Marico spends Rs 336 crore on ads, down 3% on-quarter

New Delhi: Marico spent Rs 336 crore on advertisement and sales promotion in the three months ended December 31, 2025, lower than the Rs 345 crore spent in the September quarter. The nearly 3% on-quarter decline stood out in Marico’s consolidated financial results, especially after elevated brand spending during the festive-heavy preceding quarter.

Despite the sequential moderation, advertising outlay remained significantly higher on an annual comparison. Marico had spent Rs 293 crore on advertisement and sales promotion in the December 2024 quarter, taking the current quarter’s spend to about 15% higher than the same quarter last year.

The cutback in ad spending did not dent top-line growth. Consolidated revenue from operations rose to Rs 3,537 crore in the December quarter, compared with Rs 3,482 crore in the September 2025 quarter. The sequential increase, though modest, pointed to steady demand across categories. On an annual basis, revenue jumped nearly 27% from Rs 2,794 crore reported in the December 2024 quarter.

Including other income of Rs 39 crore, Marico’s total consolidated income stood at Rs 3,576 crore, up from Rs 3,531 crore in the preceding quarter and Rs 2,836 crore a year earlier.

On the profitability front, profit before tax rose to Rs 567 crore, compared with Rs 550 crore in the September quarter and Rs 518 crore in the same quarter last year.

After accounting for taxes, net profit for the quarter came in at Rs 460 crore, rising from Rs 432 crore in the previous quarter. Compared with Rs 406 crore in the December 2024 quarter, net profit increased by over 13%, aided by operating efficiencies and tighter cost control despite higher year-on-year advertising spends.

Marico’s total consolidated expenses increased to Rs 3,009 crore during the quarter, from Rs 2,981 crore in the September quarter and Rs 2,318 crore a year earlier. A major driver was raw material consumption, which rose to Rs 1,525 crore from Rs 1,283 crore in the same quarter last year, reflecting higher volumes and input costs. Employee benefit expenses also edged up to Rs 241 crore, compared with Rs 207 crore a year ago.

Within other expenses, advertisement and sales promotion continued to be a key component, underscoring the central role of brand-building in Marico’s business model. However, the sequential dip in ad spending helped partially offset cost pressures from materials and operating scale.

Marico’s consolidated performance during the quarter was driven by both its India and International businesses, as reported under its segment disclosures. The India business remained the primary contributor, supported by steady urban demand and gradual improvement in rural consumption. Core portfolios such as hair oils, value-added hair care and foods continued to anchor growth during the quarter.

Commenting on the performance, Saugata Gupta, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, said, “Our performance in the quarter and year so far reflects the strength of our operating model and the effectiveness of agile execution in driving consistent outcomes. The India business has delivered strong volume and revenue growth, supported by improving trends in core categories and the profitable scaling up of Foods and digital-first businesses in line with our strategic priorities.

The International business, spanning markets across Asia, the Middle East and Africa, delivered stable performance. While demand in key overseas markets remained resilient, currency movements and local market conditions continued to influence growth trends.

Expanding on the same, Gupta added, “The international business remains a consistent growth engine, delivering broad-based performance across markets. Looking ahead, we expect to sustain the healthy volume growth momentum, with profitability strengthening progressively as input cost pressures moderate.”