Severe Cash Flow StressA large swing to negative free cash flow materially reduces the company's ability to fund working capital, service debt or invest in ethanol capacity without external financing. Persistently negative FCF over quarters undermines liquidity and raises refinancing or covenant risk over the medium term.
Sharp Margin CompressionA collapse in gross margin signals structural cost or pricing pressure (higher cane costs, lower sugar realizations). Such compression erodes the buffer for SG&A and interest, makes profitability highly sensitive to commodity swings, and limits the firm's ability to rebuild reserve margins over months.
Declining Revenues And Loss-makingA material revenue decline combined with a move to net losses reduces internal funding for operations and investment. Continued top-line shrinkage coupled with negative margins hinders debt coverage, weakens credit metrics and constrains capital allocation choices over the coming quarters.