Hi Sarita,
AVT is very much alive and worth buying in my opinion. But don’t take my word for it. Do some digging.
That being said:
The company has a very long track record in the oleoresin industry, is family run with very ethical management that also owns other very successful privately held companies, and seems to be at an inflection point. Namely, they are expanding from commodity goods into value added goods that they would sell directly to customers as opposed to through wholesale. It is similar to the process that companies like Marico and Godrej went through in their early days.
This inflection point is further evidenced by a healthy percentage of R&D spending over the last few years, vertical integration of their supply chain and an increased role of Rahul Thomas, the Chairman’s son. He currently leads marketing and sales but will be successor to his father over time.
This recorded general meeting gives you a good understanding of the demeanor of senior management.
https://www.avtnatural.com/shareholders-information/#sec8
The opportunity here is a 5-10 yr bet that the stock will be lifted by both steady earnings growth and multiple expansion as they transition from commodity player to value added product player. It’s currently a 2% position in my portfolio putting it in the “riskier plays” category of Indian companies I own.
Cheers,
Arjun