Category: Corporate

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Corporate

HUL Q4 profit rises 21%, dividend announced

Hindustan Unilever reported a strong fourth quarter, with profits rising compared to the same period last year.

The company posted a net profit of around ₹3,000 crore for the January–March quarter, showing a growth of about 20–21%. This increase was supported by steady demand for its products and improved performance across categories.

Revenue also grew during the quarter, rising nearly 8% to over ₹16,000 crore. The growth was driven by stable demand in both urban and rural markets, along with better sales volumes.

Along with its results, HUL announced a final dividend of ₹22 per share. This adds to the interim dividend declared earlier, taking the total payout for the year to a strong level.

HUL, which sells everyday products like soaps, detergents, and packaged foods, continues to benefit from its wide range of brands and strong market presence.

However, the company also faced some pressure from rising raw material costs, which affected margins slightly. Despite this, it managed to maintain steady growth through cost control and efficient operations.

Also Read: Mazagon Dock Q4 profit rises 42%, dividend announced

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Corporate

Mazagon Dock Q4 profit rises 42%, dividend announced

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders reported a strong set of results for the fourth quarter, with profits rising sharply compared to last year.

The company posted a net profit of ₹464 crore for the January–March period, up 42% from ₹327 crore in the same quarter a year ago. The growth was mainly driven by better execution of shipbuilding and submarine projects.

Revenue also increased during the quarter, rising to ₹3,684 crore. This reflects steady progress on key defence contracts and higher activity levels.

Along with the results, the company announced a final dividend of ₹4.62 per share for the financial year 2025–26, signalling confidence in its financial performance and rewarding shareholders.

Mazagon Dock plays an important role in building warships and submarines for the Indian Navy. Its strong order book and consistent government support have helped maintain steady growth.

The results come at a time when India is focusing on strengthening its defence manufacturing capabilities. Companies like Mazagon Dock are expected to benefit from increased investment in the sector.

Experts say improved execution and timely delivery of projects have boosted profitability. Efficient operations have also helped the company maintain healthy margins.

Also Read: Pakistan opens six land routes to Iran

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Corporate

Vodafone Idea gets ₹23,650 cr AGR relief

Vodafone Idea has received a major relief from the government after its long-pending AGR dues were reduced significantly.

The Department of Telecommunications has cut the company’s dues to ₹64,046 crore from around ₹87,695 crore earlier. This reduction of ₹23,649 crore, about 27%, comes as a big boost for the financially stressed telecom operator.

AGR dues have been a major burden for Vodafone Idea, which has been struggling with heavy debt and intense competition in the telecom sector. The latest move is expected to ease some of the pressure on its finances and improve its ability to raise funds.

The revision follows a fresh review of the dues after directions from the Supreme Court, which had asked authorities to look into the company’s concerns over how the amount was calculated.

Along with the reduction, the government has also allowed a structured repayment plan. The company will start repaying the dues at a later stage, beginning with smaller annual payments, and then clear the remaining amount over several years.

Also Read: India plans to relax FDI rules for China-linked firms

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Corporate

Reliance retail acquires Anomaly haircare brand

Reliance Retail has acquired Anomaly, a haircare brand founded by Priyanka Chopra Jonas, as it looks to expand its presence in the beauty and personal care market.

Anomaly, launched in 2021, is known for its affordable, vegan and eco-friendly haircare products. The brand has already built a presence in global markets and is popular among younger consumers.

With this acquisition, Reliance Retail will take full control of the brand, including its intellectual property and digital assets. The company plans to use its wide retail network and online platforms to grow Anomaly further, especially in India.

The deal is part of Reliance’s broader push into the beauty segment, which is seeing strong demand. By adding a globally recognised brand like Anomaly, the company aims to attract more customers and strengthen its position in the market.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas is expected to remain involved with the brand in a creative role, helping shape its future products and direction.

Industry experts say the move will help Reliance tap into the fast-growing premium yet affordable beauty category, while also benefiting from its strong supply chain and store network.

Also Read: Adobe CEO sells $18.2 mn in company shares

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Corporate

Adani Power profit climbs 64% to ₹4,271 cr

Adani Power reported a strong performance in the fourth quarter, with its net profit rising sharply by 64% year-on-year to ₹4,271 crore.

The company had posted a profit of ₹2,599 crore in the same quarter last year. The latest jump in earnings was mainly supported by lower tax expenses and steady operational performance during the January–March period.

Revenue for the quarter also grew by around 10% to nearly ₹15,989 crore, showing stable demand and consistent power generation activity. The company’s overall performance reflects improved efficiency and stronger margins compared to the previous year.

For the full financial year, Adani Power continued to show steady growth, supported by higher generation volumes and better operational control. The company remains one of the key private players in India’s thermal power sector, with a large installed capacity and long-term power supply agreements.

Adani Power’s results come at a time when the broader Adani Group companies are also reporting mixed but generally improving performance across different segments.

Despite the strong financial results, the stock saw some pressure after the announcement, slipping in trade. Market experts say this kind of reaction often happens when investors had already priced in strong earnings or were expecting even better performance.

Also Read: Samsung family wealth doubles to $45 bn

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Corporate

Sensex falls 1,100 points, Nifty below 24,000

Indian stock markets had a weak day on April 30, with heavy selling dragging both key indices lower. The Sensex fell over 1,100 points at one stage, while the Nifty slipped below the 24,000 mark, reflecting nervousness among investors.

Markets opened on a negative note and remained under pressure through most of the session. Although there was a slight recovery later in the day, it wasn’t enough to erase the earlier losses.

One of the main reasons behind the fall was rising global uncertainty. Concerns around tensions involving the United States and Iran pushed crude oil prices higher. This worried investors, as higher oil prices can increase inflation and impact economic growth.

Most sectors saw declines, including banking, metals, and real estate. The broad-based fall showed that investors were cautious across the board rather than focusing on specific stocks.

Despite the overall weakness, a few stocks managed to hold their ground. Bajaj Finance and ONGC were among the gainers, attracting buying interest during the session. Some defensive stocks also showed resilience.

Foreign investors also continued to pull money out of Indian markets, adding to the selling pressure. At the same time, the rupee weakened against the US dollar, which further affected sentiment.

Also Read: Cognizant to buy Astreya for $600 mn

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Corporate

Cognizant to buy Astreya for $600 mn

Cognizant has announced plans to acquire Astreya in a deal worth around $600 million, as it looks to expand its capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) and data infrastructure.

Astreya is known for managing large-scale IT systems, including data centres, cloud operations, and AI infrastructure. By bringing Astreya into its network, Cognizant aims to better support companies that are increasingly relying on AI and digital technologies for their operations.

The acquisition comes at a time when businesses across the world are investing heavily in AI tools and cloud-based systems. As demand grows, companies need strong backend infrastructure to run these technologies smoothly, and this is where Astreya’s expertise fits in.

Cognizant said the deal will help it deliver more advanced AI-driven solutions to its clients. Astreya’s experience in handling complex IT environments, including enterprise networks and AI platforms, is expected to strengthen Cognizant’s overall service offering.

The deal is likely to be completed in the coming months, subject to necessary approvals. Once finalised, Astreya’s team and technology will become part of Cognizant’s global operations.

This move is part of a larger strategy for Cognizant to stay competitive in a rapidly changing tech industry. The company has been focusing more on AI, automation, and cloud services, which are becoming key areas of growth.

Astreya, founded over two decades ago, has built a strong reputation for managing IT operations for major global clients. Its addition is expected to give Cognizant an edge in handling large and complex digital projects.

Also Read: Nitin Gadkari pushes shift from petrol, diesel vehicles

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Corporate

Waaree Energies shares sink 11% despite 71% profit jump

Waaree Energies saw its shares fall sharply after announcing its latest quarterly results, even though the company reported strong growth in profit and revenue.

For the fourth quarter, the company posted a 71% jump in net profit, showing that its business is expanding quickly. Revenue also rose significantly, nearly doubling compared to last year, driven by strong demand for solar panels and related products.

However, despite these positive numbers, the stock market reacted negatively. Shares of Waaree Energies dropped around 10% as investors focused on a key concern, falling profit margins.

The company’s operating margin declined compared to last year, which means its costs have increased faster than its earnings. In simple terms, while the company is selling more, it is not keeping as much profit from those sales as before. This raised concerns about how sustainable its growth will be in the long run.

Experts say such margin pressure is common in the solar industry. Companies often face rising costs for raw materials, changes in global pricing, and competition in export markets. These factors can impact profitability even when demand remains strong.

Adding to investor caution, the company has also announced plans to raise up to ₹10,000 crore to support its future expansion. While this shows confidence in growth, it may also lead to concerns about higher debt or dilution of existing shareholders.

Despite the market reaction, the overall outlook for the company remains positive. The demand for renewable energy, especially solar power, continues to grow rapidly in India and across the world. Government policies and climate goals are also supporting this sector.

Also Read: Vedanta Ltd demerger nears completion, shares to list by June

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Corporate

Alphabet Inc. sees strong growth as AI, cloud demand surges

Alphabet Inc., the company behind Google, has reported a strong start to 2026, with its latest earnings showing how quickly artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing are becoming central to its business.

The company’s revenue grew significantly in the first quarter, crossing the $100 billion mark, while profits jumped sharply compared to last year. This growth reflects the rising demand for AI-powered services across the world.

A big part of this success came from Google Cloud, which continues to expand rapidly. More businesses are turning to cloud platforms to run their operations, and many are now using AI tools built into these services. This has made cloud computing one of Alphabet’s fastest-growing segments.

CEO Sundar Pichai said AI is now deeply integrated across Google’s products, from search and YouTube to Gmail and enterprise tools. These AI features are helping users get faster results, better recommendations, and smarter tools for work and daily use.

Alphabet is also investing heavily to stay ahead in the AI race. The company is building more data centres and developing advanced chips to handle the growing demand for AI processing. These investments are expensive, but the company believes they are necessary for long-term growth.

Despite rising competition, Google’s core search business remains strong. Improved AI features are helping the company maintain user engagement and advertising revenue.

Another encouraging sign is the growing demand pipeline for cloud services. Alphabet has a strong order backlog, which means many customers have already committed to using its services in the future.

At the same time, the company recently introduced new tools, including AI-driven agents that can help developers automate tasks more efficiently. These innovations show how Google is trying to stay competitive in a fast-changing tech landscape.

Also Read: Vedanta Ltd demerger nears completion, shares to list by June

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Corporate

Vedanta Ltd demerger nears completion, shares to list by June

Vedanta Ltd is nearing the final phase of its long-awaited demerger, with shares of its newly created companies expected to be listed on stock exchanges by mid-June 2026.

The company has confirmed that most of the groundwork for the split is now complete. It is in the process of seeking final approvals, after which the new entities will begin trading separately in the market.

This demerger is a major restructuring move. Vedanta is breaking itself into multiple independent businesses so that each unit can focus on its own operations and growth. These businesses include areas like metals, oil and gas, power, and iron and steel.

For investors, the change will directly reflect in their portfolios. Shareholders will receive one share in each of the new companies for every one share they currently hold in Vedanta. In simple terms, this means investors will end up holding shares in several focused companies instead of a single diversified one.

The record date for eligibility has been set as May 1, 2026. Anyone holding Vedanta shares before this date will qualify to receive shares in the newly formed entities.

The idea behind the move is to unlock value. When different business segments operate separately, it becomes easier for investors to understand their performance and growth potential. This can also attract more focused investments into each sector.

However, market experts caution that there could be short-term volatility once the new shares start trading. Prices may fluctuate initially as investors assess the value of each individual business.

Still, over the long term, such restructuring is generally seen as positive. It gives each business more independence, sharper strategy, and better visibility in the market.

With listing expected in the coming weeks, investors will be closely watching how these new Vedanta companies perform once they start trading independently.

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