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Dividend bonanza lifts Bajaj Finserv as profit hits Rs 1,085 crore in Q2
MUMBAI: When dividends rain, Bajaj Finserv shines. The financial services powerhouse reported a robust standalone profit of Rs 1,085.18 crore for the quarter ended September 2025, up 20 per cent from Rs 907.57 crore a year earlier, driven largely by a gush of dividend inflows from group companies.
The second quarter’s total income stood at Rs 1,481.28 crore, a 21 per cent rise over the year-ago figure of Rs 1,227.14 crore. The spike came primarily on the back of dividend income, which soared to Rs 1,405.21 crore, a massive jump from Rs 1,144.14 crore in Q2 FY24 accounting for nearly 95 per cent of the company’s revenue from operations.
Interest income, however, slipped to Rs 54.93 crore from Rs 59.89 crore a year earlier, while rental income and wind power revenue contributed Rs 1.21 crore and Rs 9.88 crore respectively.
Expenses remained in check, rising modestly to Rs 78.05 crore in the quarter compared to Rs 61.39 crore a year ago. Employee costs were the biggest contributor at Rs 54.16 crore, followed by other expenses of Rs 22.54 crore and depreciation of Rs 1.35 crore.
Profit before tax came in at Rs 1,403.23 crore, up 20 per cent from Rs 1,165.75 crore in the same quarter last year. However, a steep tax bill of Rs 318.05 crore (up from Rs 258.18 crore in Q2 FY24) trimmed the bottom line, even as the company benefited from a Rs 40.21 crore tax credit from earlier years.
After tax, Bajaj Finserv’s net profit stood at Rs 1,085.18 crore, while total comprehensive income (including other gains and losses) was Rs 1,084.32 crore. Basic earnings per share came in at Rs 6.8, compared with Rs 5.7 in the corresponding period last year.
For the half year ended September 2025, total income reached Rs 1,935.56 crore, while net profit stood at Rs 1,415.10 crore marginally lower than Rs 1,540.61 crore reported for the same period last year.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose sharply to Rs 10,222.91 crore as of September 2025, compared with Rs 8,611.81 crore a year ago. Financial assets accounted for the bulk of this, led by Rs 6,073.40 crore in investments in subsidiaries and joint ventures and Rs 3,484.13 crore in other investments.
Other equity swelled to Rs 9,835.61 crore, up from Rs 8,142.97 crore in September 2024, underscoring the company’s growing investment base and capital strength.
From a cash flow perspective, Bajaj Finserv continued to maintain healthy liquidity. The company generated Rs 1,723.49 crore from operating activities during the half year, with significant inflows from investment realisations. Cash and cash equivalents stood at Rs 6.34 crore at the end of September, down from Rs 18.04 crore at the end of March, reflecting strategic capital deployment.
While the quarter may not have seen fireworks on the lending or operating front, Bajaj Finserv’s dividend-driven engine kept profits sizzling. The steady stream of returns from its subsidiaries Bajaj Finance and Bajaj Allianz among them remains the secret sauce behind the company’s enviable earnings consistency.
In short, Bajaj Finserv didn’t just cash in on dividends this quarter, it turned them into a masterclass in financial finesse.
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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.
