Brands
Deloitte Global Powers of Retailing Report shows an Indian retail brand lead fastest 50 list
MUMBAI: According to the recently released 23rd edition of Deloitte Global Powers of Retailing 2020 report, the average company size of top 250 retailers has increased to US$19.0 billion in FY 2018 from US$18.1 billion in FY 2017.
The report also shows that Reliance Retail grew by 55.8 per cent CAGR and jumped to the first position from sixth a year ago on the list of Fastest 50 retail brands. The growth is backed by the company’s strong focus on e-commerce and continued efforts to build a strong consumer base and delivery network. The retailer also became the first Indian retailer to operate more than 10,000 stores in the country.
Speaking on the launch of the report, Deloitte partner Anil Talreja said, “Even as the economy is facing a prolonged slowdown, the resilience of the global retail sector is likely to be mirrored in India as well, especially given the tax sops announced for boosting investment in the recent Union Budget for 2020.”
“Key initiatives taken by the government including liberalisation of FDI norms for select sectors; a rollback of the much-debated tax surcharge on foreign portfolio investors; incentives to support several industries; bank consolidation, the amendment of insolvency and bankruptcy code enabling the resolution of financial companies, and a significant cut in the corporate tax rate are sure to show some green-shoots in the Indian economy leading to the boost of customer confidence.
Moreover, the young profile of the country and the increasing dependency on convenience through access to technology and digital platforms makes the country one of the growing retail destinations of the world,” added the spokesperson
Key trends and highlights from the report:
Retail growth in the Asia Pacific region continues to be driven by changing shopping preferences among growing middle-class consumers, particularly young millennials, and the increasing adoption of e-commerce and m-commerce by the physical retail players.
In efforts to compete with Amazon, FMCG retailers have been employing strategies such as greater focus on e-commerce, buy-online-pickup instore, cashier-less stores, opening more convenience stores, voice-enabled shopping, and doorstep delivery.
According to the report, despite trade tensions and growing uncertainty around tariff policies, at the aggregate level the global retailers have exhibited remarkable stability. While the highest annual revenue growth in FY 2018 was reported to be in hardlines and leisure goods, apparel and accessories like every other year was found to be the most profitable product category.
Talking about the macro level global perspective, Dr. Ira Kalish, Deloitte Global Chief Economist said, “The outlook for the global economy and the retail industry in 2020 is uncertain. Overall economic growth is likely to be subdued but positive, with lower growth in consumer spending and inflation in most countries remaining low.”
Global Powers of Retailing Top 250
The world’s Top 10 retailers contributed 32.2 percent share to the Top 250’s total retail revenue in FY2018, up from the 31.6 percent share in the previous year. Growth of the Top 10 outpaced that for the Top 250 retailers, at 6.3 percent and 4.1 percent respectively. The composite net profit margin for the Top 10 retailers was 0.5 percentage points higher than the previous year, despite the pressure on retailers from intense competition, rising labor costs, price wars, and investment in e-commerce capabilities.
With the largest number of companies (136) in the Top 250 list, the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) 1 product sector generated 66.5 percent of the retail revenue in FY2018. Retailers in this sector have the largest average retail revenue (US$23.2 billion in FY2018), however this is a low-margin sector with the lowest net profit margin of all the sectors (2.0 percent in FY2018).
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
