- India’s third-largest auto maker reported a consolidated net loss of ₹3,255 crore between January and March 2020 compared to a profit of ₹840 crore a year earlier.
- If the one-time impact from Ssangyong and other global subsidiaries is taken out, the bottomline would have shown a profit after tax of ₹323 crore.
- The stock gained nearly 8% in trade as
M&M ’s performance far exceeded the estimates, as well as those of its peers like Maruti and Tata Motors.
“The Company has recognised a loss of ₹2,780.47 crore as 'Exceptional items' on account of impairment provision for certain long-term investment,” the statement said.
The profit after tax, before these exceptional items, stood at ₹323 crore, leading the market to cheer— the stock ended the day up over 7.5% — and the board declared a dividend of ₹2.35 per share of the face value of ₹5 each.
The company’s total revenue was down 35% year-on-year to ₹9,005 crore. The profit was still the worst in at least five quarters.
Better than peers
The Mahindra group company had the benefit of catering to the farm sector at a time when the coronavirus lockdown had brought the urban demand for cars— particularly the more expensive SUVs that M&M specialises in — to a standstill. The company said the timely relaxation of the lockdown for the agricultural sector helped the company to ensure the gradual recovery of tractor demand during May.
And that’s a reason why it has also been the better of the country’s auto stocks this year.
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