Preview: India's Hindustan Unilever flat ahead of Q3 results

Britannia Industries

22/01/2025 04:25

** Shares of consumer goods maker Hindustan Unilever Ltd
(HUL)  HLL.NS  flat at 2,347 rupees ahead of Q3 report
    ** Analysts expect a 2.2% rise in net profit, per LSEG data,
although revenue is expected to be flat YoY
    ** Centrum Broking notes that despite a gradual recovery in
rural market, urban consumption remains tepid
    ** Adds that rising competition from D2C brands and quick
commerce platforms likely hit sales
    ** Jefferies says while FMCG firms have resorted to price
hikes to offset rising input commodity costs, they have not been
able to fully pass on the impact to consumers
    ** This, brokerage adds, will keep margins rangebound
    ** HUL rated 'buy' on avg by 37 analysts -LSEG data
    ** HLL the first major FMCG company to report full Q3
results
    ** Stock has shed 5% in the last 12 months, as has Britannia
 BRIT.NS , while Nestle India  NEST.NS  has dropped 11.4%

 (Reporting by Ananta Agarwal in Bengaluru)
 ((Ananta.Agarwal@thomsonreuters.com))