Zen Technologies Ltd
Zen Technologies Ltd
Aerospace & DefenseZen Technologies Limited was incorporated in 1996. The company designs develop and manufacture combat training solutions and Counter-drone solutions for defense and security forces. It is actively involved in the indigenization of technologies, which are beneficial to Indian armed forces, state police forces, and paramilitary forces. Zen Technologies is headquartered in Hyderabad, India with offices in India, UAE, and the USA. [1] [2] [3]
Zen Technologies has delivered exceptional 5-year profit CAGR of 128% and is nearly debt-free, but the stock trades at a steep PE of 79.7x with TTM sales declining 29% and working capital days ballooning to 543 days. At a market cap of Rs.17,133 Cr, the current valuation leaves little margin of safety given the recent earnings deceleration.
Key Fundamentals
SmallcapEngineeringAerospace & DefenseTechnical Indicators
Key Insights
Strengths
4- Company has reduced debt.
- Company is almost debt free.
- Company has delivered good profit growth of 128% CAGR over last 5 years
- Company's median sales growth is 44.8% of last 10 years
Weaknesses
4- Stock is trading at 9.02 times its book value
- Earnings include an other income of Rs.86.4 Cr.
- Promoter holding has decreased over last 3 years: -11.6%
- Working capital days have increased from 283 days to 543 days
Growth Rate
AI Analysis — Bull vs Bear
Zen Technologies has delivered exceptional 5-year profit CAGR of 128% and is nearly debt-free, but the stock trades at a steep PE of 79.7x with TTM sales declining 29% and working capital days ballooning to 543 days. At a market cap of Rs.17,133 Cr, the current valuation leaves little margin of safety given the recent earnings deceleration.
- Company has delivered outstanding 5-year compounded profit growth of 128% CAGR, reflecting strong execution in the defence electronics segment
- Company is almost debt-free, providing financial flexibility and low balance sheet risk in a capital-intensive sector
- 3-year stock CAGR of 71% and 5-year CAGR of 87% demonstrate sustained market confidence and re-rating
- Median sales growth of 44.8% over last 10 years indicates consistent order book conversion and revenue scale-up
- 3-year compounded sales growth of 46% shows strong medium-term demand tailwinds from India's defence indigenisation push
- 67% of analyst ratings are Buy with zero Sell ratings out of 6 total coverage initiations, signalling positive Street consensus
- 10-year compounded profit CAGR of 56% demonstrates the company's ability to grow earnings across multiple defence procurement cycles
- Stock trades at 79.7x PE, a significant premium that prices in years of flawless execution with no room for disappointment
- TTM sales have declined 29% year-over-year, indicating potential order execution delays or lumpy revenue recognition
- TTM profit has declined 31%, showing that the earnings momentum has sharply reversed in the most recent period
- Working capital days have surged from 283 to 543 days, signalling severe cash conversion cycle deterioration and potential collection issues
- Price-to-book of 9.19x is elevated for an industrials company, leaving significant downside risk if growth disappoints
- Promoter holding has decreased by 11.6% over the last 3 years, raising concerns about insider confidence at current valuations
- Earnings include other income of Rs.86.4 Cr, which flatters reported profitability and may not be sustainable or recurring
- Last year ROE declined to 11% from 3-year average of 18%, indicating deteriorating capital efficiency despite the premium valuation
This is AI-generated analysis, not financial advice. Do your own due diligence.
AI News Digest
- Elevated valuation multiples Jun 16
Stock trades at PE of 111.09 and P/B of 201.78, significantly higher than established defence sector peers, reflecting growth expectations that must be met.
- Stock down ~6% over past year Jun 16
Share price fell from ₹1,904 on 12 June 2025 to ₹1,789 on 12 June 2026, delivering negative returns despite strong fundamentals.
- Government order dependence risk Jun 16
Key challenges include defence procurement delays pushing projects to subsequent years, order concentration risk, and elongated timelines that significantly influence performance.
- India's $2B drone order boost Jun 3
India planning military drone orders worth over $2 billion with domestic manufacturers, with deliveries in 18-24 months. Zen Technologies surged 8.86-11.54% on the news.
- Smart Border Suite launched May 27
Launched India's first Integrated Smart Border Suite targeting 6,000 km of borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh; shares rose 5.5% to ₹1,691 on the announcement.
- Robust ₹1,336 crore order book Jun 16
Consolidated order book stands at ₹1,336 crore as of 31 March 2026, with majority scheduled for execution from FY27 onwards. Recent new orders include ₹289 crore and ₹152 crore from MoD.
- Strong margins and return ratios Jun 16
Operating margins at 45.3% in FY25 with ROE of 24.61% and ROCE of 32.94%, indicating efficient capital utilization with only ₹52.2 crore total debt.
- Strategic acquisitions in FY25 Jun 16
Acquired 76% stake in ARIPL (naval training), 51% in Vector Technics (drone components), and 45.33% in Bhairav Robotics (autonomous ground systems) to diversify capabilities.
- Counter-drone technology leadership Jun 16
Launched AI-powered counter-drone system, secured Indian Patent for 60mm Mortar Simulator, and executed largest-ever export order in counter-drone segment. Orders exceeding ₹1,000 crore in drone/anti-drone segments in past fiscal cycle.
- Multiple investor meets scheduled Jun 17
Management attending Defence Conference in Mumbai (Jun 25), investor meet in Hyderabad (Jun 22), London group meeting (Jun 15-16), Citi defence meet (Jun 12), and DAM Capital conference (Jun 11).
- No promoter share encumbrance Jun 2
Promoters and Promoter Group confirmed no shares were encumbered during FY26, disclosed under SEBI regulations.
- ESOP shares transferred Jun 9
Transferred 2,350 equity shares to employees under ESOP-2021 at ₹500 per share from Employees Welfare Trust; no change to paid-up share capital.
TL;DR: Zen Technologies is well-positioned in India's defence modernization wave with a strong ₹1,336 crore order book, 45% operating margins, and leadership in the fast-growing counter-drone and smart border segments. The $2B Indian drone procurement plan and 6,000 km smart border project provide significant near-term catalysts. Key risks are the elevated PE of 111x, government procurement delays, and order concentration. The trend is improving on order visibility and policy tailwinds, though the stock must grow into its premium valuation.
Quarterly Results
| Mar 2023 | Jun 2023 | Sep 2023 | Dec 2023 | Mar 2024 | Jun 2024 | Sep 2024 | Dec 2024 | Mar 2025 | Jun 2025 | Sep 2025 | Dec 2025 | Mar 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | 96 | 132 | 66 | 100 | 141 | 255 | 242 | 152 | 325 | 158 | 174 | 178 | 178 |
| Expenses | 61 | 64 | 48 | 57 | 91 | 143 | 162 | 108 | 187 | 94 | 109 | 111 | 129 |
| Operating Profit | 35 | 69 | 19 | 42 | 50 | 111 | 80 | 44 | 138 | 64 | 65 | 67 | 50 |
| OPM % | 37% | 52% | 29% | 43% | 36% | 44% | 33% | 29% | 42% | 41% | 37% | 37% | 28% |
| Other Income | 0 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 22 | 25 | 22 | 26 | 16 | 23 |
| Interest | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Depreciation | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| PBT | 33 | 69 | 22 | 44 | 52 | 110 | 82 | 59 | 154 | 76 | 83 | 73 | 64 |
| Tax % | 29% | 30% | 37% | 32% | 27% | 28% | 23% | 28% | 26% | 30% | 26% | 24% | 27% |
| Net Profit | 23 | 48 | 14 | 30 | 38 | 79 | 63 | 43 | 114 | 53 | 62 | 56 | 47 |
| EPS in Rs | 2.54 | 5.6 | 1.82 | 3.64 | 4.16 | 9.14 | 6.94 | 4.4 | 11.19 | 5.29 | 6.58 | 6.07 | 3.49 |
Profit & Loss
| Mar 2014 | Mar 2015 | Mar 2016 | Mar 2017 | Mar 2019 | Mar 2020 | Mar 2021 | Mar 2022 | Mar 2023 | Mar 2024 | Mar 2025 | Mar 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | 46 | 79 | 53 | 62 | 92 | 149 | 55 | 70 | 219 | 440 | 974 | 688 |
| Expenses | 46 | 58 | 48 | 50 | 76 | 87 | 47 | 65 | 146 | 259 | 591 | 443 |
| Operating Profit | 1 | 21 | 4 | 11 | 17 | 63 | 7 | 5 | 73 | 181 | 382 | 245 |
| OPM % | 1% | 27% | 8% | 18% | 18% | 42% | 14% | 7% | 33% | 41% | 39% | 36% |
| Other Income | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 17 | 58 | 86 |
| Interest | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 10 |
| Depreciation | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 24 |
| PBT | 0 | 20 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 57 | 4 | 3 | 72 | 186 | 406 | 297 |
| Tax % | 25% | 21% | 21% | 20% | -19% | -3% | 36% | 21% | 30% | 30% | 26% | 27% |
| Net Profit | 0 | 16 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 59 | 3 | 3 | 50 | 130 | 299 | 218 |
| EPS in Rs | 0.01 | 2.04 | 0.3 | 0.93 | 1.73 | 7.62 | 0.39 | 0.25 | 5.38 | 15.22 | 31.04 | 21.43 |
| Div. Payout % | 1103% | 17% | 33% | 16% | 17% | 5% | 26% | 40% | 4% | 7% | 6% | 5% |
Balance Sheet
| Mar 2014 | Mar 2015 | Mar 2016 | Mar 2017 | Mar 2019 | Mar 2020 | Mar 2021 | Mar 2022 | Mar 2023 | Mar 2024 | Mar 2025 | Mar 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity Capital | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| Reserves | 91 | 103 | 105 | 112 | 127 | 183 | 196 | 275 | 308 | 440 | 1,692 | 1,880 |
| Borrowings | 18 | 40 | 41 | 11 | 42 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 78 | 19 |
| Other Liabilities | 12 | 27 | 14 | 15 | 42 | 20 | 17 | 71 | 151 | 296 | 271 | 253 |
| Total Liabilities | 128 | 177 | 167 | 146 | 218 | 214 | 223 | 369 | 474 | 750 | 2,049 | 2,160 |
| Fixed Assets | 49 | 47 | 44 | 45 | 63 | 73 | 70 | 67 | 75 | 93 | 208 | 241 |
| CWIP | 1 | 0 | 15 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 13 |
| Investments | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| Other Assets | 78 | 130 | 108 | 84 | 147 | 139 | 152 | 297 | 394 | 646 | 1,830 | 1,900 |
| Total Assets | 128 | 177 | 167 | 146 | 218 | 214 | 223 | 369 | 474 | 750 | 2,049 | 2,160 |
Cash Flow
| Mar 2014 | Mar 2015 | Mar 2016 | Mar 2017 | Mar 2019 | Mar 2020 | Mar 2021 | Mar 2022 | Mar 2023 | Mar 2024 | Mar 2025 | Mar 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating | 10 | -20 | 0 | 0 | -49 | 62 | 6 | -44 | 116 | 13 | -146 | 245 |
| Investing | -8 | -4 | 0 | 0 | 13 | -12 | -10 | -44 | -4 | -85 | -823 | -162 |
| Financing | -7 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 5 | -12 | 9 | 88 | -22 | -3 | 1,007 | -78 |
| Net Cash Flow | -5 | -4 | 0 | 0 | -32 | 38 | 5 | 0 | 91 | -75 | 37 | 5 |
| Free Cash Flow | -13 | -22 | 0 | 0 | -54 | 52 | 5 | -49 | 103 | -16 | -179 | 185 |
| CFO/OP | 1,269 | -94 | 0 | 0 | -286 | 118 | 118 | -921 | 180 | 26 | -8 | 136 |
Ratios
| Mar 2014 | Mar 2015 | Mar 2016 | Mar 2017 | Mar 2019 | Mar 2020 | Mar 2021 | Mar 2022 | Mar 2023 | Mar 2024 | Mar 2025 | Mar 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debtor Days | 90 | 276 | 56 | 121 | 290 | 114 | 124 | 166 | 142 | 153 | 154 | 119 |
| Inventory Days | 295 | 225 | 242 | 237 | 496 | 137 | 609 | 693 | 305 | 523 | 118 | 415 |
| Days Payable | 63 | 47 | 52 | 92 | 114 | 44 | 132 | 109 | 42 | 99 | 25 | 109 |
| Cash Conversion Cycle | 322 | 455 | 246 | 265 | 672 | 206 | 601 | 750 | 406 | 577 | 247 | 425 |
| Working Capital Days | 45 | 119 | -66 | 187 | 191 | 191 | 535 | 629 | 115 | 158 | 148 | 543 |
| ROCE % | 2% | 16% | 3% | 8% | — | 32% | 3% | 2% | 23% | 46% | 37% | 16% |
Documents
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Company Information
Zen Technologies Limited was incorporated in 1996. The company designs develop and manufacture combat training solutions and Counter-drone solutions for defense and security forces. It is actively involved in the indigenization of technologies, which are beneficial to Indian armed forces, state police forces, and paramilitary forces. Zen Technologies is headquartered in Hyderabad, India with offices in India, UAE, and the USA. [1] [2] [3]