Rating History
Dissemination Date Long-Term Rating Short-Term Rating Outlook Action Rating Watch
14-Nov-25 A- A2 Stable Maintain -
15-Nov-24 A- A2 Stable Maintain -
17-Nov-23 A- A2 Stable Maintain -
18-Nov-22 A- A2 Stable Maintain -
18-Nov-21 A- A2 Stable Maintain -
About the Entity

Ahmed Fine Weaving Limited ("AFWL" or “the Company”) was incorporated on July 6th, 2012, as a public unlisted limited Company. Mr. Ashar Fazal holds the majority stake at 48.28%, while Ms. Laraib and Mr. Amin Fazal hold 13.25% and 36.24% of the Company's shares, respectively. The Company’s production facility comprises two weaving units. Weaving Unit I is located at Basti Malook – Multan, and Weaving Unit II is located at Qadir Pur Rawan – Multan

Rating Rationale

The assigned ratings of Ahmed Fine Weaving Limited (“AFWL” or “the Company”) reflect its adequate positioning in the weaving sector of Pakistan. The principal activity of the Company is the manufacturing and sale of grey fabric, utilizing an operational capacity of 283 air-jet looms. The Product segment includes woven fabrics for fashion, casual, sportswear, industrial, workwear, and home textiles. The ownership of AFWL rests with Mr. Ashar Fazal and his family. The sponsor’s dominance, extensive business acumen, and elevated decision power through the board’s control translate into efficient capitalization of market opportunities. During FY25, the Company’s topline exhibited a marginal decline of 4.8%, reaching PKR 7.2bln (FY24: PKR 7.6bln). The reduction primarily stems from a notable drop in export sales to PKR 1.9bln (FY24: PKR 3.1bln), partially offset by enhanced local presence (FY25: PKR 6.4bln, FY24: PKR 5.3bln). While the gross and operating margins remained relatively stable, the net margin experienced a modest rise to ~0.3% (FY24: ~0.2%), primarily due to monetary easing. The management is cognizant of energy cost risk and is in the process of optimizing its overall cost structure through the installation of a ~3.8MW solar plant, elevating the Company’s total solar generation capacity to 6.8MW. The new solar plant is expected to become operational soon, with its financial impact materializing in the following quarters.

The financial risk of AFWL is considered adequate, with a manageable working capital cycle in line with the industry. The working capital requirements are primarily met through short-term borrowings and internal cash flows, while maintaining a leveraged capital structure. The management of AFWL is mindful of aligning its performance with financial projections. The transition from the Final Tax Regime (FTR) to the Normal Tax Regime (NTR) is anticipated to establish a uniform taxation framework for all players, thereby promoting transparency. While this shift is expected to impact the profitability of export-oriented weaving units (29% corporate tax rate plus a super tax of up to 10%), the overall financial outlook for the weaving segment and the Company remains stable. This stability is supported by ongoing monetary easing, projected to offset the potential tax impact by reducing financing costs.

Key Rating Drivers

The ratings are dependent on the Company's ability to enhance business volumes, increase net profitability, and sustain gross margins. Prudent working capital management, positive cash flows, and sufficient coverage are imperative. Adherence to the debt matrix at an optimal level is a prerequisite for the assigned ratings.

Profile
Legal Structure

Ahmed Fine Weaving Limited ("AFWL" or "the Company") was incorporated on July 6th, 2012, as a public unlisted limited company and registered under the Companies Ordinance, 1984 (Repealed with the enactment of the Companies Act, 2017).


Background

Following the demerger from Ahmed Fine Textile Mills Limited (AFTML), AFWL acquired the weaving business in July 2012 through a scheme of arrangement. Under this scheme, all assets, liabilities, agreements and other matters related to the weaving segment were transferred to and vested in the Company, as approved by the High Court of Sindh.


Operations

The Company’s production facilities comprise two weaving units, equipped with a total of 283 Air Jet looms. Weaving Unit I is located at Basti Malook, Multan, while Weaving Unit II is situated at Qadir Pur Rawan, Multan. The Company has total power requirement of 13MW, which is wholly met through gas-fired generators. While, the Company has diesel generators and NTDC as alternative sources.


Ownership
Ownership Structure

The ownership of AFWL rests with the family of Mr. Ashar Fazal. Mr. Rayed Fazal, s/o Mr. Ashar Fazal, holds the majority stake at 48.28%, while Ms. Laraib, D/o Mr. Ashar Fazal, and Mr. Amin Fazal, s/o Mr. Ashar Fazal, hold 13.25% and 36.24% of the Company's shares, respectively.


Stability

It is a family-owned business, with Mr. Ashar Fazal acting as guardian, as all his children are minors. The distribution of shareholding among family members reflects a structured line of succession; however, the transfer of ownership to the next generation has not yet been realized.


Business Acumen

Mr. Ashar is the grandson of Mr. Fazal-ur-Rehman. The Fazal family is among the pioneers of the modern textile industry in Pakistan. The family's decades-long presence in the industry, coupled with the expertise developed over time, provides the necessary business acumen to sustain itself in this volatile sector. Mr. Ashar is considered the man of the last mile.


Financial Strength

The financial strength of the sponsors is primarily vested in a single line of business, reflecting their commmittment to support the Company in times of need.


Governance
Board Structure

The Company’s board of directors comprises three members, comprising two male directors and one female director. Two members belong to the sponsoring family, while one is the executive director. AFWL has a sponsor-dominated board, and the inclusion of independent oversight would improve the governance framework.


Members’ Profile

All board members have been associated with the board for the last 15 years and possess over three decades of experience in the textile sector. Mr. Ashar Fazal, the Chairman of the board, also serves as the Company’s CEO. He is a management graduate from the Wharton School of Business, USA. Mrs. Maha Fazal, wife of Mr. Ashar Fazal, is a homemaker by profession.


Board Effectiveness

During FY25, four board meetings were held, and board members ensured their availability and participation. The recent board meetings discussed the shift in the Company's sales policy and progress in the Company's performance. The board has established both an audit committee and an HR committee to assist with relevant matters.


Financial Transparency

M/s. Yousaf Adil, Chartered Accountants, is the Company's external auditor, categorized under category "A" of SBP’s panel of auditors. The auditor has expressed an unqualified opinion on the financial reports for the year ending 30th June 2025.


Management
Organizational Structure

Management control rests with Mr. Ashar Fazal, with a defined reporting line to ensure smooth operations and efficiency. Moreover, the Company has five functional departments: (i) Finance & Commercial, (ii) Marketing, (iii) Weaving, (iv) IT, and (v) Internal Audit. All Heads of Departments (HODs) report directly to the CEO. This reflects an adequate delegation of authority matrix.


Management Team

Mr. Ashar Fazal - the CEO, has been associated with the Company since its inception. He is supported by a team of seasoned professionals, supplementing his expertise. Mr. Afzal Mujahid, the Company's CFO, has a master's in Commerce and has been associated with the Company since 2014.


Effectiveness

The Company has no formal management committees, and need-based management meetings are held to resolve or proactively address operational issues, if any, ensuring a smooth flow of operations. The formation of management committees would enhance oversight of key areas such as risk management, financial controls, and operational efficiency.


MIS

AFWL has implemented an Oracle-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, designed to deliver comprehensive MIS reporting. The reports are periodically fetched from the system and presented in the management meetings.


Control Environment

The Company has availed ISO 9001:2008 certification to primarily ensure compliance, product quality, process improvement and effective risk management. In addition, the Company’s plant is connected to the head office through a VPN, thereby reporting on a real-time basis.


Business Risk
Industry Dynamics

During MY25, approximately 24.4mln MT of cotton was produced globally, compared to about 24.2 million MT in MY24. During the FY25, imports accounted for approximately 35% of the cotton supply (~11% in FY24), adding about USD 1.27bln (USD 448mln in FY24) to the country's import bill. Textile exports reached USD 17.9bln in FY25, a modest rise from USD 16.7bln the previous year, reflecting a 7.2% year-over-year growth. The largest contribution came from the composite and garments segment, at USD 14bln, which included the weaving segment at USD 1.8bln and the spinning segment at USD 0.7bln. The production of cotton cloth in FY25 declined by approximately 0.7% year over year, reaching around 877.1mln square meters. The renewable energy as input costs play a vital role in the cost dynamics.

During FY25, about 25.3% of the cotton cloth produced was exported (compared to roughly 27.2% in FY24), with the rest used for the domestic market. The country's fabric exports fell by approximately 4.4% on YoY basis in FY25 (FY24: up about 5.8% on YoY basis), with approximately 23.4% of Pakistan's cotton cloth exports going to Bangladesh (compared to about 19.9% in FY24), followed by the USA with about 8.1% of cotton cloth exports (approximately 7.8% in FY24). The transition from the final tax regime to the normal tax regime is expected to affect the profitability of export-oriented units, with a 29% tax on profits and a super tax of up to 10%. Energy and finance costs are expected to stay within a range, given the projected reduction in interest rates and the absence of any major energy tariff increases.


Relative Position

The weaving segment is highly fragmented and the relative position of the Company is considered adequate with a fabric production capacity of 48.3mln meters.


Revenues

During FY25, the Company’s topline exhibited a marginal decline of 4.8%, with total sales recorded at PKR 7.23bln (FY24: PKR 7.60bln. The reduction primarily stemmed from a notable drop in local sales to PKR 1.87bln (FY24: PKR 5.27bln), partially offset by strong export performance, which increased to PKR 6.36bln (FY24: PKR 3.14bln).


Margins

The margins demonstrated relative stability during FY25. Gross profit margin stood at 10.2% (FY24: 10.7%), reflecting sustained cost controls despite a decline in revenue. Operating margin registered at 4.5% (FY24: 4.9%), indicating moderate efficiency in managing overheads. Meanwhile, the net margin improved slightly to 0.3% (FY24: 0.2%) on the back of reduced finance costs and controlled administrative expenses.


Sustainability

AFWL has installed a 5MW solar power plant. The Company's management is committed to aligning its financial performance with projections, both in terms of top-line growth and profitability.


Financial Risk
Working capital

During FY25, the Company maintained a stable working capital cycle, supported by prudent management of receivables and inventories, which contributed to sustaining operational liquidity. Inventory and receivable days stood at 92 and 37 days (FY24: 91days & 52days), respectively, showing efficient inventory turnover and timely collection practices. The current ratio improved to 2.1x (FY24: 1.9x), indicating an adequate cushion to meet short-term obligations.


Coverages

As of FY25, the Company’s cash flow generation remained moderate.  The net cash generated from operating activities stood at PKR 258mln (FY24: PKR 681mln), reflecting a decline mainly due to higher working capital requirements. Free cash flow coverage metrics remained adequate, with FCFO/Finance Cost at 1.9x (FY24: 1.8x) and EBITDA/Finance Cost improving to 2.6x (FY24: 2.0x), supported by lower finance costs and stable profitability. The Debt Payback Ratio also strengthened to 4.0x (FY24: 4.5x), reflecting a gradual improvement in repayment capacity.


Capitalization

The Company maintains a highly leveraged capital structure. During FY25, the total borrowings decreased to PKR 1.9bln (FY24: PKR 2.1bln), resulting in a debt-to-equity ratio of 53.4% (FY24: 56.4%). The short-term portion accounted for 53.7% of total debt (FY24: 52.6%), indicating reliance on working capital financing. The equity base stood at PKR 1.69bln, primarily comprising unappropriated profits of PKR 1.29bln.


 
 

Nov-25

www.pacra.com


Jun-25
12M
Jun-24
12M
Jun-23
12M
A. BALANCE SHEET
1. Non-Current Assets 1,966 2,049 1,709
2. Investments 0 0 0
3. Related Party Exposure 0 0 0
4. Current Assets 3,437 4,014 4,993
a. Inventories 1,736 1,928 1,858
b. Trade Receivables 644 803 1,379
5. Total Assets 5,403 6,062 6,702
6. Current Liabilities 1,664 2,141 2,473
a. Trade Payables 1,157 1,580 1,770
7. Borrowings 1,896 2,118 2,438
8. Related Party Exposure 32 32 42
9. Non-Current Liabilities 127 109 93
10. Net Assets 1,685 1,664 1,655
11. Shareholders' Equity 1,685 1,664 1,655
B. INCOME STATEMENT
1. Sales 7,233 7,598 9,699
a. Cost of Good Sold (6,494) (6,788) (8,887)
2. Gross Profit 739 810 812
a. Operating Expenses (411) (439) (637)
3. Operating Profit 328 371 175
a. Non Operating Income or (Expense) (24) (42) 170
4. Profit or (Loss) before Interest and Tax 305 329 345
a. Total Finance Cost (252) (320) (247)
b. Taxation (29) 5 38
6. Net Income Or (Loss) 23 14 136
C. CASH FLOW STATEMENT
a. Free Cash Flows from Operations (FCFO) 457 530 454
b. Net Cash from Operating Activities before Working Capital Changes 184 209 235
c. Changes in Working Capital 74 472 (721)
1. Net Cash provided by Operating Activities 258 681 (486)
2. Net Cash (Used in) or Available From Investing Activities (108) (452) (190)
3. Net Cash (Used in) or Available From Financing Activities (230) (374) 808
4. Net Cash generated or (Used) during the period (81) (146) 132
D. RATIO ANALYSIS
1. Performance
a. Sales Growth (for the period) -4.8% -21.7% 0.3%
b. Gross Profit Margin 10.2% 10.7% 8.4%
c. Net Profit Margin 0.3% 0.2% 1.4%
d. Cash Conversion Efficiency (FCFO adjusted for Working Capital/Sales) 7.3% 13.2% -2.7%
e. Return on Equity [ Net Profit Margin * Asset Turnover * (Total Assets/Shareholders' Equity )] 1.4% 0.9% 8.6%
2. Working Capital Management
a. Gross Working Capital (Average Days) 129 143 107
b. Net Working Capital (Average Days) 60 63 49
c. Current Ratio (Current Assets / Current Liabilities) 2.1 1.9 2.0
3. Coverages
a. EBITDA / Finance Cost 2.6 2.0 2.6
b. FCFO / Finance Cost+CMLTB+Excess STB 1.0 1.1 1.2
c. Debt Payback (Total Borrowings+Excess STB) / (FCFO-Finance Cost) 4.0 4.5 3.9
4. Capital Structure
a. Total Borrowings / (Total Borrowings+Shareholders' Equity) 53.4% 56.4% 60.0%
b. Interest or Markup Payable (Days) 47.9 61.6 82.9
c. Entity Average Borrowing Rate 11.8% 12.8% 10.3%

Nov-25

www.pacra.com

Nov-25

www.pacra.com

  1. Rating Team Statements
    1. Rating is just an opinion about the creditworthiness of the entity and does not constitute a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any security of the entity rated or to buy, hold, or sell the security rated, as the case may be. (Chapter III; 14-3-(x))
    2. Conflict of Interest
      1. The Rating Team or any of their family members have no interest in this rating (Chapter III; 12-2-(j))
      2. PACRA, the analysts involved in the rating process, and members of its rating committee and their family members do not have any conflict of interest relating to the rating done by them (Chapter III; 12-2-(e) & (k))
      3. The analyst is not a substantial shareholder of the customer being rated by PACRA [Annexure F; d-(ii)]
      4. Explanation: for the purpose of the above clause, the term "family members" shall include only those family members who are dependent on the analyst and members of the rating committee.
  2. Restrictions
    1. No director, officer, or employee of PACRA communicates the information acquired by him for use for rating purposes to any other person, except where required under law to do so. (Chapter III; 10-(5))
    2. PACRA does not disclose or discuss with outside parties or make improper use of the non-public information which has come to its knowledge during a business relationship with the customer. (Chapter III; 10-7-(d))
    3. PACRA does not make proposals or recommendations regarding the activities of rated entities that could impact a credit rating of the entity subject to rating. (Chapter III; 10-7-(k))
  3. Conduct of Business
    1. PACRA fulfills its obligations in a fair, efficient, transparent, and ethical manner and renders high standards of services in performing its functions and obligations. (Chapter III; 11-A-(a))
    2. PACRA uses due care in the preparation of this Rating Report. Our information has been obtained from sources we consider to be reliable, but its accuracy or completeness is not guaranteed. PACRA does not, in every instance, independently verify or validate information received in the rating process or in preparing this Rating Report. (Clause 11-(A)(p))
    3. PACRA prohibits its employees and analysts from soliciting money, gifts, or favors from anyone with whom PACRA conducts business. (Chapter III; 11-A-(q))
    4. PACRA ensures before the commencement of the rating process that an analyst or employee has not had a recent employment or other significant business or personal relationship with the rated entity that may cause or may be perceived as causing a conflict of interest. (Chapter III; 11-A-(r))
    5. PACRA maintains the principle of integrity in seeking rating business. (Chapter III; 11-A-(u))
    6. PACRA promptly investigates in the event of misconduct or a breach of the policies, procedures, and controls, and takes appropriate steps to rectify any weaknesses to prevent any recurrence, along with suitable punitive action against the responsible employee(s). (Chapter III; 11-B-(m))
  4. Independence & Conflict of Interest
    1. PACRA receives compensation from the entity being rated or any third party for the rating services it offers. The receipt of this compensation has no influence on PACRA’s opinions or other analytical processes. In all instances, PACRA is committed to preserving the objectivity, integrity, and independence of its ratings. Our relationship is governed by two distinct mandates: i) rating mandate - signed with the entity being rated or issuer of the debt instrument, and ii) fee mandate - signed with the payer, which can be different from the entity.
    2. PACRA does not provide consultancy/advisory services or other services to any of its customers or their associated companies and associated undertakings that are being rated or have been rated by it during the preceding three years, unless it has an adequate mechanism in place ensuring that the provision of such services does not lead to a conflict of interest situation with its rating activities. (Chapter III; 12-2-(d))
    3. PACRA discloses that no shareholder directly or indirectly holding 10% or more of the share capital of PACRA also holds directly or indirectly 10% or more of the share capital of the entity which is subject to rating or the entity which issued the instrument subject to rating by PACRA. (Chapter III; 12-2-(f))
    4. PACRA ensures that the rating assigned to an entity or instrument is not affected by the existence of a business relationship between PACRA and the entity or any other party, or the non-existence of such a relationship. (Chapter III; 12-2-(i))
    5. PACRA ensures that the analysts or any of their family members shall not buy, sell, or engage in any transaction in any security which falls in the analyst’s area of primary analytical responsibility. This clause, however, does not apply to investments in securities through collective investment schemes. (Chapter III; 12-2-(l))
    6. PACRA has established policies and procedures governing investments and trading in securities by its employees and for monitoring the same to prevent insider trading, market manipulation, or any other market abuse. (Chapter III; 11-B-(g))
  5. Monitoring and Review
    1. PACRA monitors all the outstanding ratings continuously, and any potential change therein due to any event associated with the issuer, the security arrangement, the industry, etc., is disseminated to the market immediately and in an effective manner after appropriate consultation with the entity/issuer. (Chapter III; 17-(a))
    2. PACRA reviews all the outstanding ratings periodically on an annual basis. Provided that public dissemination of annual review and in an instance of change in rating will be made. (Chapter III; 17-(b))
    3. PACRA initiates an immediate review of the outstanding rating upon becoming aware of any information that may reasonably be expected to result in downgrading of the rating. (Chapter III; 17-(c))
    4. PACRA engages with the issuer and the debt securities trustee to remain updated on all information pertaining to the rating of the entity/instrument. (Chapter III; 17-(d))
  6. Probability of Default
    1. PACRA’s Rating Scale reflects the expectation of credit risk. The highest rating has the lowest relative likelihood of default (i.e., probability). PACRA’s transition studies capture the historical performance behavior of a specific rating notch. Transition behavior of the assigned rating can be obtained from PACRA’s Transition Study available at our website. (www.pacra.com) However, the actual transition of rating may not follow the pattern observed in the past. (Chapter III; 14-3(f)(vii))
  7. Proprietary Information
    1. All information contained herein is considered proprietary by PACRA. Hence, none of the information in this document can be copied or otherwise reproduced, stored, or disseminated in whole or in part in any form or by any means whatsoever by any person without PACRA’s prior written consent.

Nov-25

www.pacra.com