Brands
Hero revs up Q1 with a profit bump and an EV jolt to the system
MUMBAI: EVs, exports, and earnings, Hero MotoCorp’s first quarter of FY26 was anything but idle. The world’s largest two-wheeler maker posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 1,706 crore for the April–June 2025 quarter, a staggering 65 per cent jump from Rs 1,032 crore a year ago. A significant portion Rs 722 crore of that windfall came from a one-time gain following the partial dilution of Hero’s stake in Ather Energy, which went public this quarter.
On a consolidated basis, Hero Motocorp clocked revenue from operations at Rs 9,728 crore, while standalone revenue stood at Rs 9,579 crore. Profit after tax (PAT) on a standalone basis was Rs 1,126 crore, flat compared to Rs 1,123 crore in Q1 FY25.
Despite a slight drop in volumes 13.67 lakh units sold this quarter versus 15.35 lakh last year, the bottom line remained buoyant thanks to a steady 14.4 per cent EBITDA margin (Rs 1,382 crore), mirroring last year’s performance. The consolidated EBITDA margin nudged slightly higher at 14.5 per cent.
Hero’s electric vehicle (EV) arm, VIDA, continues to plug into new opportunities. It launched a subscription-based Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model and introduced the Evooter VX2. A campaign titled ‘Charging Simple Hai’, timed with the IPL, spotlighted VIDA’s swappable battery tech.
On the global front, Hero pushed four new products into the Sri Lankan market in collaboration with long-time distributor Abans Auto: the Xoom 110, Hunk 160R 4V, Xtreme 125R and HF Deluxe.
The 125cc scooter segment, led by Destini 125 and Xoom 125, and the newly launched HF Deluxe Pro in the 100cc segment helped maintain retail traction. VAHAN registrations remained healthy, and the upcoming festive season could accelerate demand.
Premium positioning also got a boost with the Harley-Davidson 2025 line-up rollout, including the return of Street Bob and new Road Glide and Street Glide variants. Hero also opened new Premia stores across the country, reaching the 100-store milestone.
Hero is also tackling regulatory curves. While the company awaits clarity on obligations under the End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Rules 2025, it has not yet accounted for any financial impact, citing lack of a defined pricing or certification framework.
Meanwhile, Hero continues to invest in brand visibility on and off the road. It signed golfers Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala as global ambassadors and added young Austrian rider Tobias Ebster to the Hero Motosports Rally team.
Hero’s leadership sounds confident. Hero Motocorp chief financial officer Vivek Anand noted strong performance across electric, global and premium categories and flagged a “robust pipeline of new launches” for the coming quarters.
Investors also got good news earlier this year, with the Board approving a final dividend of Rs 65 per share, taking the FY25 total to Rs 165 per share (8,250 per cent).
Despite a temporary production pause that impacted dispatches, Hero appears ready to hit the throttle as it enters the festive season. With electric mobility gaining traction, international markets humming, and Ather’s IPO money in the bank, Hero seems geared for a smooth ride into the rest of FY26.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
