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Honda Cars India organises nationwide ‘Independence Day service camp’
Mumbai: Honda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL), a leading manufacturer of premium cars in India announced the start of its nationwide ‘Independence Day Service Camp’ from 16 August – 20 August 2023.
During this period, Honda Cars valued customers will have the opportunity to take advantage of exclusive offers on car care services and periodic maintenance labour. These offers include discounts on services such as interior cleaning, paint treatment/beautification, headlamp and windshield treatment, underbody coating, and more, spanning across the entire Honda product range.
In addition to these service promotions, appealing offers are also available for brake pads, wipers, tyres, and batteries.
Honda Cars India vice president of marketing & sales Kunal Behl said, “With our customers at the heart of our operations, we are delighted to organise this nationwide service camp, aimed at ensuring a seamless and delightful ownership experience for all. Supported by our extensive network of dealers and skilled professionals, the service camp guarantees exceptional service quality for all our customers.” He further elaborated, “These exclusive offers and incentives underscore our unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction and the sheer joy of owning a Honda Car.”
During the service camp, customers can avail of complimentary evaluation of their existing vehicles, coupled with exclusive benefits for those considering a new Honda car. Customers can also experience the innovative ADAS technology of Honda Sensing through the test drive of the Honda City.
In a gesture of gratitude towards defence personnel, police officials, and doctors, Honda is extending special offers on all Value-Added Services and Periodic Maintenance Labour as a token of appreciation for their dedicated service. Moreover, the Independence Day Camp will feature a Daily Lucky Draw, offering participants the chance to win exciting prizes.
Besides the new car business, Honda offers a one-stop solution for buying and selling pre-owned cars through its business function Honda Auto Terrace. The Honda-certified pre-owned cars come with an assurance of quality and peace of mind that caters to the diverse and burgeoning needs of pre-owned car buyers across the country.
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Microsoft faces worst quarter since 2008 financial crisis
Cloud giant battles soaring AI costs and fierce competition from nimble startups.
MUMBAI: When the tech titan starts looking a little wobbly, even the Magnificent Seven can feel the tremors because Microsoft is currently starring in its own sequel, “Clouds and Doubts.” Microsoft is on track for its worst quarterly performance since the 2008 global financial crisis, according to Bloomberg, as investors grow increasingly uneasy about rising capital expenditure and intensifying competition from nimble AI firms. The company has been pouring money into AI infrastructure, yet markets are questioning when these hefty investments will finally deliver stronger revenue growth.
At the same time, investors are shifting away from traditional software stocks amid fears that AI startups such as Anthropic and OpenAI are developing autonomous agents capable of replacing established products, including those from Microsoft. Jonathan Cofsky, portfolio manager at Janus Henderson Investors, noted growing concern that customers may bypass Microsoft and deal directly with AI vendors, potentially disrupting its core business and putting pressure on pricing and margins.
Microsoft’s stock has tumbled 25 per cent in the first quarter, putting it on course for its largest drop since a 27 per cent fall in the fourth quarter of 2008. It has also emerged as the weakest performer among the so-called Magnificent Seven technology stocks, while a broader index tracking the group has fallen 14 per cent over the same period. The shares slipped a further 1.7 per cent after markets opened on Friday, marking a potential fourth consecutive session of declines.
Cofsky pointed out that Microsoft has become more capital intensive and that improved investor confidence will hinge on assurances that software growth will not slow materially. Despite the sell-off, the stock is now trading at less than 20 times projected earnings over the next 12 months, its lowest valuation level since June 2016. Its valuation remains slightly above that of the S&P 500 Index, although it has recently traded at a discount to the broader benchmark for the first time since 2015.
Bloomberg data shows Microsoft’s capital expenditure, including leases, is expected to surge to $146 billion in fiscal 2026, up around 66 per cent from $88 billion in fiscal 2025. Spending is projected to climb further to $170 billion in fiscal 2027 and $191 billion in fiscal 2028, based on average estimates. Investors are growing cautious about such levels of spending without clearer signs of stronger growth.
Microsoft’s Azure cloud division has reported a slight slowdown in growth compared with the previous quarter, while its Copilot AI product has seen limited user traction, prompting internal changes aimed at improving performance. Ben Reitzes, an analyst at Melius Research, warned in a March note that Microsoft’s upside in Azure could be constrained as the company works to address challenges related to its AI models and Copilot offering, adding that these issues are unlikely to be resolved in the short term.
Of the 67 analysts covering Microsoft, 63 maintain buy ratings, three hold ratings and one a sell rating. The average 12-month price target of $592 implies a potential upside of more than 64 per cent, the highest on record based on data going back to 2009. The stock is also trading below its 200-day moving average by the widest margin since 2009.
Reitzes suggested the dominance of buy ratings may indicate complacency among analysts, while highlighting risks in Microsoft’s productivity and business processes segment as well as its More Personal Computing division. In contrast, Tal Liani of Bank of America reinstated coverage with a buy rating, citing durable multi-year growth prospects across cloud and AI. Jake Seltz, portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments, maintained that Microsoft retains strong long-term value and that its AI strategy is likely to be validated over time, viewing near-term concerns as a potential opportunity for longer-term investors.
The report highlights a growing divergence in market sentiment, with optimism around long-term AI potential weighed against immediate execution risks and investor uncertainty. In the world of big tech, even the mightiest clouds can have silver linings but right now, Microsoft’s investors are scanning the horizon for clearer skies.
