Archive · 11 Sep 2026
Four Niche SMEs Show Strong Returns Amid Expansion Plans
The article looks at four small companies that make specialised products or services.
Apex Ecotech treats and recycles industrial wastewater.
TechD Cybersecurity helps organisations protect their computers and data.
Msafe Equipments makes and rents equipment used to work safely at heights.
Sacheerome makes fragrances and flavours for products such as soap and packaged food.
All four companies have reported strong growth and high returns on the money invested in their businesses.
They are planning new factories, equipment, software or other expansions.
The article says these plans could increase future earnings, but they must be completed successfully.
Small-company shares can also be harder to buy or sell and may move sharply in price.
Apex Ecotech, TechD Cybersecurity, Msafe Equipments and Sacheerome were selected from 14 SME-listed companies after screening for growth, profitability, cash flow and limited debt.
The four companies recorded screening ROCE figures of 41.4%, 40.9%, 37.2% and 35.7%, respectively.
FY26 revenue growth ranged from 41.7% at Sacheerome to 109.5% at Apex Ecotech, while three-year profit CAGR ranged from 68% to 146%.
Each company is pursuing expansion, including wastewater projects, cybersecurity subscriptions, rental capacity and a new fragrance-and-flavour factory.
The article highlights execution, cash generation, future borrowing, valuations, liquidity and price volatility as key investor risks; it is not an investment recommendation.
- Who
- Apex Ecotech, TechD Cybersecurity, Msafe Equipments and Sacheerome, four SME-listed companies.
- What
- They were identified as the four highest-ROCE companies from a broader screen of 14 specialised SMEs.
- When
- The analysis uses FY26 results and company updates through 2026, including some Q1FY27 information.
- Where
- The companies operate primarily in India; the articles also mention Apex’s presence in Bangladesh and Vietnam and TechD’s planned international expansion.
- Why
- The companies were selected for specialised businesses, strong ROCE, growth, operating cash flow, margins, shareholder ownership and relatively low leverage.
Growth Case
Risk Case
Specialised business models
Growth Case
Each company serves a focused need, such as industrial water treatment, cybersecurity, construction safety equipment or fragrances and flavours, which can support repeat or specialised demand.
Risk Case
Focused businesses remain dependent on successfully converting customer demand, orders, rentals or product launches into sustained revenue and cash flow.
Expansion plans
Growth Case
New projects include Apex’s order pipeline, TechD’s subscription platform and monitoring centre, Msafe’s factory and aluminium formwork capacity, and Sacheerome’s larger production facility.
Risk Case
Growth depends on timely commissioning, project execution, customer demand and keeping expanded capacity or rental equipment productively deployed. Sacheerome’s factory commissioning was not confirmed in the supplied documents.
Financial strength
Growth Case
The companies reported strong ROCE, growth and positive FY26 operating cash flow; TechD and Sacheerome had zero debt-to-equity in the cited periods, while Apex had 0.02 times.
Risk Case
Expansion can tie up cash or increase borrowing. Apex faces funding needs linked to bank-guarantee deposits, Msafe’s operating cash flow declined as inventory grew, TechD had 136 debtor days, and Sacheerome indicated possible borrowing of about Rs 60 crore.
- Screening universe
- SME-listed companies with market capitalisation above Rs 100 crore.
- Selection criteria
- Latest and three-year average ROCE above 15%, three-year annualised sales and profit growth above 10%, debt-to-equity below 0.5 times, positive latest-year operating cash flow, operating margin above 10%, debtor days below 150, promoter ownership above 30%, and more than 100 shareholders.
- Apex Ecotech
- Screening ROCE of 41.4%; FY26 revenue of Rs 148.6 crore and net profit of Rs 17 crore; executable order book of approximately Rs 146 crore.
- TechD Cybersecurity
- Screening ROCE of 40.9%; FY26 revenue of Rs 51.81 crore and net profit of Rs 14.04 crore; FY26 operating margin of 36%.
- Msafe Equipments
- Screening ROCE of 37.2%; FY26 revenue of Rs 103.50 crore and net profit of Rs 22.42 crore; rentals contributed 46% of Q1FY27 revenue.
- Sacheerome
- Screening ROCE of 35.7%; FY26 revenue of Rs 152.4 crore and net profit of Rs 28.4 crore; planned factory investment of Rs 184 crore.
- Common risks
- The article identifies execution, cash generation, possible future borrowing, valuation, SME-market liquidity and share-price volatility as risks.