Litro Gas – A driving force in empowering Sri Lanka towards COVID-19 economic recovery

Overcoming economic adversity through resilience and financial efficiency has been at the heart of Litro Gas strategy as the Company mitigates a powerful turnaround during challenging times.

“External circumstances such as the Easter Sunday attack and the Saudi drone attack in 2019 impacted our businesses but we have been strong enough to manage a successful turnaround” says Anil Koswatte Chairman & CEO – Litro Gas Lanka Ltd & Litro Gas Terminal (Pvt) Ltd.

“This year, the COVID-19 impact was felt considerably, but we were able to rise to the challenge and fulfill our obligations as the country’s leading supplier of domestic LPG.”

“A true test of our capability and strength came during the COVID-19 period – our responsibility to keep the stoves burning in Sri Lankan homes spanned across markets as our dedicated teams worked around the clock to make sure every home had its gas supply unbroken and consistent.”

Koswatte pointed out that Litro Gas used innovative and real time strategies in ensuring the customers were assured of a consistent supply of domestic LP Gas.

“It was not just a testimony to our strength and industry capability but more importantly, a promise we had to keep to our customers as the market leader and the primary supplier of domestic gas to the nation”, he stressed.

Yet, in a testimony to its resilience, economic challenges notwithstanding, Litro Gas went on to record an outstanding performance with a 3.5% YOY volume growth in 2019. A robust 2.3 percent volume growth in the first quarter of 2020 reiterates the Company’s effective response in mitigating the Covid-19 pandemic phase.

The cash flow from operating activities stayed strong when compared against other players in the industry – at LKR 22 billion in 2019. Over LKR 1.5 billion was dispersed to its shareholders at LKR 32.3 per share in Litro Gas Lanka Ltd (LGLL) and Rs 3.66 per share in Litro Gas Terminal (Pvt) Lanka Ltd (LGTL); majority of the shares are held by the Treasury. The Company recorded a turnover of LKR 45 billion with PBT of LKR 7 billion and a net profit of LKR 5 billion.

The Company commands a market share of 75% as the country’s provider of domestic LPG. “The figures affirm the tremendous undertaking Litro Gas has as the industry leader”, says Koswatte.

The tough economic conditions only enhanced the Company’s strength, Koswatte adds, pointing out that gearing increased from 20% to 29%, confirmed as the highest in the history of the Company, following the undertaking of restructuring by Royal Dutch Shell in 1995.

Koswatte reiterates that maintaining strong fiscal discipline backed by a strengthening of the portfolio through strategic investments, was central to the Company’s outstanding success.

“We have always believed in sustaining a strong focus on growth and consolidation – despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Litro Gas was successful in purchasing outright the long term leased land where operations have been based since 1995”, he added.