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Business Standard
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Emami, HUL, ITC: Is early monsoon good news for FMCG stocks? Analysts weigh
The early arrival of monsoon in India this year, as per the forecasts by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), may have a mixed impact on fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, believe analysts. Monsoon hit Kerala on Saturday, May 24, 2025, marking the earliest arrival over the Indian mainland since 2009, IMD announced. Further, it has advanced in Karnataka, Goa, parts of Maharashtra, parts of west-central and north Bay of Bengal, and some parts of Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland within 24 hours, a record advancement. This, analysts said, could be beneficial to agri-related and/or staple-focussed FMCG companies, while it may hurt those FMCG players that are more skewed towards summer portfolios. How will early monsoon affect FMCG companies? Normally, the summer months from April to June drive strong demand for summer-centric products such as cold beverages, ice creams, talcum powders, and others. On the other hand, agri-related segments look forward to good monsoons as it is vital for better yields, and stronger harvests. FMCG companies closely monitor the monsoon as it has a direct impact on rural demand, raw material costs, and overall sales performance. "The early onset of the monsoon could affect companies with summer-centric portfolios, though it will be limited to the current quarter only. Over the medium-term, they should be able to make it up in the other categories," said Ajay Thakur, lead analyst - consumer staples, Anand Rathi Shares and Stock Brokers. Emami and Zydus Wellness are among the few companies that could be impacted more by the early monsoon, according to Thakur. Emami's summer-linked products include Dermicool Prickly Heat Powder with a 14 per cent market share by volume, and Navratna Cool Talc with 62.8 per cent market share by volume, according to its 2023-2024 annual report. Zydus Wellness' summer portfolio, meanwhile, includes products such as Nycil Prickly Heat Powder (35 per cent market share) and Glucon D (59.5 per cent market share). On the contrary, an early and stronger-than-usual monsoon could help improve the sowing of Kharif crops, raise reservoir levels, and boost rural demand. "This will help FMCG companies improve volumes in rural areas (which has been flat for many quarters)," said Amit Agarwal, senior vice president - fundamental research, Kotak Securities. That said, reports suggest that India's monsoon rains have lost momentum after covering western regions ahead of schedule, and their arrival in northern and central states could be delayed, extending a heatwave in the grain-growing plains. What's ahead for FMCG companies? Ajay Thakur of Anand Rathi Stock Brokers expects urban demand to recover in Q2FY26 and in the second half of FY26 on the back of good monsoon and government initiatives in terms of consumption boost coming into play. He recommends buying Emami and Zydus Wellness at current levels from a long-term perspective as valuations remain attractive and earnings growth is reasonably good for both. So far in 2025, the Nifty FMCG has gained 0.05 per cent as against Nifty50's rise of 5.2 per cent. According to market research firm NielsenIQ, demand for FMCG in rural India stood at 8.4 per cent in the March quarter, compared to 9.2 per cent in October-December of 2024. Urban demand growth moderated to 2.6 per cent, compared to 4.2 per cent in the October-December quarter. "We expect urban demand to start showing better traction from Q2 onwards, or more towards H2 onwards," said Thakur. That apart, the government's support to improve consumption, driven by increasing income threshold to claim tax rebates as announced during the Union Budget for 2025-26, aids long-term growth outlook.
Business Standard
02-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Former BSE SME Head Backs Launch of VRight Exchange, India's First Verified Investor Communication Platform Targeting Misinformation
VMPL Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 2: A new platform aiming to combat market misinformation and streamline communication between listed companies, investors, and analysts launched today. VRight Exchange, backed by former Head of the BSE SME Platform, Ajay Thakur, went live on the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya. The platform positions itself as India's first private, verified investor engagement network. Addressing a virtual launch event attended by capital market leaders, analysts, fund managers, financial media, and startup founders, Thakur emphasized the critical need for such a platform. "VRight Exchange arrives at a time when market confidence demands clarity and credibility. This platform will be instrumental in bridging gaps between listed companies, investors, and analysts, especially in the SME and startup ecosystem," he stated in his keynote address. Founder & Director of VRight Exchange, Aryan Prem Rana, highlighted the platform's core mission: "For over two decades, I've witnessed the limitations of traditional investor relations and PR models. There's too much distortion, delay, and dependency. VRight Exchange was born out of that frustration - to create a verified space where serious market participants can communicate directly without misinterpretation." He added that the choice of Akshaya Tritiya for the launch symbolized the platform's commitment to "verified access, value-driven content, and visionary insights. The platform differentiates itself by focusing on verified identities and direct communication, aiming to bypass traditional media filters and reduce market noise. Founding Advisor, Sudarshan Srinivasan, underscored this point: "This is not a PR platform. This is a premium network for intelligent conversations. We are creating a curated community where every post is accountable, and every voice is verified." Avinash Gorakshakar, Head of Research at Profitmart Securities, noted, "This initiative will create tremendous value for the investment community by enabling meaningful interaction, knowledge sharing, and real-time engagement. Wishing the VRight team great success ahead." Suresh Manchanda, Managing Editor of Market Times TV, remarked, "The launch of VRight Exchange marks a refreshing shift in how capital markets communicate. In an era overwhelmed by noise and unverified narratives, this platform brings much-needed clarity, credibility, and structure. I believe it will serve as a powerful bridge between companies, analysts, and investors--grounded in trust and transparency. Key features of VRight Exchange include: * Real-time updates directly from verified company executives. * AI-driven filtering of investor interests and sentiment. * Auto-synced event calendars for crucial investor events. * SEBI-compliant workflows and monitoring. * Role-based dashboards tailored for different market participants. VRight Exchange is now actively onboarding founding members, offering early access and enhanced visibility to verified market participants * Visit: * Connect: engage@ VRight Exchange is a digital-first investor engagement platform built for India's capital markets. It is a product of VRIGHT Aaryana Matasco Holdings Pvt. Ltd. and offers a secure, verified, and compliance-driven communication environment for serious capital market stakeholders.
