| Experienced management and established relationship with customers
The promoters’ experience of over three decades in the moulding and die casting industry, in depth understanding of market dynamics and healthy relationships with customers will continue to support the business. STEPL caters to a diversified end-user base, including telecom, electrical, automotive, electronics and healthcare, in the private and government sectors. The diversified end-user base allows the company to withstand slowdown in an industry and achieve higher growth.
Modest Scale of Operations with average order book position
The revenue of the company improved to Rs. 80.39 crore in FY2025 as compared to Rs. 70.82 crore in F2024 reflecting a year-on-year growth of ~ 13.51 percent in FY2025 driven by steady demand and consistent execution of orders. Further, the company has registered a revenue of ~Rs. 88.26 crore in 8MFY2026 as against Rs. 39.45 crore in 8MFY2025, the company’s majority of the revenue is skewed towards the last quarter. STEPL has an unexecuted order book position of Rs. 532 crore as on Dec-25 which shall be executed in next 12-24 months, thus providing comfortable revenue visibility in the short term. The EBITDA margin improved and stood at 21.95 percent in FY2025 as compared to 16.15 percent in FY2024 on account of steady realizations. The company recorded an EBITDA of Rs. 18.81 crore (21.90%) in 8MFY2026. The PAT margin stood at 7.73 percent in FY2025 as against 5.43 percent in FY2024. Acuite believes that the scale of operations of the company will continue to remain improve owing to the order book position and the healthy demand from the end user industries.
Moderate financial risk profile
The financial risk profile of the company is moderate marked by average net worth, average gearing and comfortable debt protection metrics. The tangible net worth of the company increased to Rs. 56.07 crore as of March 31, 2025 from Rs. 27.07 crore as of March 31, 2024 due to accretion of profits to reserves and infusion of equity capital to the tune of Rs. 3.00 crore The company's gearing (debt to equity) is average at 1.52 times as of March 31, 2025 as against 1.62 times as of March 31, 2024. The total Debt includes long term borrowings of Rs.11.70 crore, short term debt of Rs. 61.76 crore, USL from directors and promoters of Rs. 5.47 crore and current maturities for long term debt of Rs. 4.75 crore as on 31 March 2025. The debt protection metrics are comfortable and have improved, with Interest Coverage Ratio (ICR) and debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) at 2.70 times and 1.27 times respectively in FY2025 compared to 2.50 times and 1.09 times in FY2024. The Debt/EBITDA of the company stood high at 4.63 times as on 31 March 2025 as against 3.67 times as on 31 March 2024. The TOL/TNW stood at 1.95 times as on 31 March 2025 as against 2.27 times as on 31 March 2024. The net cash accruals to total debt (NCA/TD) stood low at 0.09 times in FY2025. The company is also undergoing capex for establishing New Manufacturing Plant at Dobaspet, Karnataka at the total cost of Rs. 65.27 crore, expected to be fully operational by April 2027. The project would be funded through Rs. 45.69 crore term loan and Rs. 19.58 crore internal accruals/ unsecured loan from promoters. The financial closure for the term loan is pending.
Acuite believes, notwithstanding the benefits of capex, the financial risk profile would likely to remain moderate.
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| Intensive Working Capital Operations
The working capital operations of the company is intensive marked by Gross Current Assets (GCA) of 661 days as on 31st March 2025 as compared to 369 days on 31st March 2024. The debtors days stood at 265 days in FY 2025 as against 204 days in FY 2024 as most of the execution is concentrated towards the end of every fiscal, with ~44 percent of the sales in Q4FY2025, resulting in elevated working capital indicators at the year ends. The inventory holding days stood at 408 days in FY2025 as against 160 days in FY2024. However, the average holding period of inventory are 236 days as due to high conversion cycle from raw materials to finished goods. Further, the creditor days stood at 138 days in FY 25 as against 120 days in FY 24. The average fund-based limit utilisation stood at ~89 percent and average non fund-based limit utilisation stood at ~79 percent for six months ending October 2025. Acuite believes that the working capital cycle is expected to remain at similar levels over the medium term.
Highly competitive industry and susceptibility of margins to fluctuations in raw material prices
The Indian packaging industry is highly fragmented on account of its low capital intensity, low entry barriers, and easy availability of raw materials. High competition puts pressure on margins, thereby reducing bargaining power with customers for players. Further, the raw material used in packaging is plastic granules, whose prices are fluctuating and have a direct impact on operating margins. Acuite believes that the ability of the company to pass on such an adverse impact to its customers remains a key sensitivity factor.
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