The Ahmedabad-based company, which operates as a member of Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX), has witnessed a dramatic deterioration in profitability metrics. Revenue remained flat at ₹24.00 crores in FY25 compared to the previous year, whilst operating profit before depreciation, interest, and tax (PBDIT) excluding other income plunged into negative territory at -₹1.00 crore, contrasting sharply with the ₹3.00 crore operating profit recorded in FY24. This represents a complete erosion of the 12.5% operating margin enjoyed a year earlier.
The company's balance sheet reveals shareholder funds of ₹13.01 crores as of March 2025, down from ₹14.74 crores in the prior year, reflecting the impact of losses on accumulated reserves. With a book value per share of ₹5.42, the current market price of ₹29.75 implies a substantial premium of 5.25 times book value—a valuation multiple that appears disconnected from the underlying financial performance.
Financial Performance: A Year of Setbacks
ISL Consulting's financial performance in FY25 marks a significant setback in the company's journey. Revenue stagnation at ₹24.00 crores, unchanged from FY24, indicates an inability to grow the top line despite operating in the financial services sector. The company's total expenditure ballooned to ₹26.00 crores from ₹20.00 crores in the previous year, creating a cost structure that exceeded revenues and pushed the company into operating losses.
| Metric | FY25 | FY24 | FY23 | FY22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net Sales (₹ Cr) | 24.00 | 24.00 | 17.00 | 25.00 |
| YoY Growth (%) | 0.0% | +41.2% | -32.0% | +66.7% |
| Operating Profit (₹ Cr) | -1.00 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 2.00 |
| Operating Margin (%) | -4.2% | 12.5% | 0.0% | 8.0% |
| Net Profit (₹ Cr) | -1.00 | 3.00 | -1.00 | 1.00 |
| PAT Margin (%) | -4.2% | 12.5% | -5.9% | 4.0% |
The margin compression is particularly concerning. The PAT margin of -4.2% in FY25 represents a dramatic swing from the healthy 12.5% margin achieved in FY24. The company's inability to control costs whilst revenue remained flat highlights operational inefficiencies that need urgent attention. Interestingly, the company reported no interest expenses across all periods, indicating a debt-free capital structure—one of the few positive aspects of the financial profile.
Operational Challenges: Weak Capital Efficiency and Negative Returns
The operational metrics paint a picture of a company struggling with fundamental business model challenges. The average return on equity (ROE) of 6.04% over the measurement period falls well below acceptable thresholds for a financial services company, where double-digit ROEs are typically expected. More alarmingly, the latest ROE stands at -20.13%, reflecting the loss-making status in FY25.
Return on capital employed (ROCE) presents an equally troubling picture at -21.99%, indicating that the company is destroying value rather than creating it. This metric is particularly significant for NBFCs, where efficient capital deployment is critical to sustainable profitability. The company's five-year sales growth rate of -5.70% and EBIT growth of -186.73% underscore a long-term trend of deteriorating operational performance rather than a temporary setback.
⚠️ Critical Operational Red Flags
Return on Equity (Latest): -20.13% – The company is destroying shareholder value
Return on Capital Employed: -21.99% – Negative returns on deployed capital
5-Year Sales Growth: -5.70% – Persistent revenue decline over the long term
5-Year EBIT Growth: -186.73% – Dramatic erosion of operating profitability
The balance sheet composition reveals current assets of ₹4.76 crores against minimal current liabilities of ₹0.01 crore, providing adequate short-term liquidity. However, fixed assets have declined from ₹0.10 crores in FY24 to ₹0.07 crores in FY25, suggesting minimal capital investment in business infrastructure. The company maintains zero long-term debt, which eliminates financial leverage risks but also indicates limited access to capital markets or a conservative approach that may be constraining growth.
Quality Assessment: Below Average Fundamentals
ISL Consulting's quality grade stands at "Below Average," reflecting weak long-term financial performance across multiple parameters. The company's institutional holding stands at 0.0%, signalling a complete absence of confidence from sophisticated investors such as foreign institutional investors (FIIs), mutual funds, and insurance companies. This lack of institutional participation is a significant red flag, as these investors typically conduct rigorous due diligence before committing capital.
Quality Metrics Breakdown
Overall Quality Grade: Below Average
5-Year Sales Growth: -5.70% (Declining revenue trajectory)
5-Year EBIT Growth: -186.73% (Severe profit erosion)
Average ROE: 6.04% (Weak capital efficiency)
Institutional Holdings: 0.0% (Zero institutional confidence)
Debt Position: Zero leverage (Conservative but growth-constraining)
The company's quality assessment has remained "Below Average" since November 2025, with earlier periods not qualifying for any rating—a testament to the persistent nature of its fundamental challenges. The average net debt-to-equity ratio of 0.0 indicates low leverage, which would typically be viewed positively. However, in this context, it may reflect limited ability to raise debt capital given the weak operating performance.
Peer Comparison: Premium Valuation Without Justification
A comparison with peers in the NBFC sector reveals ISL Consulting's valuation anomaly. Whilst the company trades at a loss and therefore has no meaningful P/E ratio, its price-to-book value of 5.25x stands significantly above most peers. This premium appears unjustified given the company's below-average quality grade and negative profitability.
| Company | P/E (TTM) | P/BV | ROE (%) | Debt/Equity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISL Consulting | NA (Loss Making) | 5.25 | 6.04 | 0.00 |
| Haryana Capfin | 17.14 | 0.28 | 1.21 | 0.00 |
| Gowra Leasing | 13.20 | 2.14 | 9.47 | 0.74 |
| BLB | 2.84 | 0.63 | 8.31 | 0.00 |
| Ramchandra Leasing | 569.38 | 5.91 | 0.0 | 0.00 |
| Charter Capital | 11.01 | 0.44 | 1.54 | 0.02 |
ISL Consulting's ROE of 6.04% (average) ranks moderately within the peer group, though several peers like Gowra Leasing (9.47%) and BLB (8.31%) demonstrate superior capital efficiency. The company's P/BV multiple of 5.25x is the second-highest in the group, exceeded only by Ramchandra Leasing's 5.91x. However, unlike ISL Consulting, most profitable peers trade at significantly lower P/BV multiples, suggesting that ISL's valuation is elevated relative to its earnings power.
Valuation Analysis: Risky Premium Without Earnings Support
The valuation assessment for ISL Consulting is unequivocally "Risky," reflecting the disconnect between market price and fundamental value. With the company reporting losses, traditional earnings-based valuation metrics such as P/E ratio are not applicable. The enterprise value to EBITDA multiple of -24.68x and EV to EBIT of -24.34x (both negative due to operating losses) further underscore the valuation challenges.
The valuation grade has oscillated between "Risky" and "Very Expensive" over recent months, with the most recent change to "Risky" occurring on October 15, 2025. The EV to sales multiple of 3.50x appears elevated for a company with negative profitability and declining revenue trends. At the current market price of ₹29.75, the stock trades 16.20% below its 52-week high of ₹35.50 but remains 35.17% above its 52-week low of ₹22.01, suggesting recent volatility without fundamental improvement.
Shareholding Pattern: Stable Promoter Base, Zero Institutional Interest
The shareholding pattern reveals a stable promoter holding of 60.12% that has remained unchanged across the last five quarters through December 2025. This consistency suggests promoter commitment, though the lack of any increase in stake during a period of operational challenges raises questions about confidence in near-term turnaround prospects.
| Category | Dec'25 | Sep'25 | Jun'25 | Mar'25 | QoQ Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Promoter | 60.12% | 60.12% | 60.12% | 60.12% | 0.00% |
| FII | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Mutual Funds | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Insurance | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Other DII | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Non-Institutional | 39.88% | 39.88% | 39.88% | 39.88% | 0.00% |
The complete absence of FII, mutual fund, insurance, and other domestic institutional investor (DII) holdings is particularly noteworthy. The 39.88% non-institutional shareholding, which has also remained static, consists primarily of retail investors. The promoter group is led by Reem Broking Private Limited (16.8%), followed by individual promoters from the Kothari family. Importantly, there is no promoter pledging, eliminating concerns about forced selling or financial stress at the promoter level.
Stock Performance: Short-Term Gains Mask Long-Term Underperformance
ISL Consulting's stock has delivered a one-year return of 24.90%, outperforming the Sensex's 6.44% gain by 18.46 percentage points. However, this recent outperformance stands in stark contrast to longer-term trends. Over three years, the stock has returned just 5.68% compared to the Sensex's 36.94%, resulting in a negative alpha of -31.26 percentage points.
| Period | Stock Return | Sensex Return | Alpha |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Day | 1.43% | -0.60% | +2.03% |
| 1 Month | 0.51% | -2.49% | +3.00% |
| 3 Month | 13.81% | -0.17% | +13.98% |
| 6 Month | 8.26% | 3.23% | +5.03% |
| YTD | 3.51% | -2.24% | +5.75% |
| 1 Year | 24.90% | 6.44% | +18.46% |
| 2 Years | 5.80% | 16.15% | -10.35% |
| 3 Years | 5.68% | 36.94% | -31.26% |
| 5 Years | 181.99% | 64.22% | +117.77% |
The five-year return of 181.99% appears impressive, significantly outpacing the Sensex's 64.22% gain. However, this long-term performance must be viewed in context of the company's deteriorating fundamentals over the same period. The stock's risk-adjusted return of 0.62 over one year, whilst positive, comes with extremely high volatility of 40.18%—more than three times the Sensex's 11.52% volatility. The beta of 1.50 confirms the stock's classification as "High Beta," meaning it amplifies market movements in both directions.
Technical Outlook: Bullish Momentum Despite Weak Fundamentals
From a technical perspective, ISL Consulting exhibits a "Bullish" trend that commenced on January 16, 2026, at ₹30.00. The stock trades above all key moving averages—5-day (₹29.45), 20-day (₹29.28), 50-day (₹28.52), 100-day (₹27.82), and 200-day (₹27.23)—indicating technical strength across multiple timeframes. Weekly and monthly MACD indicators flash bullish signals, as do Bollinger Bands and the KST indicator.
However, the technical strength appears disconnected from fundamental reality. The immediate support level sits at the 52-week low of ₹22.01, whilst resistance emerges at the 20-day moving average area of ₹29.28 and extends to the 52-week high of ₹35.50. Delivery volumes have shown a 62.58% increase over the trailing one-month period, with 90.20% of recent trading volume comprising delivery-based transactions—suggesting some genuine investor interest rather than purely speculative activity.
Investment Thesis: Multiple Red Flags Outweigh Limited Positives
The investment thesis for ISL Consulting is overwhelmingly negative when assessed across the four critical parameters of valuation, quality, financial trend, and technical momentum. The company's Mojo Score of 33 out of 100 places it firmly in "Sell" territory, having recently graduated from "Strong Sell" status on November 3, 2025.
Key Strengths & Risk Factors
| ✅ Key Strengths | ⚠️ Key Concerns |
|---|---|
| Zero debt capital structure eliminates financial leverage risk and interest burden | Net loss of ₹1.00 crore in FY25 versus ₹3.00 crore profit in FY24 represents complete profit reversal |
| Stable promoter holding at 60.12% with no pledging indicates commitment without financial stress | Operating margin collapsed to -4.2% from +12.5%, indicating severe cost management issues |
| Strong technical momentum with stock trading above all major moving averages | Return on equity of -20.13% (latest) demonstrates value destruction rather than creation |
| One-year stock return of 24.90% outperforms Sensex by 18.46 percentage points | Five-year sales growth of -5.70% indicates persistent revenue decline, not temporary setback |
| Current assets of ₹4.76 crores provide adequate liquidity cushion | Zero institutional holdings (FII, MF, Insurance) signals complete lack of sophisticated investor confidence |
| No promoter pledging reduces governance and financial stress concerns | Price-to-book value of 5.25x appears unjustified for a loss-making entity with below-average quality |
| Delivery-based volume at 90.20% suggests genuine investor participation | Return on capital employed of -21.99% indicates inefficient capital deployment destroying value |
Outlook: Critical Monitoring Points for Investors
| 🟢 Positive Catalysts to Watch | 🔴 Red Flags Requiring Attention |
|---|---|
| Return to profitability in FY26 with positive operating margins above 5% | Continued revenue stagnation or further decline in FY26 sales |
| Cost rationalisation driving expenditure reduction of at least 15-20% | Operating margins remaining negative or deteriorating further below -4.2% |
| Entry of institutional investors (FII/MF) signalling improved confidence | Promoter stake reduction or any pledging of shares |
| ROE improvement to double-digit levels demonstrating capital efficiency | ROE remaining negative or ROCE continuing below -15% |
| Strategic business pivot or new revenue streams announced by management | Further erosion of shareholder funds below ₹12 crores |
The Verdict: Avoid This High-Risk Micro-Cap
Score: 33/100
For Fresh Investors: Avoid initiating positions. The combination of operating losses, negative returns on capital, declining revenue trends, and risky valuation creates an unfavourable risk-reward profile. The absence of institutional participation further validates concerns about fundamental quality.
For Existing Holders: Consider exiting positions on technical strength. The recent bullish momentum provides an opportunity to liquidate holdings before fundamental challenges reassert themselves in price action. The 5.25x price-to-book premium is unlikely to sustain without a material improvement in profitability.
Fair Value Estimate: ₹15.00-18.00 (approximately 45-50% downside from current levels based on book value and peer P/BV multiples for loss-making entities)
Rationale: ISL Consulting's loss-making status, negative ROE and ROCE, declining five-year revenue trajectory, and complete absence of institutional holdings collectively outweigh the limited positives of zero debt and stable promoter holding. The "Risky" valuation grade and "Below Average" quality assessment, combined with a "Flat" financial trend, leave little room for optimism. Only a sustained return to profitability with demonstrable operational improvements would warrant a reassessment of this negative outlook.
Note— ROCE = (EBIT - Other income)/(Capital Employed - Cash - Current Investments)
⚠️ Investment Disclaimer
This article is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Investors should conduct their own due diligence, consider their risk tolerance and investment objectives, and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
