Dabur India posts strong quarterly outlook as price hikes cushion inflation hit (updated)

Dabur India

03/07/2026 14:02

Adds details and background throughout

    July 3 (Reuters) - Dabur India DABU.NS expects a rise in first-quarter profit after tax, the firm said on Friday, as price increases helped cushion the impact of elevated inflation and supported operating margins.
The company said it expects profit after tax to rise in double-digit percentage, without providing specifics.
Dabur, like many of its FMCG peers, reduced pack sizes to absorb rising costs but also hiked prices, as Middle East-linked crude prices pushed up plastic packaging expenses and narrowed margins.
"Despite the challenging geopolitical backdrop and hyperinflationary pressures across our key markets, consumer sentiment remained resilient, with business trajectory improving sequentially, quarter-on-quarter," the company said.
On the international front, the company said it expects high-teen growth in rupee terms, with Egypt, Turkey, Bangladesh and the UK each posting strong double-digit growth in rupee terms in the first quarter.
"With the Middle East situation expected to ease, we remain optimistic about improving consumption across our international markets in the coming quarters," the firm added.
In India, domestic rural demand continued to outpace urban, while emerging channels - e-commerce, quick commerce and modern trade - are each expected to post strong double-digit growth, Dabur said.
Dabur said hair oils and shampoos are forecast to deliver high-teen growth, and the oral care portfolio is expected to post near double-digit gains.
The herbal franchise and Meswak toothpaste brand recorded strong double-digit numbers, while the food business continued to clock high double-digit growth, with beverages staging a sequential recovery.
Peer Marico MRCO.NS said on Thursday it expects consolidated first-quarter revenue to grow in the low-twenties percentage range, helped by robust performance across its core, digital and international businesses.
     

(Reporting by Abhinav Parmar in Bengaluru; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair)
((Abhinav.Parmar@thomsonreuters.com;))