⚠️Disclaimer: For educational purposes only. Not SEBI-registered. Not a buy/sell recommendation. Do your own due diligence before investing. We may or may not have vested interest in the stocks discussed.

Deep Dives/Electrical Equipment/JD Cables Limited
Deep Dive

From ₹41 Cr to ₹251 Cr in 2 years — 150% CAGR cable manufacturer now pivoting to ₹407 Cr EPC infrastructure

₹251 Cr revenue, ₹294 Cr order book, 13.6% EBITDA margins — and a ₹407 Cr highway contract that could transform or sink this micro-cap.

K

KnowYourSME Research

2026-05-10 · 12 min

₹251 Cr
Revenue FY25
₹294 Cr
Order Book
13.6%
EBITDA Margin
₹13.39
EPS FY25

1Executive Summary & Investment Thesis

JD Cables Limited is a Kolkata-based manufacturer of cables and conductors (AB cables, power cables, control cables, ACSR/AAAC/AAC conductors) under the JAYDEE brand. Founded in 2015, the company has delivered one of the most explosive growth trajectories in the BSE SME cable space — revenue grew from ₹40.86 Cr (FY23) to ₹100.83 Cr (FY24) to ₹250.53 Cr (FY25), a ~150% CAGR. EBITDA margins expanded from 1.97% to 13.62% as operating leverage kicked in. PAT surged from ₹0.32 Cr to ₹22.15 Cr. The company operates two manufacturing units in West Bengal (28,000 Kms/year combined capacity, ~80% utilization) and is an approved vendor for 12+ State Electricity Boards across eastern and central India. Listed on BSE SME in September 2025, JD Cables immediately made a bold post-listing pivot: winning a ₹407 Cr EPC infrastructure contract from Kaushal Engineering for NH-2 highway six-laning (Bihar-Jharkhand border). Q3 FY26 revenue hit ₹119.84 Cr (+94% YoY). Order book stands at ₹700+ Cr including the KEL contract. However, operating cash flow has been deeply negative (-₹18.21 Cr in FY25 despite ₹22.15 Cr PAT), the company is heavily reliant on short-term borrowings (₹44.60 Cr), the sole promoter Piyush Garodia (35) controls 97% with just 32 permanent employees, and the EPC pivot carries significant execution risk.
6.5/10

Aggressive Growth — High Execution Risk

Exceptional top-line trajectory and clear industry tailwinds, but the EPC pivot, negative operating cash flows, razor-thin cash position, and single-person dependency create significant execution risk. The ₹407 Cr KEL contract could be transformational or a cash-flow trap. Suitable for high-risk investors with 2-3 year horizon. The thesis breaks if EPC shows cost overruns or operating cash flow doesn't turn positive post-IPO.

Bull Case

  • +Explosive revenue growth — ~150% CAGR over FY23-FY25, from ₹41 Cr to ₹251 Cr. Q3 FY26 alone at ₹120 Cr (+94% YoY) shows acceleration continuing
  • +₹700+ Cr combined order visibility — ₹294 Cr pre-IPO work orders + ₹407 Cr KEL EPC contract + ₹28 Cr post-listing cable supply orders
  • +EBITDA margin expansion from 2% to 13.6% demonstrates operating leverage — materials cost ratio declined from 96.2% to 86%
  • +India wires & cables market growing at 7.94% CAGR (USD 10B to 17B by 2032) + massive government infrastructure spending
  • +Strategic EPC pivot — ₹407 Cr highway project transforms from cable supplier to infrastructure player with potentially higher margins
  • +Capacity expansion underway — Dankuni land (₹10.45 Cr), ₹5.72 Cr machinery for AL-59/MVCC/HTLS/HT cables, ₹28.5 Cr capex over FY26-27
  • +Approved vendor for 12+ State Electricity Boards — stable government demand pipeline with geographic expansion into 10+ new states
  • +D/E ratio improving from 3.25x to 1.53x — will improve further to ~0.7x with ₹26 Cr debt repayment from IPO proceeds

Bear Case

  • Negative operating cash flow despite profits — -₹18.21 Cr (FY25) despite ₹22.15 Cr PAT. Cash at ₹2.42 Lakhs. Growth funded by short-term borrowings
  • EPC diversification is major execution risk — ₹407 Cr highway contract with zero demonstrated prior EPC experience
  • Current ratio below 1.0 across all years — technically negative working capital territory
  • Single promoter (Piyush Garodia, 35) controls 97.16% with just 32 permanent employees — existential key person risk
  • Customer concentration — Top 5 = 64% of FY25 revenue. No formal long-term contracts
  • Competes against Polycab, KEI, Havells, Finolex with vastly larger scale and brand equity
  • Manufacturing concentrated in West Bengal — Unit I is leased until Oct 2027
  • Promoter avg acquisition cost ₹1.26/share vs IPO pricing — massive founder premium. Past ROC filing delays and CSR non-compliance

2Business & Management Architecture

The Journey

JD Cables Limited (CIN: U29253WB2015PLC206712) was incorporated on June 12, 2015 in Kolkata, West Bengal. Founded by Piyush Garodia (then 24), the company started with a leased facility in Belgachia, Howrah manufacturing cables under the JAYDEE brand. FY2023 revenue was ₹40.86 Cr. The inflection came in FY2024 when Unit II at Dankuni, Hooghly (owned, purchased Feb 2021) became operational, and the conductor segment (ACSR/AAAC/AAC) was launched. Revenue exploded to ₹100.83 Cr (FY24, +147%) and ₹250.53 Cr (FY25, +148%). Converted to public Oct 2024. Listed on BSE SME Sep 2025. Post-listing, won a ₹407 Cr EPC contract from Kaushal Engineering for NH-2 highway six-laning. Acquired 164.29 Cottah land at Dankuni (₹10.45 Cr) and ordered ₹5.72 Cr advanced machinery for new product lines. Q3 FY26 revenue: ₹119.84 Cr (+94% YoY). Combined installed capacity: 28,000 Kms/year. Approved vendor for 12+ State Electricity Boards. 32 permanent employees + 50-70 contractual laborers.

Revenue Segments

77.34%

Aerial Bunched Cables

LV XLPE/PVC AB cables for overhead electricity distribution. FY25: ₹193.76 Cr. Dominant product driving growth, supplied to EPC contractors and State Electricity Boards across Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Tripura, West Bengal.

18.47%

ACSR Conductors

Aluminium Conductor Steel Reinforced for overhead high-tension transmission. FY25: ₹46.28 Cr. Launched FY2024. Fastest growing segment leveraging Unit II capacity.

1.46%

Single-core Service Wire

Connecting utility distribution to buildings. FY25: ₹3.66 Cr (down from ₹14.16 Cr FY24). Declining share as higher-value products take over.

1.15%

Power Cables

LV XLPE/PVC insulated cables for T&D. FY25: ₹2.88 Cr. Small but steady.

1.58%

Control Cables & AAC/AAAC

Control cables for automation/PLCs/renewables (₹1.83 Cr) + AAC/AAAC conductors (₹2.39 Cr). Niche segments.

Emerging

EPC Infrastructure (New)

₹407 Cr EPC contract from KEL for NH-2 highway six-laning (Bihar-Jharkhand border). ₹244 Cr first order (Dec 2025) + ₹163 Cr follow-on (Jan 2026). Ground breaking Jan 2026. Transformational pivot from cable supplier to infrastructure executor.

Key Management

P

Piyush Garodia · Chairman & Managing Director (Promoter)

Age 35, B.Com. Founder, ~10 years experience. Holds 97.16% pre-IPO. Salary ₹21.60 Lakhs. Avg acquisition cost ₹1.26/share. Responsible for all strategic decisions.

R

Rajesh Jhunjhunwala · Whole Time Director

Age 54. 27 years in cables — ex-CFO at PCI Cables Industries, VP at Lumino Industries. Handles marketing. Salary ₹3L. Unable to trace degree certificate.

H

Hemant Kumar Choradia · CFO

Age 41. Master in Business Management. Joined Oct 2024. Manages finance and accounts.

S

Swati Mittal · Company Secretary

Age 32. CS from ICSI. 8 years experience. Joined Nov 2024.

Promoter

97.35%

Public

2.65%

Management flags: Solo promoter risk — Piyush Garodia (35) controls 97.16% with avg cost ₹1.26/share (via 330:1 bonus). Only 32 permanent employees for ₹250+ Cr revenue. Related party loans: promoter ₹134.13 Lakhs outstanding. WTD Jhunjhunwala unable to trace degree certificate. Past ROC filing delays, CSR non-compliance. OFS of 7.62L shares at ₹1.26 cost vs IPO pricing — massive founder premium extraction.

3Industry & Market Dynamics

Industry Overview

India Wires & Cables market: USD 10.01 billion (2025), projected USD 17.08 billion by 2032 at 7.94% CAGR. India is 3rd largest electricity producer/consumer with 466.24 GW installed capacity. Government targets 500 GW renewable by 2030. Power Equipment market: USD 33.16B (2025) to USD 42.06B by 2030. ₹40 lakh crore power sector investment planned. Peak power demand reached 249.85 GW (Sep 2024). CEA estimates 817 GW required by 2030.

Competitive Landscape

Highly competitive market dominated by Polycab (₹14,000+ Cr), KEI Industries (₹8,000+ Cr), Finolex, Havells, RR Kabel, V-Guard. JD Cables at ₹251 Cr is a micro-cap regional player. Competes through: approved vendor status with 12+ State Electricity Boards, geographic focus on underserved eastern/central India, competitive pricing via lean operations (32 employees for ₹251 Cr revenue). EPC pivot brings different competition from established infrastructure companies.

Peer Context

Direct BSE SME peers include Prime Cable Industries (similar product range and regional focus). Among large-caps, JD Cables is a fraction of Polycab, KEI, Finolex scale. The company's edge is in eastern India government utility orders where large players have less distribution depth. Post-EPC pivot, comparison should include EPC infrastructure players.

4IPO & Capital Structure

IPO Details

Issue Size

Up to 63,15,200 shares (55,53,600 fresh + 7,61,600 OFS) at FV ₹10 each

Price Band

To be determined

Platform

BSE SME

Listing Date

September 25, 2025

Subscription

To be updated

Objects of Issue

1.Working capital funding — ₹45 Cr (₹20 Cr FY26, ₹25 Cr FY27)

2.Repayment of borrowings — ₹26 Cr (FY26)

3.General corporate purposes — up to 15% of issue or ₹10 Cr

Capital Structure

Pre-issue: 1,69,97,512 shares (₹16.99 Cr). Post-issue: up to 2,33,12,712 shares. Net worth: ₹29.98 Cr. D/E: 1.53x. Share history: 30K on incorporation → 20K at ₹1,034 (Mar 2024) → 1,352 at ₹38,545 (Apr 2025) → 1,69,46,160 bonus at 330:1 (Jun 2025). No ESOP, no convertible instruments.

IPO Promise Tracker

Has management delivered on IPO promises?

Not Started

Fund working capital — ₹45 Cr

₹20 Cr in FY26 + ₹25 Cr in FY27. Covers ~32% of projected WC need — balance from internal accruals and borrowings.

Not Started

Repay borrowings — ₹26 Cr

Would reduce short-term borrowings by ~58%. D/E should drop from 1.53x to ~0.7x.

Not Started

General corporate purposes

Capped at 15% of issue or ₹10 Cr. At management discretion.

5Operational Performance & Growth

Operations & Capacity

Two manufacturing facilities in West Bengal: Unit I — Belgachia, Howrah: Leased (6,480 sq ft). Capacity 6,000 Kms/year. Utilization 79.17%. Unit II — Dankuni, Hooghly: Owned (2,750 sq m). Capacity 22,000 Kms/year. Utilization 81.18%. Operational from FY2024. 44 machines including extruders, laying/stranding/bunching/wire drawing machines. New land (164.29 Cottah, ₹10.45 Cr) and ₹5.72 Cr machinery for AL-59, MVCC, HTLS, HT cables. Planned capex ₹28.5 Cr (FY26-27). 32 permanent + 50-70 contractual employees. ISO 9001:2015. BIS compliant. Approved vendor for 12+ State Electricity Boards.

Order Book & Pipeline

Pre-IPO: ₹294.09 Cr (Aug 2025). Post-listing additions: ₹244 Cr + ₹163 Cr EPC from KEL (total ₹407 Cr for NH-2), ₹8.81 Cr cable supply, ₹19.55 Cr power cable order. Total visible pipeline: ₹700+ Cr. 9M FY26 revenue ₹241.10 Cr implies ₹350-400+ Cr full-year FY26.

Key Milestones

2015-06-12

Incorporated as JD Cables Private Limited in Kolkata

2021-02

Purchased land at Dankuni for Unit II

FY2024

Unit II operational. Conductor segment launched. Revenue crosses ₹100 Cr

2024-10

Converted from private to public limited company

2025-04

Private placement at ₹38,545/share (37x previous round)

2025-06

330:1 bonus issue — 1,69,46,160 new shares

2025-09-25

Listed on BSE SME Platform

2025-10

Dankuni land (₹10.45 Cr) + ₹5.72 Cr machinery for new product lines

2025-12

Won ₹244 Cr EPC from KEL. Dankuni land deed registered. ₹8.81 Cr cable order

2026-01

Won ₹163 Cr additional EPC from KEL (total ₹407 Cr). Ground breaking ceremony. ₹19.55 Cr power cable order. Q3 FY26: ₹119.84 Cr revenue (+94% YoY)

FY27

New product lines (AL-59, MVCC, HTLS, HT cables) expected from expanded Dankuni facility

Management Commentary

Revenue growth of 150% sustained over two consecutive years — we have scaled from ₹41 Cr to ₹251 Cr

Management highlighting explosive growth trajectory

H1 FY26 Earnings Call, Nov 2025

EPC infrastructure is a strategic diversification to capture larger project value chains beyond cable supply

Rationale for the ₹407 Cr KEL contract

H1 FY26 Earnings Call, Nov 2025

Gross margin target of 16-17% with lean manufacturing, 5S and Kaizen initiatives

Cost improvement roadmap to reduce scrap by >1% and energy costs by 5-7%

H1 FY26 Earnings Call, Nov 2025

Geographic expansion into 10+ new states by FY27

Breaking out of eastern India into HP, Goa, Maharashtra, MP, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, J&K, UP, Ladakh

H1 FY26 Earnings Call, Nov 2025

6Financial Health Deep-Dive

P&L Snapshot

MetricFY23FY24FY25Q3 FY26
Revenue₹40.86 Cr₹100.83 Cr₹250.53 Cr₹119.84 Cr (qtr)
EBITDA₹0.81 Cr₹7.22 Cr₹34.14 CrN/A
EBITDA Margin1.97%7.16%13.62%N/A
PAT₹0.32 Cr₹4.58 Cr₹22.15 CrN/A
PAT Margin0.78%4.54%8.84%N/A
EPS (post-bonus)₹0.32₹4.60₹13.39N/A
Net Worth₹1.18 Cr₹7.83 Cr₹29.98 CrN/A
Debt₹3.84 Cr₹17.77 Cr₹45.91 CrN/A
D/E3.25x2.27x1.53xN/A
ROCE15.40%27.85%43.64%N/A
Order Book--₹294 Cr₹700+ Cr

Financial Commentary

JD Cables has delivered one of the fastest revenue ramp-ups in BSE SME cables — from ₹41 Cr to ₹251 Cr in two years (~150% CAGR). EBITDA margins expanded from sub-2% to 13.6% as materials cost ratio declined from 96.2% to 86%. PAT crossed ₹22 Cr in FY25 with 8.84% net margin. However, growth has been funded almost entirely by short-term borrowings — surging from ₹3.84 Cr to ₹44.60 Cr. Revenue is outpacing internal cash generation, creating a classic growth-company cash squeeze that IPO proceeds will partially address.
💰

Cash Flow vs PAT

Operating cash flow deeply negative: -₹12.75 Cr (FY24) and -₹18.21 Cr (FY25) despite positive PAT. Gap driven by massive WC build: trade receivables grew from ₹9.91 Cr to ₹60.85 Cr, inventories from ₹5.50 Cr to ₹36.05 Cr. Cash at ₹2.42 Lakhs FY25 end. Growth funded entirely by short-term borrowings. The EPC pivot will likely worsen cash cycles before improving them. Key monitorable: OCF must turn positive within 2 quarters post-IPO.

⚠️

Balance Sheet Flags

Current ratio below 1.0 across all years (0.91 FY25). Short-term borrowings at ₹44.60 Cr dominate liabilities. Trade receivables 63 days. Insurance coverage gaps. Unit I leased (expiry Oct 2027). Contingent liabilities: nil (positive). Net worth grew 25x in 2 years from retained earnings.

Period-wise Analysis

Q3 FY26 (Oct-Dec 2025)Order Book: ₹700+ Cr (incl. KEL)
₹119.84 Cr
Revenue
N/A
EBITDA Margin
N/A
PAT Margin
Landmark quarter — ₹119.84 Cr revenue is +94% YoY vs Q3 FY25. 9M FY26 at ₹241.10 Cr is 96% of full-year FY25. Won ₹244 Cr EPC from KEL, registered Dankuni land deed, won ₹8.81 Cr cable order, received West Bengal Electrical Contractor License.

Key Developments

Revenue ₹119.84 Cr — +94% YoY (vs ₹61.77 Cr Q3 FY25)

9M FY26 revenue ₹241.10 Cr — 42.44% YoY growth

Won ₹244 Cr EPC contract from KEL for NH-2 highway

Dankuni land deed registered (₹10.45 Cr)

Won ₹8.81 Cr cable supply order

Electrical Contractor License from West Bengal government

Ground breaking ceremony for NH-2 EPC project (Jan 5, 2026)

7Governance, Risks & Monitoring Checklist

Governance & Compliance

Board: 2 independent directors (CA + CS) out of 5. Audit Committee chaired by independent CA. Statutory auditor: Vinod Singhal & Co. LLP (Nov 2024). Monitoring agency: CRISIL. Past concerns: ROC filing delays, CSR non-compliance, WTD unable to trace degree certificate. CS and CFO both appointed late 2024 — recent institutionalization. No SEBI adverse actions. Only 39 shareholders pre-IPO.

Key Risks

HighEPC execution risk

₹407 Cr highway contract far outside core cable manufacturing. No prior EPC experience. Timeline pressure: 9-12 months completion.

HighNegative operating cash flow

-₹18.21 Cr (FY25) despite ₹22.15 Cr PAT. Cash at ₹2.42 Lakhs. Growth funded by short-term borrowings.

HighSingle promoter dependency

Piyush Garodia (35) controls 97.16%. Only 32 employees. No succession plan. Loss would be existential.

MediumCustomer concentration

Top 5 = 64% of FY25 revenue. No long-term contracts. Order-by-order basis.

MediumRaw material volatility

Aluminium/copper = 40-60% of cost. No supply contracts. Spot market purchasing.

MediumCompetition from organized players

Polycab, KEI, Havells vastly larger in scale, brand equity, and distribution.

MediumGeographic concentration

Both facilities in West Bengal. Unit I leased. Bihar+WB+Jharkhand = 70% of revenue.

Low-MediumRegulatory compliance

Past ROC delays, CSR gaps, WTD credential issue. Immature compliance infrastructure.

🚪

Exit Trigger

Exit if EPC project shows cost overruns or billing delays beyond 2 quarters, or if operating cash flow remains negative post-IPO fund infusion, or if D/E ratio rises above 2.0x

Quarterly Monitoring Checklist

Check these items every quarter to track this stock

Q4 FY26 results — can 9M ₹241 Cr cross ₹350+ Cr for full year?

EPC project milestone billing — KEL contract progress and cost tracking

Operating cash flow — must turn positive within 2 quarters post-IPO

D/E ratio — should drop below 1.0x with ₹26 Cr repayment. Above 2.0x is exit signal

New product line revenue — AL-59, MVCC, HTLS, HT cables from new machinery

Geographic diversification — non-eastern state revenue share should increase

Customer concentration — Top 5 share should decrease below 50%

Capacity utilization — should cross 85%. Currently 79-81%

Promoter shareholding post lock-in — monitor for sales beyond OFS

Sources

1. RHP — JD Cables Limited (September 2025)

2. Restated Financial Statements FY23, FY24, FY25 (RHP)

3. BSE — EPC Contract ₹244 Cr from KEL (December 2025)

4. BSE — Follow-on EPC ₹163 Cr from KEL (January 2026)

5. BSE — Cable Supply Order ₹8.81 Cr (December 2025)

6. BSE — Power Cable Order ₹19.55 Cr (January 2026)

7. BSE — Land + Machinery ₹16.17 Cr (October 2025)

8. BSE — Q3 FY26 Business Update (January 2026)

9. BSE — H1 FY26 Investor Presentation (November 2025)

10. BSE — H1 FY26 Earnings Conference Call (November 2025)

The Verdict

Explosive growth trajectory with 150% revenue CAGR and strong order book visibility, but the EPC pivot, negative operating cash flows, and single-person dependency create significant execution risk. The ₹407 Cr KEL contract is the swing factor.

Watch For

Q4 FY26 results (can 9M ₹241 Cr cross ₹350+ Cr?), EPC project milestone billing, operating cash flow turning positive post-IPO, new product line revenue, and geographic expansion beyond eastern India.

From ₹41 Cr to ₹251 Cr in 2 years — and now a ₹407 Cr EPC pivot. Growth masterstroke or overreach? Tell us below 👇

Share your view in the comments below

Disclaimer: For educational purposes only. Not SEBI-registered. Author may hold positions in stocks discussed. Not a buy/sell/hold recommendation. Do your own due diligence.