Brands
Kansai Nerolac ties up with Gujarat Lions for IPL season 9
MUMBAI: Kansai Nerolac Paints (KNPL) has signed up with the Gujarat Lions franchise as associate sponsor for the ninth edition of the Indian Premier League which will begin on 9 April.
Gujarat Lions, captained by Suresh Raina, is one of the two debutant teams this IPL season, and has a mix of experienced and fiery young players such as Brendon McCullum, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Dale Steyn, Aaron Finch and India U-19 captain Ishan Kishan to name a few. Gujarat Lions will battle it out against seven other teams for the title of ‘Indian Premier League Champions 2016’.
Speaking on the association, Kansai Nerolac Paints decorative director Anuj Jain said, “It gives us great pleasure to announce our sponsorship with Gujarat Lions. Cricket is the most loved sport in India and Nerolac has sponsored ‘Gujarat Lions’ because we believe that the team embodies a passion to excel. The team members are committed to outdo their previous performances and this spirit is resonated in our range of high performance products as well.”
“We are happy to have Kansai Nerolac as our associate sponsor. The support of a loved brand such as Kansai Nerolac means a lot to a team that is new and eager-to-perform. The Gujarat Lions are happy to don the vibrant orange caps and helmets with the Nerolac logo as we share a common grit and determination to outperform the best in the business,” said Intex Technologies director and Gujarat Lions owner Keshav Bansal.
The association between Kansai Nerolac and Gujarat Lions follows some aggressive advertising by the brand during the recently concluded ICC World 20-20. Kansai Nerolac has also been maintaining a good media presence through on–air ad slots during the IPL over the years.
Kansai Nerolac has been promoting a range of healthy home paints. This association with Gujarat Lions reiterates the belief that a significant aspect of healthy living is linked with our living conditions & in having a healthy active lifestyle that keeps you fit. Participating in sports is a natural way of achieving good health.
Jain further added, “Kansai Nerolac has been advertising during cricket tournaments for quite some time now. This alliance with Gujarat Lions is a conscious move to become active advocates of the sport. We will also engage cricket fans through a series of interesting initiatives centred around our association off the field, while the Gujarat Lions team enthrals fans with their performance on ground.”
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan continues to be the face of the brand. “We will continue to reach out to fans through both cricket and Bollywood, the two biggest mass appeal platforms in India. Further our associations with both of these will be promoted across traditional media channels like TV, print and newer ones like social media as well,” concludes Jain.
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.
