Apex Frozen Foods Reports Declining Sales and Profit Amidst Financial Challenges

Apex Frozen Foods, a microcap player in the aquaculture industry, is facing significant challenges as reflected in its recent financial performance. Over the past five years, the company has experienced a decline in net sales, with an annual growth rate of -4.41%. This downward trend is further highlighted by a sharp drop of 17.05% in net sales reported for the quarter ending September 2024, resulting in a total of four consecutive quarters of negative results. The company's operating profit has also suffered, decreasing at an annual rate of -9.74%. In the latest quarter, the profit after tax (PAT) stood at Rs -1.67 crore, marking a staggering decline of 120%. The return on capital employed (ROCE) is notably low at 2.56%, indicating inefficiencies in generating returns from its capital investments. Despite these challenges, Apex Frozen Foods maintains a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, suggesting a conservative approach to leverage. Additionally, the stock is currently trading at a discount compared to its historical valuations, with a fair valuation indicated by an enterprise value to capital employed ratio of 1.4. Institutional investors have shown increased participation, raising their stake by 1.53% in the last quarter, collectively holding 1.74% of the company.