Financial system of the company The Eastern Ecuadorian Food Industry

Abstract

This study analyzes the financial situation of Oriental Industria Alimenticia O.I.A. S.A. during the period 2022–2023, a biennium characterized by global economic instability and the increase in the cost of imported inputs, particularly wheat. The main objective is to understand how the company’s capital structure evolved and how prepared it is to sustain its operations in a context of progressively tighter margins. To achieve this, a mixed approach with a comparative–evolutionary design was adopted, applying horizontal and vertical financial analysis, as well as liquidity, leverage, and profitability indicators, based on official information from the Superintendencia de Compañías, Valores y Seguros (SCVS).

The results reveal an apparent contradiction: while revenues grew by 3.25 %, net profit decreased by 72.14 %. This deterioration is not due to a loss of market share, but rather to the company’s absorption of the increase in imported raw material costs and the financial impact of large-scale technological modernization processes. Despite this situation, liquidity management remained prudent, achieving a 20.66 % improvement in the acid-test ratio, which helps maintain short-term operational stability. The analysis concludes that Oriental is not experiencing a structural crisis, but rather a stage of technological transition in which part of its immediate profitability is sacrificed in order to strengthen solvency and reinforce its long-term competitive position.