Modi Biotech wins ₹140 crore ethanol order; total book ~₹540 crore

Source Scanx

Posted on August 18, 2026

Modi Biotech, a Modi Naturals subsidiary, secured a ₹140 crore ethanol supply order from OMCs, taking total disclosed orders to about ₹540 crore. Modi Naturals’ Q1FY27 revenue stood at ₹155.3 crore, while operating margin improved to 14.25%. The company faces working-capital and execution challenges.

Modi Naturals subsidiary Modi Biotech has secured a ₹140 crore ethanol order from Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), bringing the company’s total disclosed orders to around ₹540 crore. This follows an earlier ₹140 crore order won directly by Modi Naturals for the supply of 1.98 crore litres of ethanol under the Ethanol Blending Petrol Programme (EBPP), a government initiative to blend ethanol with petrol, for Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26 with execution extending until October 2026.

Order details and financial context

The combined order disclosures reflect a growing presence in the government-backed ethanol supply ecosystem. The original Modi Naturals order was classified as a confirmed work order (Type A), covering supply commitments under the EBPP rather than capital expenditure projects, making it a working capital intensive execution model typical for commodity suppliers.

The ₹140 crore order value from the parent company alone equates to roughly 77.8% of Modi Naturals’ average quarterly revenue of ₹181.30 crore over the last four quarters. Against trailing twelve-month revenue of ₹725.20 crore, the book-to-bill ratio stands at 0.19x for that single order. With the subsidiary’s order now included, total disclosed orders stand at around ₹540 crore.

Quarterly financial performance

Modi Naturals has demonstrated improving operational efficiency in recent quarters. The table below summarises the latest available quarterly results.

Quarter:	Revenue (₹ crore):	Net profit (₹ crore):	OPM (%):
Q1FY27	155.30	12.50	14.25%
Q4FY26	248.10	19.70	10.06%
Q3FY26	174.10	10.00	9.21%

Revenue in Q1FY27 was ₹155.30 crore, down sequentially from Q4FY26’s ₹248.10 crore but above Q3FY26’s ₹174.10 crore. Operating profit margin expanded to 14.25% in Q1FY27 from 10.06% in Q4FY26 and 9.21% in Q3FY26, indicating stronger cost management or a more favourable product mix. Net profit rose to ₹12.50 crore in Q1FY27 from ₹10.00 crore in Q3FY26.

Annual revenue and profitability

Modi Naturals’ annual revenue grew from ₹401.00 crore in FY24 to ₹720.20 crore in FY26, representing YoY growth of 8.4% based on the latest annual data. The company moved from a net loss of ₹1.40 crore in FY24 to a net profit of ₹50.30 crore in FY26, marking a significant turnaround in profitability alongside topline growth.

Working capital and execution capacity

The balance sheet provides adequate liquidity for executing the orders. The current ratio stands at 1.66x, and total liabilities to equity is 1.36x, a moderate level that includes trade payables and non-debt liabilities. Operating cashflow in FY26 was positive at ₹61.10 crore, up from ₹48.80 crore in FY25. Free cashflow was negative at -₹19.00 crore due to capital expenditure of ₹80.10 crore. Monitoring the working capital cycle remains important as ethanol supply contracts execute, given the cash-intensive nature of commodity trading.

What to watch

Execution rate: Monitor quarterly revenue run-rate against the expanded order book to assess if ethanol allocations translate into timely billings.
OPM trajectory: Watch if the 14.25% operating margin achieved in Q1FY27 is sustainable under the new supply contract terms.
Working capital deployment: Given negative free cashflow in FY26, track whether receivables collection from OMCs remains efficient to fund ongoing operations.
Client concentration: With OMCs as the sole disclosed client in recent filings, any delay in payments or volume adjustments could impact cashflows significantly.

Key observations
Contract structure: Both orders are confirmed work orders for ethanol supply; revenue recognition will proceed based on delivery milestones until October 2026.
Margin expansion: Operating profit margin improved to 14.25% in Q1FY27 from 9.21% in Q3FY26.
Valuation (as of August 17, 2026): P/E of 10.6x against ROCE of 23.53%.
Cash conversion: Free cashflow of -₹19.00 crore in FY26; while operating cashflow is positive, heavy capex suggests the investment phase may continue, impacting net liquidity.