Ghost Stories #95: Reeling in returns: Sea Harvest's best-ever performance

The ocean is a mystical place that has captured our imagination as a species for as long as anyone can remember. And although there are many fish in the sea, unlocking that resource in a sustainable and profitable way really isn’t that simple.

Sea Harvest has signed off on an incredible year that demonstrates the depth of the strategy - quite literally. The way they think about the various seafood products is fascinating, as explained by CEO Felix Ratheb on this podcast.

With operating margin more than doubling in 2025 and headline earnings coming in 4.2x higher than the prior year, this income statement has plenty of operating leverage. This adds to the intrigue around the business model and how the group is managed, with those insights delivered by CFO Muhammad Brey in this discussion.

Get ready to learn from Felix and Muhammad on this excellent podcast. The passion for the ocean comes through just as clearly as the numbers.

This podcast deals with topics like:

• The importance of hake to Sea Harvest's business
• Diversification beyond hake - and beyond South Africa's waters as well
• Why the Ladismith Cheese disposal makes strategic sense
• Key features of the business model that lead to such high operating leverage
• The approach taken to managing financial risks like fuel costs and forex movements
• Sustainable fishing and how Sea Harvest interacts with the precious resources in our oceans
• The financial outlook for the group, recognising the cyclicality in the model

Sea Harvest believes strongly in the value of Ghost Mail in the South African investment ecosystem. They have sponsored this podcast for readers, but I was allowed to ask whatever I wanted to ask. Please do your own research and do not treat this podcast as an endorsement of Sea Harvest as an investment.