Indian Firms Post Strong Q4 Despite Global Headwinds: BoB Report

Corporate performance of Indian companies in the fourth quarter of financial year 2025 remained satisfactory despite a tough global economic environment, according to a recent report by Bank of Baroda.

The report highlighted that most companies are optimistic about their future growth prospects, and there is potential for further improvement once consumption demand picks up in FY26.

It said “Corporate performance in Q4 FY25 was on the whole satisfactory and there is scope for an upward movement once consumption pick up in FY26. Importantly, despite a challenging global environment, companies remain positive on future growth prospects”.

The Bank of Baroda report pointed out that certain sectors are already showing signs of recovery. Sectors linked to infrastructure are experiencing steady growth even though they are being compared to a high base from last year.

In the case of consumer-related sectors like FMCG and consumer durables, strong rural demand and seasonal factors have played a key role in supporting recovery.

The services sector has also continued to grow at a steady pace, driven by strong demand.

The report noted that stable commodity prices, low inflation in India, a favourable monsoon outlook, trade agreements, government spending on infrastructure, and tax benefits are expected to be important drivers of growth and demand in the coming months.

According to the report, in Q4 FY25, aggregate net sales of a sample of 1,893 companies increased by 5.4 per cent, while net profits rose by 7.6 per cent. Expenses and interest costs remained under control, which helped improve the debt repayment ability of companies.

However, some slowdown in sales was seen in large sectors such as oil and gas, textiles, and iron and steel. This had a negative impact on the overall performance of the sample. But the report suggested that this is likely a one-time occurrence and not a long-term concern.

Similarly, the BFSI (banking, financial services, and insurance) sector, which performed strongly last year, saw some moderation in growth. This has been linked to a slowdown in credit growth.

Overall, the report painted a positive picture of India Inc.’s performance in Q4 FY25 and suggests that companies are well-positioned to benefit from improving demand and supportive policy measures in the next financial year. (ANI)