Brands
BPCL wins 9 awards at the 16th Global Communication Conclave
Mumbai: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) has bagged a total of nine excellence awards for corporate collaterals at the 16th Global Communication Conclave organised by the Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) in Kolkata on 12 November 2022.
The company received nine awards in the following categories: public relations, business campaigns, use of social media and campaigns, annual reports, corporate events, and corporate responsibility campaigns.
The Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) is a pan-India communication exchange forum with offices in 38 cities and towns across India. This premier network connects PR, media, commercial and public service advertising, marcom, academia in communication, and students. The PRCI Annual Corporate Collateral Awards for corporate communications are presented annually to recognise talent and professional standards.
BPCL was recognised for its purpose-driven public relations and brand strategy that adds delightful dynamism to communication and the manner in which BPCL leverages the power of both traditional and digital media to reach the relevant target audience.
On behalf of the company, BPCL’s top employees, including public relations and brand chief general manager Abbas Akhtar, head retail East Debashis Naik, and public relations & brand general manager Charu Yadav, received the awards.
Earlier, Akhtar was bestowed with the coveted honour of being inducted into the PRCI ‘Hall of Fame’ – an illustrious league of “the best of the best” industry professionals—for his exceptional contributions to the field of PR and leveraging its potential in innovative and pragmatic ways. He said, “We are pleased to be recognised by PRCI for carefully crafting public relations and brand strategies that add delightful dynamism to the communication and the manner in which BPCL mingles with the world. We are at the cusp of a transformation that defines our future, as we metamorphose from a predominantly oil & gas company into an ‘energy’ company. Through our communication, we have developed the narrative unfolding our strategic vision for the future, evolving new-age energy solutions.”
Commenting on the big win, BPCL director of finance with additional charge of C&MD and director HR VRK Gupta said, “At Bharat Petroleum, it is our solemn endeavour to leverage PR to communicate in a reliable and transparent manner. All our activities, offerings, and customer-centric solutions underpin our core purpose of “energising lives” in various ways. With the energy landscape undergoing transformation, we have been engaging with energy-engaged citizens and sharing our views, initiatives, and plans on energy transition, technological evolution, sustainability, social initiatives, and much more. I am happy that our sincere efforts in this direction have been recognised once again with the coveted ‘Hall of Fame’ award by a premier organisation, the Public Relations Council of India. Thank you everyone for partnering with us in achieving this feat.”
BPCL director of marketing Sukhmal Jain added, “Steadfastly anchored to the energy needs of the nation and aligned with global climate action, we have embarked upon an ambitious voyage of energy transition towards a cleaner and sustainable future. It is the solemn endeavour of our communication team to share vital information in the public domain on our customer centricity, network expanse, energy transition, technological evolution, sustainability, social initiatives, and much more, in a reliable and transparent manner. I am happy that our sincere efforts in this direction have been recognised once again with a flurry of awards by a premier organisation, the Public Relations Council of India.”
Brands
Domino’s Q1 profit falls 6.6 per cent, announces $1 billion buyback
Sales rise 3.4 per cent as pizza giant balances growth and shareholder returns
NEW YORK: Domino’s reported a mixed start to 2026, with first-quarter net income slipping even as global sales and store expansion held steady. The company also announced a fresh $1 billion share buyback, underlining its continued focus on shareholder returns.
Global retail sales rose 3.4 per cent on a constant-currency basis to $4.74 billion. The US remained a key growth engine, with same-store sales inching up 0.9 per cent, supported by a 1.5 per cent rise at company-owned outlets.
International markets, however, painted a more uneven picture. While Domino’s added 161 net new stores overseas during the quarter, international same-store sales declined 0.4 per cent. Overall revenues still climbed 3.5 per cent to $1.15 billion, driven by higher supply chain revenues and a 2.6 per cent increase in food basket pricing for franchisees.
On the profitability front, net income fell 6.6 per cent to $139.8 million, compared to $149.7 million a year earlier. Diluted earnings per share dropped to $4.13 from $4.33. The decline was largely attributed to a $30 million unfavourable swing in unrealised gains linked to its investment in DPC Dash Ltd.
Despite this, operational performance showed resilience. Income from operations rose 9.6 per cent to $230.4 million, supported in part by a $7.8 million pre-tax gain from the sale of a corporate aircraft.
Domino’s footprint continued to expand, with the company ending the quarter at 22,322 stores across more than 90 markets. In the US, digital orders remained dominant, accounting for over 85 per cent of retail sales in 2025.
The company also maintained its dividend payout, declaring $1.99 per share, payable on 30 June 2026. After repurchasing $75.1 million worth of stock during the quarter, the new authorisation lifts the total available for buybacks to $1.29 billion.
Domino’s chief executive officer Russell Weiner said the company’s scale and store-level economics position it well to capture further market share in 2026, even as competition intensifies.
As Domino’s leans into expansion and capital returns, the latest results show a business managing short-term pressures while keeping its long-term growth strategy firmly in play.
