Brands
Havells India eyes consumer durables; to acquire Lloyd brand
MUMBAI: It’s made its mark in the electrical appliances and components sector, courtesy it highpowered media and advertising blitz in TV and in print. Now branding champion Havells India is looking to replicate that feat in the consumer durables business sector too. Over the weekend the company announced that it has received board approval to acquire Lloyd Consumer Durable Business Division at an enterprise value of Rs 1,600 crore.
The transaction will take about eight weeks to be executed. The company has signed an in-principle agreement with Lloyd Electrical and Engineering Ltd and Fedders Lloyd Corp Limited to acquire the Lloyd brand and the consumer durable business that is engaged in sourcing, assembling, marketing and distribution of consumer durables including air-conditioners, TVs, washing machines and other household appliances.
Havells will acquire the consumer business infrastructure, people, distribution network including and not limited to absolute, exclusive ownership and right to all intellectual property of Brand Lloyd, logo, trademark, goodwill and attendant rights
Havells is a major brand in the electrical appliances in components sector and is know for its focused advertising – especially for its tough wires.
Lloyd has, over the last decade, built a brand, distribution and service network to provide a comprehensive experience to its consumers. It is among the top 3 brands in air‐conditioners’ category with a well‐entrenched national network in Tier I and II cities. The brand has expanded into TVs and Washing machines as well.
Havells India CMD Anil Rai Gupta said, “The proposed acquisition is in line with Havells objective of ‘Deeper into Homes’, driving domestic expansion and owning a brand and distribution oriented asset. We would leverage and extend the trust associated with brand Havells to consumers, dealers, vendors of Lloyd and create a similar recognition in the consumer durables segment.”
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.
