**Market Brief: Striders Impex IPO Launch** **Striders Impex Limited** officially opens its Initial Public Offering today, **February 26, 2026**. The company, an emerging player in the toys and kids' consumer merchandise segment, is looking to raise **₹36.28 crore** through the **NSE Emerge** platform. The offering is a book-built issue with a price band set between **₹71 and ₹72** per share. It consists of a fresh issue of **45.31 lakh shares** (approximately **₹32.62 crore**) and an offer for sale of **5.08 lakh shares** (approximately **₹3.66 crore**). **Key Investment Details** * **Issue Period:** Feb 26 – March 2, 2026 * **Price Band:** ₹71 to ₹72 per share * **Market Lot:** 1,600 shares * **Minimum Retail Investment:** **₹2,30,400** (for 3,200 shares) * **Tentative Listing Date:** March 6, 2026 The Grey Market Premium (GMP) is currently hovering around **0%**, suggesting the market expects the stock to debut near its issue price. **Financial and Sector Performance** The company has shown strong growth momentum leading up to the listing. Revenue from operations climbed to **₹60.73 crore** in FY25, up from **₹41.70 crore** in FY24. Profit after tax (PAT) more than doubled in the same period, reaching **₹8.41 crore**. Striders Impex operates an asset-light model, relying on a mix of proprietary brands like **Pugs at Play** and **Fanster**, alongside high-profile licensing deals with global giants such as **Disney**, **Hamleys**, and **Landmark Group**. **Strategic Use of Funds** Management intends to utilize the net proceeds to fuel international and domestic expansion. Key allocations include: * Establishing a wholly-owned subsidiary in **mainland UAE**. * Repayment of existing high-interest loans. * Meeting increased working capital requirements for its pan-India distribution network. **Market Context** The Indian toy industry is currently in a high-growth phase, projected to reach **$4.74 billion by 2034** with a CAGR of **9.53%**. Striders Impex is positioning itself to capture this demand through a focus on educational and STEM-based toys, which are seeing significant traction in urban markets. The SME IPO segment remains active on the NSE, though investors are showing increased scrutiny toward valuation and debt-to-equity ratios. Striders' debt-to-equity ratio stood at **0.97** as of late 2025, reflecting a move toward a leaner balance sheet ahead of the public debut.