Aurora Downstream Energy — Financial Plan

The assumptions register, the projected income statement, balance sheet and cash-flow statement, the working-capital build, the debt amortisation and cover, the ratio analysis, break-even, the sensitivity and scenario analysis, the monthly Year-1 cash flow and the valuation.

Aurora Downstream Energy Business PlanSection 14 › Financial Plan

Section 14 · Business Plan

Financial Plan

The assumptions register, the projected income statement, balance sheet and cash-flow statement, the working-capital build, the debt amortisation and cover, the ratio analysis, break-even, the sensitivity and scenario analysis, the monthly Year-1 cash flow and the valuation.

The financial plan is built from a single integrated model in which
the income statement, balance sheet and cash-flow statement are fully
linked and the balance sheet reconciles to zero in every year.
Projections are presented in South African Rand (R’m) at a planning
exchange rate of R16.50/USD. All operating, capital and financing
assumptions are set out in the assumptions register below, and every
table and chart in this section is derived from the same model, ensuring
internal consistency.

14.1 Assumptions register

Table 20. Key modelling assumptions

Assumption Basis
Reporting currency / FX ZAR (R’m); planning rate R16.50 / USD
LPG volume ramp From ~22kt (Year 1) to ~65kt (Year 5)
Blended gross margin 16.0% rising to 19.5% as LPG/services mix grows
EBITDA margin 2.5% (commissioning) to 12.1% (Year 5)
Corporate tax rate 27% (with Year-1 loss carried forward)
Senior debt R330m, 8-year tenor, 11.75% all-in, 2-yr capital grace
Working-capital facility R250m revolver; inventory/receivable/payable day-cycles modelled
Capex programme R750m total, phased Years 1–5
Debt-service reserve R30m funded at close
Terminal / exit DCF (WACC 15.5%, g 4.5%); exit at 5.0x EV/EBITDA

14.2 Projected income statement

Table 21. Projected income statement
(R’m)

R’m FY2026 FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030
Revenue 741 1,413 2,045 2,558 3,027
Cost of sales (622) (1,159) (1,659) (2,064) (2,438)
Gross profit 119 253 386 494 589
Gross margin % 16.0% 17.9% 18.9% 19.3% 19.5%
Operating expenditure (100) (143) (178) (202) (224)
EBITDA 19 111 208 292 365
Depreciation (32) (45) (55) (60) (65)
EBIT (13) 66 153 232 300
Net interest (49) (55) (60) (56) (52)
Profit before tax (62) 11 94 176 249
Taxation 0 0 (12) (47) (67)
Net profit after tax (62) 11 82 128 181
Net margin % -8.3% 0.8% 4.0% 5.0% 6.0%
Figure 9
Figure 9. Revenue build by segment (R’m).
Figure 10
Figure 10. EBITDA, EBIT and NPAT progression (R’m).

14.3 Projected balance sheet

Table 22. Projected balance sheet (R’m)

R’m FY2026 FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030
Net property, plant & equipment 348 453 509 509 494
Inventory 60 102 136 158 180
Receivables 81 147 202 245 282
Cash & DSRA 360 259 193 197 219
Total assets 849 961 1,040 1,109 1,175
Senior debt 330 330 275 220 165
Working-capital facility 80 130 170 195 210
Payables 51 102 150 192 234
Total liabilities 461 562 595 607 609
Share capital 450 450 450 450 450
Retained earnings (62) (51) (5) 52 116
Total equity 388 399 445 502 566
Balance check 0 0 0 0 0

The balance sheet reconciles to zero in every year, confirming
the integrity of the integrated model. Net PP&E reflects the phased
capital programme net of depreciation; cash includes the funded
debt-service reserve.

Figure 11
Figure 11. Composition of total assets over the plan period (R’m).

14.4 Projected cash-flow statement

Table 23. Projected cash-flow statement
(R’m)

R’m FY2026 FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030
Cash flow from operations (120) (1) 96 165 229
Cash flow from investing (380) (150) (110) (60) (50)
Cash flow from financing 830 50 (52) (101) (158)
Net change in cash 330 (101) (66) 5 21
Opening cash 0 330 229 163 167
Closing cash (incl. DSRA) 360 259 193 197 219
Figure 12
Figure 12. Net annual cash flow and closing cash position, including the debt-service reserve.

14.5 Working-capital build

Trading volumes require investment in inventory and receivables,
partly offset by supplier payables. This working-capital build is
financed by the ring-fenced revolver and is excluded from senior
debt-service cover. The day-cycle assumptions and resulting net working
capital are shown below.

Table 24. Working-capital build (R’m and
days)

R’m / days FY2026 FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030
Inventory 60 102 136 158 180
Receivables 81 147 202 245 282
Payables (51) (102) (150) (192) (234)
Net working capital 90 147 188 211 229
Change in NWC 90 57 41 23 17
Inventory days 35 32 30 28 27
Receivable days 40 38 36 35 34
Payable days 30 32 33 34 35
Figure 13
Figure 13. Working-capital cycle (inventory, receivable and payable days).

14.6 Debt amortisation & cover

The senior facility of R330m carries a 8-year tenor with a 2-year
capital-repayment grace period (interest-only), after which principal
amortises. The all-in rate is assumed at 11.75%. A funded debt-service
reserve provides additional protection during the commissioning and ramp
years.

Table 25. Senior debt amortisation and service
(R’m)

R’m FY2026 FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030
Opening balance 330 330 330 275 220
Interest 39 39 39 32 26
Principal repaid 0 0 55 55 55
Closing balance 330 330 275 220 165
Total debt service 39 39 94 87 81

Table 26. Debt-service cover ratio (DSCR)
schedule

R’m FY2026 FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030
CFADS (13) 66 142 184 233
Debt service 39 39 94 87 81
DSCR -0.34x 1.70x 1.51x 2.11x 2.88x
Covenant floor 1.30x 1.30x 1.30x 1.30x 1.30x
Figure 14
Figure 14. Senior DSCR by year against the 1.30x covenant floor; Years 1–2 are interest-only grace.
Figure 15
Figure 15. Debt profile and de-leveraging: gearing falls as the facility amortises.

14.7 Ratio analysis

Table 27. Key financial ratios

Ratio FY2026 FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030
DSCR (senior) -0.34x 1.70x 1.51x 2.11x 2.88x
Interest cover (EBIT/interest) -0.27x 1.20x 2.57x 4.12x 5.83x
Net debt / EBITDA 2.64x 1.82x 1.21x 0.75x 0.43x
Gearing (net debt / (net debt+equity)) 51.4% 53.5% 50.0% 45.2% 39.9%
Current ratio 3.82x 2.19x 1.42x 1.36x 1.36x
Return on equity -15.9% 2.8% 18.5% 25.5% 32.1%
Return on capital employed -1.8% 9.0% 21.3% 32.1% 41.1%
Figure 16
Figure 16. Coverage and leverage ratios strengthen across the plan period.
Figure 17
Figure 17. Return on equity and return on capital employed.

14.8 Break-even analysis

On the modelled cost structure, the business reaches operating
break-even at approximately R1,468m of revenue — around 71.8% of
projected Year-3 revenue — reflecting a contribution margin of about
16.3% against a largely fixed infrastructure and overhead base.

Figure 18
Figure 18. Break-even analysis against the projected cost base.

14.9 Sensitivity & scenario analysis

Because the principal commercial variables — international product
prices, the ZAR/USD rate, volumes and margins — sit largely outside
management control, the plan is stress-tested across single-factor
sensitivities and multi-factor scenarios. The tornado below ranks the
drivers of Year-5 EBITDA; the exchange rate is by far the most
material.

Figure 19
Figure 19. Year-5 EBITDA sensitivity to key drivers (tornado). ZAR/USD is the dominant swing factor.

Three integrated scenarios are modelled: a base case; a downside
combining weaker volumes, margin compression and an adverse rand; and a
severe stress. The downside breaches the DSCR covenant in a single year
(designed to be cured by the funded reserve), while the severe case
would require active lender engagement.

Figure 20
Figure 20. DSCR under base, downside and severe scenarios against the covenant floor.
Figure 21
Figure 21. Equity IRR by scenario, from severe stress through to the base case.

14.10 Monthly Year-1 cash flow

Given the commissioning-year risk, Year-1 cash flow is modelled
monthly to demonstrate that the funded structure carries the business
through the ramp. The cumulative cash position remains positive
throughout, supported by the equity drawdown, debt-service reserve and
grace period.

Figure 22
Figure 22. Year-1 monthly EBITDA and cumulative cash runway through commissioning and early ramp.

14.11 Valuation

Two complementary approaches are presented. A discounted cash-flow
valuation — at a WACC of 15.5% and 4.5% terminal growth — yields an
intrinsic enterprise value of approximately R706m and equity value of
about R549m; this is deliberately conservative and reflects the value
created net of all capital deployed. A market-multiple exit at 5.0x
EV/EBITDA in Year 5 implies an enterprise value of approximately R1,825m
and equity value of around R1,669m. The gap between the two illustrates
how much of the equity value is contingent on achieving the assumed exit
multiple.

Table 28. Valuation summary

Measure Value
DCF enterprise value R706m
DCF equity value R549m
Exit EV (multiple basis) R1,825m (5.0x EV/EBITDA)
Exit equity value R1,669m
Base-case equity IRR 34%
Downside / severe equity IRR 19% / 8%
Equity money multiple (base) 4.2x
Equity payback 4.4 years
Figure 23
Figure 23. Valuation summary: conservative DCF enterprise value versus a multiple-based exit, bridged to equity value.
Analyst note — valuation is
assumption-sensitive

The valuation and returns are a base case, not a forecast, and are
most sensitive to the exit multiple, the volume ramp, blended margins
and the ZAR/USD rate. The conservative DCF (R706m enterprise value) and
the multiple-based exit (R1,825m) should be read together: the intrinsic
DCF anchors a floor, while the exit value depends on market conditions
and a successful build. Lenders should anchor on DSCR, gearing and the
funded reserve; equity investors should independently validate the
volume, margin and exit assumptions before relying on the headline
returns.

Confidential — this business plan is provided to prospective investors and lenders for evaluation purposes only and may not be reproduced or distributed without the written consent of Aurora Downstream Energy (Pty) Ltd.