What Is Meridian Foods Worth? A Comparables Analysis

Finance
easy40 min0 submissions
Google
Scenario

Meridian Foods (packaged foods, India) is preparing for a sale process. You have been asked to establish a valuation range using trading comparables.

The company. Revenue of ₹493 Cr, EBITDA margin of 18% (EBITDA of ₹89 Cr), revenue growth of 25%, and net debt of ₹196 Cr.

Trading comparables.

PeerEV/EBITDARevenue growthEBITDA margin
Peer A — same sector, 3× larger10.7×8%23%
Peer B — adjacent sector, high growth9.6×32%16%
Peer C — same sector, declining7.4×-5%16%

The banker running the process has proposed simply averaging the three multiples.

Supporting data

target

ebitda cr
89
revenue cr
493
net debt cr
196
ebitda margin pct
18
revenue growth pct
25

comparables

peerev ebitdagrowth pctmargin pct
A10.7823
B9.63216
C7.4-516
Your task

Produce a valuation range. Provide:

  1. Analysis — which comparables you would use and why, and the resulting enterprise and equity values.
  2. Risks — where this methodology could mislead.
  3. Recommendation — your valuation range and the number you would take to the seller.

Critique the banker's proposed approach.

Ready to move forward? Up next: Solstice Travel: Is This Target Growing, or Just Floating?Next question
How you'll be graded

100 points, 60% to pass.

  • adjustments20
  • peer selection25
  • recommendation30
  • multiple analysis25
Hint
Reveal suggested structure
  1. Screen the peers on growth, margin and risk — not sector label alone.
  2. Apply the defensible multiple range to EBITDA to get enterprise value.
  3. Bridge to equity value: EV − net debt.
  4. Adjust for size, growth differential and marketability.
  5. Cross-check with EV/Revenue.
  6. Present a range, and say where in it you would settle.