Universal Cables trails Industrials peers with a 9.68% operating margin
Interest of Rs 36.49 cr absorbed a substantial part of operating profit, leaving standalone profit before tax at Rs 45.90 cr.
Filed 07 Aug 2026, 21:58 IST · after market close · Universal Cables Ltd (UNIVCABLES)
Key takeaways
- Standalone operating profit of Rs 91.46 cr was reduced by Rs 36.49 cr of interest and Rs 12.19 cr of depreciation before tax.
- Net profit was Rs 37.18 cr after a 19.00% tax rate, while other income contributed only Rs 3.12 cr.
- Operating margin of 9.68% was 4.82 percentage points below the 14.50% median for 82 reported Industrials peers.
Price around the results
Operating profit narrowed by financing and depreciation charges
Universal Cables reported standalone revenue of Rs 945.06 cr and operating profit of Rs 91.46 cr in Q1FY27. Interest of Rs 36.49 cr and depreciation of Rs 12.19 cr reduced this to profit before tax of Rs 45.90 cr. Other income of Rs 3.12 cr was small relative to pre-tax profit and did not materially alter the operating picture.
Tax rate left net profit at Rs 37.18 cr
A 19.00% tax rate reduced profit before tax of Rs 45.90 cr to standalone net profit of Rs 37.18 cr. With no quarter-on-quarter or year-on-year drivers provided, the main identifiable pressure in the reported earnings bridge is the Rs 36.49 cr interest charge against Rs 91.46 cr of operating profit.
Margin sits below the Industrials peer median
Universal Cables' 9.68% operating margin was 4.82 percentage points below the 14.50% median among 82 Industrials companies that had reported the same quarter. The results were filed after market close on 7 August 2026, so the stock's immediate response is not covered here.
Q1FY27 at a glance
Standalone figures as filed with NSE — cross-checked against an independent source.
| Line item | Q1FY27 |
|---|---|
| Revenue | ₹945 cr |
| Other income | ₹3 cr |
| Expenses | ₹854 cr |
| Operating profit | ₹91 cr |
| Operating margin (%) | 9.68% |
| Interest | ₹36 cr |
| Depreciation | ₹12 cr |
| Profit before tax | ₹46 cr |
| Tax | ₹9 cr |
| Net profit | ₹37 cr |
| EPS (₹) | ₹10.72 |
Operating margin of 9.68% compares with a Industrials sector median of 14.50% across 82 peers that have reported Q1FY27.
What to watch
- Whether operating margin moves above 9.68%.
- Whether interest remains close to Rs 36.49 cr relative to operating profit.
- Whether other income stays limited near Rs 3.12 cr.