Following its acquisition by personal care brand VLCC through a share swap and secondary buyout early in FY24, men’s grooming brand Ustraa has seen a notable dip in performance, facing both a marginal revenue drop and an escalation in losses.
According to Ustraa’s FY24 annual report filed with the Registrar of Companies, revenue decreased by 2.94%, from Rs 96.87 crore in FY23 to Rs 94.02 crore in FY24. This slight revenue contraction highlights the challenges Ustraa encountered in a highly competitive market. Product sales, constituting 95.08% of Ustraa’s total income, declined by 5.1% compared to the previous year. Additional earnings from other sources contributed Rs 4.7 crore, bringing the total income to Rs 94.27 crore.
Ustraa’s primary expenses reveal considerable shifts. Material costs saw a significant rise of 63.16%, reaching Rs 60.4 crore, while employee benefit expenses declined by 17.5% to Rs 20.94 crore. Advertising expenses were cut substantially, dropping 64.46% to Rs 17.09 crore, while commission expenses rose 43.82% to Rs 10.93 crore. Including other miscellaneous expenses, Ustraa’s total expenditure amounted to Rs 144.6 crore—a 5.11% increase from Rs 137.57 crore in FY23. Consequently, the company’s losses surged by 25.27%, reaching Rs 50.32 crore for FY24, up from Rs 40.17 crore in FY23.
Ustraa’s ROCE and EBITDA margin stood at 284.01% and -51.16%, respectively. On a per-unit basis, Ustraa spent Rs 1.54 to earn a single rupee in operating revenue during FY24. The company’s cash and cash equivalents rose to Rs 6.89 crore in FY24 from Rs 1.17 crore in FY23, with no other substantial bank balances reported. Trade receivables for Ustraa amounted to Rs 7.46 crore in FY24.
Founded in 2015, Ustraa offers a variety of men’s grooming products, including fragrances, hair care, and beard care. Post-acquisition, co-founders Rahul Anand and Rajat Tuli remain actively involved, also taking on leadership roles for VLCC’s D2C initiatives.
Before joining VLCC, Ustraa had raised over $10 million from investors like Info Edge, Wipro, and IIFL. Competing directly with brands like Beardo, The Man Company, and Bombay Shaving Company, Ustraa isn’t alone in navigating financial losses, as many players in the sector have been acquired or sold significant stakes to larger corporations. Bombay Shaving Company recorded Rs 182 crore in revenue for FY23 and anticipates achieving a topline of Rs 260-280 crore in FY24, while Beardo and The Man Company also reported notable revenue growth for FY23.
The current trajectory of Ustraa under VLCC aligns with industry trends—staff reductions, advertising cuts, and stagnant topline growth, often indicative of a “clean-up” phase by acquirers to address legacy issues. The question remains whether Ustraa can pivot towards growth in FY25 and whether VLCC has a strategic funding plan to drive future performance amid its own operational demands.