Dabur India Ltd on Thursday posted a profit of Rs 515.82 crore during the fiscal third quarter, reporting a marginal growth of 1.85 per cent in comparison to Rs 506.44 crore during the corresponding quarter of FY24. It posted revenue from operations at Rs 3,355.25 crore, reporting a growth of 3.08 per cent as against Rs 3,255.06 crore during the same period of previous financial year. The company EBITDA stood at Rs 681.9 crore. The Q3 revenue growth stood at 5.6 per cent in Constant Currency terms. Operating profit, meanwhile, registered a 2.1 per cent growth YoY at Rs 682 crore.
In a quarter marked by high food inflation, continued moderation in urban demand and a strong resurgence in rural markets, Dabur said, the company continued to build consumer engagement across its key brands in rural India with a focus on driving sustainable, profitable long term growth.
Mohit Malhotra, Chief Executive Officer, Dabur India, said, “We focused on strengthening our competitive edge in the marketplace to gain market share in 95 per cent of our portfolio and enhancing brand superiority to strengthen and consolidate our position in the categories where we operate.”
In a regulatory filing, Dabur said that the company has decided to revise its strategic vision cycle from four years to three years to create a more agile organisation that can quickly navigate the challenges and capture the emerging opportunities. “We have engaged a leading consulting firm, McKinsey & Co to refine and align our strategies for the next 3 years in line with the evolving dynamics,” Mohit Malhotra said.
The company expanded its rural distribution network by 15,000 villages this fiscal and reached over 131,000 villages. “This extensive reach has given us a distinct advantage, allowing us to drive rural growth at a pace nearly 140 bps ahead of urban areas. The positive trend in rural consumption is a testament to our commitment to this consumer base and our ability to adapt to their unique needs,” Mohit Malhotra said.
Growth across categories
Dabur’s India business saw key brands and products post category-leading growths with market share gains across 95 per cent of the portfolio, led by a 150 bps improvement in Hair Oils market share. With this, Dabur’s total hair oils market share now stands at its highest-ever 18 per cent. Dabur also reported 101 bps gain in Air Freshener market share and 318 bps gain in Juices & Nectars market share.
Dabur’s Toothpaste business, led by continued demand for its flagship Dabur Red Toothpaste and premium brand Meswak, ended the quarter with a 9.1 per cent growth. The Skin & Salon business reported a 5.6 per cent growth while Hair Oils grew by 3.1 per cent. The Digestives category grew by around 4 per cent. The Foods business reported a 30 per cent growth in Q3. The Badshah business also reported 15 per cent growth in Q3.
“Our focus on premiumisation is also paying off, with our premium portfolio growing 2.5 to 3 times faster than our overall business in India. We intend to continue this journey and keep delivering products that exceed our consumers’ expectations,” Mohit Malhotra said.
Dabur’s International business reported strong constant currency (CC) growth of 19 per cent during the third quarter, led by Egypt, MENA, US and Bangladesh.