V marc (A diamond in dust)


Company: V-Marc India

Sector: Electrical Wires & Cables
Exchange: NSE Emerge (SME)


Basic Details

Market Cap: ~₹1,650 crore
Issue Price: ₹36-39
Current Price: ~₹520 (as of Jan 2026)
Listing Date: April 2024


Financial Highlights

Revenue (Latest FY – FY25): ₹905 crore
Net Profit (FY25): ₹36.4 crore
ROE: 24.3%
Debt-to-Equity: 1.07×
Revenue Growth (3-year CAGR): ~39%

Capacity Utilization

  • High current utilization: V-Marc’s FY25 production of ~1.69 lakh km indicates very strong capacity utilization, effectively running at full stretch versus its earlier installed capacity, reflecting robust demand and execution.
  • Expansion underway: Management is aggressively expanding capacity (targeting ~7 lakh km over the next 4–5 years), which should ease utilization pressure and support sustained volume growth.

Business Overview

What they do:
The company is a leading manufacturer of electrical wires and cables, serving residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects across India. It offers a comprehensive product portfolio that includes housing wires, power cables, control cables, and specialized application cables, catering to both mass and premium segments. With a strong emphasis on quality, safety, and compliance with industry standards, the company has built a trusted brand among electricians, contractors, and developers. Its brand-led distribution model, supported by an extensive dealer and distributor network, ensures deep market penetration and repeat demand, while continuous product innovation and capacity expansion position it well to benefit from long-term growth in housing, electrification, and infrastructure spending.

Key Products/Services:
– LV wires and cables
– HT XLPE cables up to 33kV
– Power cables for infrastructure and DISCOMs
– Value-added and specialty cables

Market Position:
Mid-sized fast-growing player competing with organized peers such as Polycab and KEI; gaining share through product premiumisation and capability upgrades.

Key Customers:
Real estate developers, contractors, infrastructure players, and government DISCOMs (tender-based).


Management Quality

Promoter Background:
Promoted by Vikas Garg; long operating history in the wires & cables segment with a recent technology-led business turnaround.

Promoter Holding: ~64.9%
Pledged / Encumbered Shares: ~43.2% of promoter holding

Key Management:
Professional second line supported by capacity expansion, execution-focused operations, and institutional oversight post listing.


Investment Thesis

Positives

• Technology-led turnaround with commissioning of Gas Cured CCV (dry curing) facility enabling HT XLPE cables up to 33kV
• Strong operating momentum with 100% YoY revenue growth in H1 FY26 and management guiding for stronger H2
• Robust five-year CAGR: PAT 49% | Sales 39%
• Healthy return ratios: ROCE 26%, five-year average above 15%
• Capacity expansion roadmap: from 1.69 lakh km (FY25) to 7 lakh km over five years
• Favorable industry tailwinds with Indian wires & cables industry expected to grow at 12–13% CAGR
• Valuation comfort: PEG ratio of ~0.66; stock trades near 24× P/E despite strong growth visibility
• Marquee investor confidence: Ashish Kacholia holds ~2.71% stake

Concerns

SEBI manipulation probe against promoter (Feb 2024); confirmatory order (Jul 2024) impounding ~₹6.3 crore; matter sub-judice at SAT
• High raw material volatility (copper, aluminium, PVC) impacting margins despite partial hedging
• Competitive pressure from large organized peers may keep margins range-bound
• Capacity ramp-up risk if order inflows do not scale in line with planned expansion
• High finance cost and fund-based limits operating at 86–91% utilisation
• Promoter share encumbrance remains elevated


Valuation

P/E Ratio: ~24× (trailing)
Forward P/E (FY26E): ~13.5×
P/B Ratio: ~4.5×
EV/EBITDA: ~13–14×

Compared to peers:
V-Marc trades at a discount to larger peers on forward multiples despite faster growth, improving product mix, and higher operating leverage potential.


Growth Catalysts

• Execution of ₹510 crore order book, including higher-margin HT cable orders
• Capacity expansion and utilization ramp-up over FY26–FY28
• Increasing participation in government DISCOM and infrastructure tenders
• Margin improvement from operating leverage and premium product mix


Red Flags to Watch

• Outcome of SEBI/SAT proceedings involving promoters
• Sustained high promoter share pledge
• Working capital stretch during aggressive capacity expansion
• Sharp adverse movement in copper and aluminium prices


Conclusion

V-Marc India represents a high-growth SME manufacturing play that has undergone a meaningful technology-led turnaround. Strong H1 FY26 performance, expanding order book, and a multi-year capacity expansion roadmap provide clear growth visibility.

We estimate FY26 PAT at ₹110–120 crore, implying a forward P/E of ~13.5× at current levels. Applying a normalized 25× P/E, the implied FY26 market capitalisation is ~₹3,000 crore, versus the current ~₹1,650 crore, offering meaningful upside as execution consistency and governance comfort improve.


Disclosures

Mandatory: I am not invested in the stock, it is an unbiased research.


Disclaimer

SME stocks carry higher risks due to smaller scale, limited operating history, and relatively relaxed regulatory requirements. This analysis is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Please conduct your own due diligence or consult a SEBI-registered financial advisor before investing.

5 Likes

After reviewing SEBI’s probe, it’s hard to take management at face value. The company’s growth rates, margins, and return ratios look stellar, but can we trust them?

There are few other yellow flags that I discovered while studying this company.

  1. Frequent CFO resignations (3 in last 3 years).
  2. VP for global business is paid only 22 LPA despite 20 years of exp and being a national head at Panasonic earlier
  3. Auditor fee is low ~5 lakh similiar sized firms have ~9 lakh and above fees.

Few risks

  1. Limited margin expansion potential: 11-12% margin is the higher end of margin range for cable manufacturers (as per peer’s comments government/B2B orders comes with 9-11% EBITDA margins). Given V-Marc’s 66% revenue from government/B2B (in FY24) the margins seems to have hit a ceiling.
  2. High borrowing could result in dilution to pursue capex heavy growth: Given high leverage the company might need to come up with fund raise to lower leverage.
  3. Continued growth needs continued superior execution: I can only conclude management’s superior execution as the reason for superior industry beating growth rate. Can they continue this execution? This is the question that one is paying 28x TTM PE for the company. If the company grows at industry growth rate of 10-15%, I believe the company could command 10-15x PE at best. So one is paying 50-100% premium for management’s execution capability.