the additional debt closely.
Solar says it will continue increasing its investment in defence.
The deal is expected to add to, rather than replace, Solar’s existing growth plans.
Solar Industries plans to acquire South Africa-based Omnia Holdings for about Rs 13,000 crore.
Omnia is expected to add Rs 14,000-15,000 crore in revenue by FY28, taking combined revenue to Rs 31,000-32,000 crore.
The transaction would expand Solar’s distribution reach to more than 100 countries and manufacturing footprint to over 25 countries.
The deal will be funded through debt and internal accruals, with Elara estimating additional debt of about Rs 11,000 crore by FY28.
Analysts see long-term growth potential but are monitoring Omnia’s lower margins, debt repayment and return on equity.
- Who
- Solar Industries India Ltd, Omnia Holdings, company managing director and CEO Manish Nuwal, and analysts from Elara Securities and Motilal Oswal Financial Services.
- What
- Solar Industries has proposed a roughly Rs 13,000 crore acquisition of Omnia Holdings to expand its commercial explosives business while continuing its defence investments.
- Where
- Omnia is based in South Africa, and the combined business would operate across more than 100 countries.
- When
- The transaction is expected to close by mid-2027, with management and analysts assessing its impact by FY28.
- Why
- Solar aims to build a more integrated global platform for commercial explosives and blasting solutions, expand its distribution and manufacturing networks, and use Omnia’s integration capabilities and international operations.
Expansion and Integration Case
Margin and Financing Risk View
Strategic rationale
Expansion and Integration Case
Management and Motilal Oswal view Omnia as a way to create a more integrated global explosives platform, expand international scale and support longer-term earnings growth.
Margin and Financing Risk View
Elara notes that the acquisition adds a lower-margin business and could dilute Solar’s consolidated profitability and return on equity initially.
Profitability outlook
Expansion and Integration Case
Solar and Elara expect Omnia’s margins to improve over time through backward and forward integration, scale and operating synergies involving nitric acid and ammonium nitrate.
Margin and Financing Risk View
Omnia’s FY26 EBITDA margin was about 11%, compared with roughly 27% for Solar, making the pace of margin improvement a key uncertainty.
Debt and capital allocation
Expansion and Integration Case
Management plans to use internal accruals and debt, expects debt to remain below two times EBITDA, and says defence capital allocation will continue increasing.
Margin and Financing Risk View
Elara estimates annual interest costs of Rs 800-900 crore and says debt reduction and cash generation from Omnia will be important for any valuation rerating.
Key facts
- Proposed transaction
- 100% acquisition of South Africa-based Omnia Holdings
- Estimated deal value
- About Rs 13,000 crore
- Expected Omnia FY28 revenue
- Rs 14,000-15,000 crore
- Combined FY28 revenue target
- Rs 31,000-32,000 crore
- Combined FY28 EBITDA target
- Rs 6,800-7,000 crore, with a projected margin of 22-23%
- Estimated additional debt
- About Rs 11,000 crore by FY28, according to Elara Securities
- Solar Q1FY27 defence revenue
- Rs 933 crore, up 123% year-on-year and representing 26% of quarterly sales
Quotes
Manish Nuwal
Managing director and CEO of Solar Industries
“Solar Industries is executing a structural transition from a leader in industrial explosives to a high-technology, integrated defence platform. The strategic integration of global acquisitions like Omnia Holdings, alongside advanced high-margin defence innovations—from Pinaka rockets to autonomous counter-drone systems like Bhargavastra—positions the company for strong scale, deeper global expansion, and long-term earnings compounding.”
financialexpress.com
“The strategic rationale for this proposed acquisition of South Africa’s Omnia Holdings is to create a most integrated global platform for commercial explosives and blasting solutions.”
financialexpress.com









