💰 Financial Performance

Revenue Growth by Segment

In Q2 FY26, Broking, Distribution & Trading revenue declined 12.8% YoY to INR 240.9 Cr. Insurance Broking grew 21.1% YoY to INR 162.5 Cr. Financing (NBFC) revenue fell 7.9% YoY to INR 46.4 Cr. For H1 FY26, total operational income was INR 865.2 Cr compared to INR 1,775.7 Cr for the full year FY25.

Geographic Revenue Split

The company operates through 198 branches and 2,297 franchisees across 412 cities in India as of September 2024. Specific percentage split by region is not disclosed, but the network includes a strategic presence in the West (Regional Director Nidhi Bansal) and a national POS network for insurance.

Profitability Margins

Net Profit Margin (PAT) declined from 11.5% in FY24 to 8.3% in FY25, and further compressed to 5.9% in H1 FY26. This trend is driven by a 16-18% decline in capital market segment income in H2 FY25 and elevated fixed costs (49-50% of total costs).

EBITDA Margin

EBITDA margin stood at 21.3% in H1 FY26 (INR 184.5 Cr), down from 23.6% in FY25 and 26.0% in FY24. The decline is attributed to industry-wide moderation in trading activity and higher exchange-related charges.

Capital Expenditure

While specific future Capex is not quantified, the group incurred significant IT infrastructure expenses in FY23 and FY24 to strengthen digital platforms like Stoxkart. Technology expenses continue to be a drag on earnings, maintaining the cost-to-income ratio at 74.5% in FY25.

Credit Rating & Borrowing

ICRA reaffirmed [ICRA]A (Stable) for long-term bank lines of INR 2,200 Cr and NCDs of INR 400 Cr. Standalone borrowings were INR 871 Cr as of September 30, 2024. Consolidated gearing stood at 1.4 times as of March 31, 2025.

⚙️ Operational Drivers

Raw Materials

Not applicable as SMCGLOBAL is a financial services provider. The primary 'inputs' are capital for margin requirements and human resources (employee costs represent ~31% of fixed costs).

Import Sources

Not applicable.

Key Suppliers

Not applicable. Key partners include 7 PSU and Private Banks (PNB, IOB, UBI, Ujjivan) for online trading alliances.

Capacity Expansion

Current network includes 2,152 authorized persons and 6,573 financial distributors. The company is expanding its insurance POS network and branch footprint to offset the 0.6% and 0.3% market share declines in retail cash and F&O segments respectively.

Raw Material Costs

Not applicable. Operating expenses are driven by exchange-related charges and IT infrastructure, with the cost-to-income ratio rising to 74.5% in FY25 from 67.3% in FY24.

Manufacturing Efficiency

Active NSE client base stands at ~2 lakh (0.4% market share). Online penetration increased to 67% in H1 FY26 from 59% in FY23, improving digital reach efficiency.

Logistics & Distribution

Distribution costs are primarily client introduction charges and sub-brokerage, which are variable. Fixed operational expenses account for ~19% of the total 50% fixed cost base.

📈 Strategic Growth

Growth Strategy

Growth is targeted through cross-selling financial products across the 12.5 lakh customer base, expanding the insurance POS network which grew revenue by 21.1% in Q2 FY26, and re-anchoring the NBFC portfolio toward Micro-LAP to maintain asset quality.

Products & Services

Full-service and discount broking (Stoxkart), Insurance Broking (Life/General), SME Financing (LAP, WCTL, Supply Chain), Wealth Management, and Clearing Services.

Brand Portfolio

SMC, Stoxkart, Moneywise Financial Services (MFSPL), Moneywise Finvest (MFL).

New Products/Services

Expansion into Micro-LAP and Supply Chain Financing within the NBFC arm; Stoxkart discount broking platform (active clients ~16,200) aimed at capturing the younger digital demographic.

Market Expansion

Strategic alliances with 7 banks to offer trading services to their customers; expansion of the franchisee network which currently spans 412 cities.

Market Share & Ranking

Market share in retail cash segment fell to 0.6% in FY24 (from 1.2% in FY22) and to 0.3% in retail F&O (from 0.9% in FY22).

Strategic Alliances

Alliances with Punjab National Bank (PNB), Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), Union Bank of India (UBI), and Ujjivan Small Finance Bank for 3-in-1 account services.

🌍 External Factors

Industry Trends

The industry is seeing a shift toward digital transacting (67% for SMC) and increased financialization of household savings. Regulatory tightening (SEBI F&O norms) is consolidating the market, favoring traditional brokers over pure discount players in some segments.

Competitive Landscape

Intense competition from discount brokers (Zerodha, Groww) has pressured SMC's market share, which dropped from 1.2% to 0.6% in retail cash over two years.

Competitive Moat

Moat is built on a diversified 'supermarket' model where insurance broking and NBFC activities provide a hedge against cyclical broking revenue. The 30+ years of management experience and 41 quarters of loss-free proprietary trading support sustainability.

Macro Economic Sensitivity

Highly sensitive to capital market cycles; 70-80% of total income is market-linked. Softening investor sentiment in H2 FY25 led to a sharp decline in consolidated PAT to INR 4 Cr in Q4 FY25.

Consumer Behavior

Increasing preference for digital-first discount broking platforms, prompting SMC to launch Stoxkart and increase online penetration to 67%.

Geopolitical Risks

Indirect impact through capital market volatility affecting trading volumes and proprietary trading desk performance.

⚖️ Regulatory & Governance

Industry Regulations

Subject to RBI norms for NBFC operations (MFSPL) regarding capital adequacy (CRAR of 37% as of March 2025) and IRDAI regulations for insurance broking. Compliance costs are rising due to tighter reporting standards.

Environmental Compliance

Not disclosed as a material cost for financial services.

Taxation Policy Impact

Impacted by the hike in Securities Transaction Tax (STT) and revised Long-Term/Short-Term Capital Gains taxes introduced in the recent budget, which increase the cost of trading.

Legal Contingencies

Not disclosed in available documents with specific INR values, excluding capital market regulator matters.

⚠️ Risk Analysis

Key Uncertainties

Regulatory interventions in the derivatives segment could further reduce trading volumes (55% of NOI). Asset quality in the INR 224 Cr MTF book is vulnerable to sudden market crashes.

Geographic Concentration Risk

Operations are pan-India with 2,152 authorized persons, though physical branch concentration is not specifically mapped by revenue percentage.

Third Party Dependencies

High dependency on banking partners (7 banks) for client acquisition and exchange platforms for trade execution.

Technology Obsolescence Risk

Risk of falling behind discount brokers in UI/UX; mitigated by ongoing IT infrastructure investments which currently keep the cost-to-income ratio elevated at 74.5%.

Credit & Counterparty Risk

NBFC Stage 3 assets remained stable at 2.2% (Gross) and 1.0% (Net) as of September 30, 2024. Unsecured SME loans represent ~80% of the NBFC AUM, posing a concentration risk.