In a mixed bag of quarterly results, Hindustan Unilever (HUL) disclosed on Thursday that its profit from ongoing operations plummeted 30% year-over-year to Rs 2,118 crore in the third quarter of FY26 (October-December).
This compares to Rs 3,027 crore in the same period of the previous fiscal year. The headline figure masks a broader picture: when factoring in discontinued operations and the windfall from the ice cream business demerger, net profit ballooned to Rs 6,603 crore.
Stripping out one-off items, underlying PAT edged up 1% to Rs 2,562 crore, showcasing resilience in core FMCG segments like beauty, personal care, and home care.
Revenue expansion was modest at 5%, reaching Rs 16,580 crore against Rs 15,788 crore, supported by premiumization and rural demand uptick. Total expenses, however, rose faster to Rs 13,078 crore, driven by raw material costs and marketing spends.
On a positive note, EBITDA climbed 3% to Rs 3,788 crore, though margins contracted slightly to 23.3% from 24%, amid input cost volatility.
Priya Nair, CEO and MD, highlighted strategic moves: “Our brands remain mass-premium attractive, we’ve ramped up high-growth market development, and built a robust quick commerce setup for channel evolution.”
For FY27, HUL projects outperformance versus FY26, banking on macroeconomic tailwinds, policy support for consumption, and ongoing portfolio and distribution overhauls. The company remains optimistic about long-term growth in India’s evolving consumer landscape.