Reliance Industries reported a 13 per cent fall in fourth-quarter profit on Friday as weaker energy earnings and margin pressure offset double-digit revenue growth in its digital and retail businesses.
The Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate posted consolidated net profit of Rs 16,971 crore for the quarter ended March, down from Rs 19,407 crore a year earlier. Profit declined 8 per cent sequentially from the December quarter.
Consolidated EBITDA edged down 0.3 per cent to Rs 48,588 crore, while margins narrowed by 200 basis points to 14.9 per cent.
For the full year, Reliance reported a 9.8 per cent rise in consolidated revenue to Rs 11,75,919 crore. Annual EBITDA and profit after tax (PAT) increased 13.4 per cent and 18.3 per cent to Rs 2,07,911 crore and Rs 95,610 crore, respectively.
The board recommended a dividend of Rs 6 per share for the year ended March 2026.
Digital and retail businesses continued to deliver operating leverage. Reliance Jio’s operating revenue rose 13 per cent to Rs 44,928 crore, driven by subscriber additions, higher average revenue per user and traction in digital services. Quarterly profit climbed 13 per cent to Rs 7,935 crore, while EBITDA jumped 18 per cent on margin expansion of 230 basis points.
Reliance Retail posted a marginal increase in profitability, with net profit up 0.5 per cent at Rs 3,563 crore. Revenue grew 11 per cent to Rs 87,344 crore, pointing to steady consumption and store expansion.
The O2C segment delivered mixed results. Revenue rose 12 per cent to Rs 1.84 lakh crore, supported by higher crude prices and volumes in domestic fuel retail, but EBITDA fell 4 per cent to Rs 14,520 crore amid margin pressure. The oil and gas business lagged, with revenue down 9 per cent to Rs 5,867 crore and EBITDA falling 18 per cent due to scheduled maintenance and higher government levies.
JioStar reported revenue of Rs 9,784 crore and EBITDA, including other income, of Rs 827 crore.
Commenting on the results, Chairman and MD Mukesh D. Ambani said geopolitical disruptions, volatile energy prices and shifting trade patterns weighed on global businesses during the year, but Reliance’s diversified portfolio and domestic focus helped it navigate the volatility.
He added the company was advancing toward the listing of Jio Platforms and making rapid progress in operationalising its new energy giga-factories, which he said would become a key growth engine. |
