Brands
Monte Carlo slips into loss as sales drop in a seasonally weak quarter
MUMBAI: Winterwear label Monte Carlo just caught a summer chill on its balance sheet. For the quarter ended 30 June 2025, Monte Carlo Fashions Ltd. reported a standalone net loss of Rs 1,632 lakh, slipping deeper into the red compared to a loss of Rs 1,327 lakh in the same quarter last year. Sequentially too, the performance weakened, with the company reporting a wider loss than the Rs 1,028 lakh deficit in the March 2025 quarter.
Total income stood at Rs 13,896 lakh, down sharply from Rs 21,856 lakh in the March quarter, and only a marginal uptick from Rs 13,327 lakh in Q1 FY24. The drop was primarily due to a seasonal decline in revenue from operations, which came in at Rs 13,853 lakh, a notable fall from the Rs 20,593 lakh clocked just a quarter ago.
Operating costs remained high. Purchases of stock-in-trade touched Rs 6,418 lakh, and employee expenses rose to Rs 3,234 lakh. While inventory adjustments offered some relief (with a positive change of Rs 2,724 lakh), it wasn’t enough to offset the drag from expenses like advertising and promotion (Rs 1,039 lakh) and finance costs (Rs 1,105 lakh).
On a consolidated basis, losses remained nearly the same, with a net loss of Rs 1,622 lakh for Q1 FY26. Total consolidated income was Rs 14,897 lakh, again marking a sequential decline.
Despite a strong performance in the previous full year with a standalone profit of Rs 7,980 lakh Monte Carlo is off to a frosty start this fiscal. Seasonal cyclicality, high fixed overheads, and a muted retail environment appear to have squeezed margins this quarter.
The company’s equity base remains stable at Rs 2,073 lakh, with other equity reserves totalling Rs 81,337 lakh. Earnings per share (not annualised) stood at Rs (7.87), compared to Rs 38.49 for the year ended March 2025.
With peak season months still ahead and inventory realignments underway, the Ludhiana-based firm will be banking on stronger demand in the colder quarters to thaw the current chill. Until then, investors may need to layer up for some financial frostbite.
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.
