When Sanjiv Puri took over as Chairman and MD of ITC from Y.C. Deveshwar, his mandate was clear — carry forward the vision of transforming the cigarette company into a diversified consumer-centric conglomerate. ITC’s dependence on cigarettes had begun to dent its stock market performance even during Deveshwar’s tenure. In his 21-year stint as Chairman and CEO, ITC entered many consumer categories, including staples, snacks, biscuits and personal care. By the time he hung up his boots, the FMCG business was a sizeable ₹10,500 crore.
Under Puri, the FMCG business is now almost ₹15,000 crore. FY21 has been one of the best years for the non-cigarette FMCG business with EBITDA margins at 9 per cent, up 180 basis points over FY20. “Our segment EBITDA margins have improved by 640 basis points between FY17 and FY20. In FY21, ITC’s FMCG revenue grew 16 per cent on a comparable basis, which is nearly double the industry peer group average and all of that is led by organic growth. Almost 75 per cent of our FMCG portfolio has grown by as much as 20 per cent,” says Puri.
Despite disruptions caused by the pandemic, ITC’s revenue grew 3.3 per cent to ₹53,155.12 crore in FY21. Its profit after tax fell 13.3 per cent to ₹13,389.80 crore but is still 40 per cent higher than rival Hindustan Unilever’s (HUL’s) ₹7,963 crore.
However, none of this has rubbed off on the company’s stock market performance. ITC’s stock was at ₹202 on July 2, 2021, down 16 per cent from ₹245 on June 30, 2016. In contrast, stock prices of HUL and Nestle have sky-rocketed and are at ₹2,475 (₹898 five years ago) and ₹17,698 (₹6,488 five years ago), respectively.
This story is from the July 25, 2021 edition of Business Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 25, 2021 edition of Business Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Look Before You Leap
In 2025, Investors Will Need To Factor In Volatility Across Asset Classes
"Focus on the challenge of each customer"
SHASHANK KUMAR MD & CO-FOUNDER I RAZORPAY Razorpay is India's first full-stack financial solutions company
PEDAL ON THE FUTURE
THE MG WINDSOR EV, WITH ITS FUTURISTIC AND MINIMALIST DESIGN, COMBINES THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS-COMFORT AND TECHNOLOGY
BREATHE EASY
Whether you're battling allergies, looking to remove pollutants, or simply want to breathe easier, the right air purifier can make a difference
The Taste of India in a Glass
FROM ROYAL LIQUEURS TO DISTILLED MAHUA, INDIAN HERITAGE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE HAVING THEIR DAY IN THE SUN
MISSING ADVISORS
INDIA HAS JUST ONE INVESTMENT ADVISOR FOR NEARLY EVERY 200,000 INVESTORS. AT A TIME WHEN RETAIL PARTICIPATION IN THE STOCK MARKETS IS BOOMING, THIS ASSUMES SIGNIFICANCE
TURNING A CORNER
SHARED ELECTRIC MOBILITY START-UP YULU'S SHIFT TO SERVICING THE QUICK COMMERCE SECTOR IS HELPING IT GROW FAST. IT IS NOW FOCUSSING ON IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY FEATURES AS IT TURNS EBITDA POSITIVE
REALITY CHECK
INDIAN STOCK MARKETS PLUNGED BEGINNING OCTOBER FOR A HOST OF REASONS, INCLUDING A FALL IN FII OWNERSHIP. HOW DEEP WILL THE CORRECTION BE?
TRUMP'S TRADE TANGO
The return of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the US has put the global economy on edge. India, too, is unlikely to remain unaffected. How will policymakers meet this latest challenge?
"The essence of the Trump administration will be transactional”
Global investor, analyst, and best-selling author Ruchir Sharma decodes why Donald Trump won the elections, what India should do, the risks, and more
