Brands
Naukri.com leads the charge as Info Edge clocks 12 per cent Pat jump in Q3
Recruitment business drives growth as company posts higher profits and declares dividend
MUMBAI: If job markets could speak, they might say business at Info Edge is still hiring growth, just not fast enough to keep the market smiling.
The parent of Naukri.com reported a 12 per cent year-on-year rise in consolidated net profit for the December quarter, with profit after tax (Pat) attributable to equity holders coming in at Rs 272 crore, up from Rs 243 crore a year earlier. Revenue from operations rose 13 per cent to Rs 819 crore, compared with Rs 722 crore in the corresponding quarter last year.
Yet, the quarter wasn’t all upward arrows. Sequentially, Pat fell 14 per cent from Rs 316 crore in Q2, while revenue inched up just 1.7 per cent from Rs 805 crore. Investors responded with caution: Info Edge shares slipped about 4 per cent on Friday to a day’s low of Rs 1,104.20 on the NSE.
The company also announced an interim dividend of Rs 2.40 per share for FY26, with February 20, 2026 set as the record date. The payout is scheduled on or after March 9.
Naukri, Info Edge’s flagship recruitment business, continued to carry the load. The segment reported billings of Rs 548 crore and an operating profit of Rs 341 crore, translating into a robust operating margin of 59.3 per cent for the quarter. Cash flow from operations stood at Rs 373 crore, underscoring the division’s role as the company’s primary earnings engine.
The real estate arm, operating under the 99acres brand, posted billings of Rs 117 crore in Q3FY26, marking a 14.5 per cent year-on-year increase. Operating profit for the segment came in at Rs 20 crore, with cash flow from operations at Rs 10 crore.
Jeevansathi.com, the company’s matrimony platform, recorded 29 per cent revenue growth in the quarter, with revenue reaching Rs 36 crore. The segment reported an operating profit of Rs 2 crore and cash flow from operations of Rs 5 crore, signalling steady traction in a competitive market.
The Shiksha business continued to broaden its digital catalogue, hosting more than 5.5 lakh course listings and serving 1,600 unique clients during the quarter.
Overall, the quarter reflected a familiar Info Edge story: a recruitment powerhouse driving profits, smaller verticals chelling in with growth, and the market keeping a close eye on the pace of expansion. For now, the company seems to have no shortage of job offers, but investors may still be waiting for the next big promotion.
Brands
Hardik Jhaveri named senior director marketing at Colgate-Palmolive Asean hub
Former Hill’s Pet Nutrition general manager returns to the company to steer marketing for South Asean from Kuala Lumpur
KUALA LUMPUR:Â Hardik Jhaveri has been appointed senior director marketing for the South Asean hub at Colgate-Palmolive, marking a return to the consumer goods major after a three year stint with Hill’s Pet Nutrition. He will be based in Kuala Lumpur and will lead marketing strategy for the region.
Jhaveri joins the role after serving as general manager at Hill’s Pet Nutrition in Taipei, where he led a cross functional team and oversaw the business with full profit and loss responsibility. The role placed him at the helm of operations in Taiwan, managing growth in what he described as a start-up style environment within a global multinational.
Before that, Jhaveri spent over a decade with Colgate-Palmolive across several marketing and innovation roles in Asia. As associate director innovation for Apac excluding China, based in Hong Kong, he led new product development and launches across multiple markets.
His portfolio ranged from developing specialised oral care products such as a diabetes focused toothpaste for the Indian market to launching premium oral care experiences under the Colgate Total brand in Australia. Alongside innovation, he also worked on launch planning, brand strategy and communications for the company’s oral care portfolio.
Earlier in his Colgate-Palmolive journey, Jhaveri held roles including marketing manager innovation, senior brand manager and brand manager. His work spanned urban and rural markets in Mumbai and customer development responsibilities in the Greater Kolkata Area.
Prior to his long association with Colgate-Palmolive, Jhaveri worked as brand officer home care at Unilever, where he helped drive marketing initiatives for the Rin detergent brand, including nationwide relaunch and on ground activation campaigns.
He began his career in advertising with Bates David Enterprise, working on brands such as IDBI Bank, The Leela Hotels and The Times of India.
Jhaveri holds a post graduate programme in management from the Indian School of Business and has also completed a level 4 diploma in wine from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.
Announcing the move, Jhaveri said he is excited to begin his new chapter at Colgate-Palmolive’s South Asean hub and thanked colleagues and mentors who supported his journey at Hill’s Pet Nutrition.
