Brands
Reliance Retail posts record revenue in festive Q3
MUMBAI: When shoppers splurged this festive season, Reliance Retail clearly cashed in. That was the message from Reliance Retail CFO and head of corporate development Dinesh Taluja as he walked analysts through the company’s performance during the earnings call following the unaudited financial results for the quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2025.
Speaking in the transcripted call, Taluja said the retail arm posted its highest-ever quarterly revenue of Rs.97,600 crore, up 8.1 per cent year-on-year, despite a shifting festive calendar and the impact of GST rate rationalisation from late September. EBITDA for the quarter stood at Rs.6,915 crore, translating into an 8 per cent margin, while profit after tax rose to nearly Rs.3,600 crore. Margins, he noted, were influenced by festive promotions, rapid investments in hyperlocal commerce and a one-time impact from the new labour code.
Hyperlocal commerce emerged as a standout growth lever. Reliance Retail ended the quarter with 1.6 million orders, clocking 53 per cent quarter-on-quarter growth and a striking 360 per cent rise year-on-year. The business now spans 5,000-plus pin codes across 1,000-plus cities, supported by over 3,000 stores, including a growing network of dark stores. Customer momentum remained strong, with 5.9 million new customers added during the quarter, pushing the base 43 per cent higher year-on-year.
Across categories, growth was broad-based. Grocery big-box formats delivered healthy like-for-like growth, while festive gifting drove record volumes. The B2B Metro business saw rising footfalls, aided by loyalty and engagement programmes for kirana partners. In fashion and lifestyle, Reliance continued to leverage its 1,300-plus city omnichannel network, enabling delivery windows ranging from 30 minutes to next day, a capability Taluja said competitors would struggle to replicate at scale.
Digital fashion platform Ajio also posted solid gains, with average order values up 21 per cent year-on-year, a live catalogue of 2.8 million options, and rapid expansion of services such as Ajio Rush, now live across 420 pin codes in 10 cities. Meanwhile, jewellery recorded strong value-led growth, with average bill values up 73 per cent, driven largely by higher gold prices and a surge in exchange-led purchases during Dhanteras.
Summing up his remarks on the call, Taluja pointed to scale, supply-chain depth and a dense store footprint as Reliance Retail’s key advantages. As he framed it, the quarter underscored how breadth across formats physical, digital and hyperlocal is steadily turning into a durable growth engine for the retail business.
Brands
G-Shock launches Origami-inspired DW-5600RGM and DW-6900RGM series
New models blend Japanese paper-folding art with shock-resistant toughness, priced at Rs 11,995 in India.
MUMBAI: G-Shock just folded time into art because when your watch draws from origami, even the seconds look ready to unfold into something unbreakable. Casio’s legendary toughness brand has dropped its latest statement pieces in India, the DW-5600RGM and DW-6900RGM series, inspired by the ancient Japanese art of paper folding. Launched on 23 February 2026, the collection fuses origami’s precision, creativity, and transformation with G-Shock’s signature shock resistance turning a watch into a wearable nod to both heritage and hard knocks.
The designs feature crisp fold-pattern motifs across the bezel and band, textured to mimic traditional washi paper, plus subtle dotted lines that echo valley and mountain creases. A crane engraving graces the back case and LED backlight, a timeless origami symbol of longevity, hope, and limitless potential. Both models stay true to their Japanese roots with “Made in Japan” production and specially themed packaging.
Offered in two colourways deep black (DW-5600RGM-1DR) for the classic square-face silhouette and warm off-white (DW-6900RGM-5DR) for the bolder round-face look, the watches keep G-Shock’s core toughness intact, shock-resistant structure, 200-metre water resistance, Super Illuminator LED backlight, 1/100-second stopwatch, countdown timer, multi-function alarm, and full auto-calendar through 2099. A long-life battery lasts approximately five years.
In a nod to sustainability, the bezel and band use bio-based resin from renewable sources, cutting environmental impact without sacrificing durability or performance.
Priced at Rs 11,995 (inclusive of all taxes), the series is now available at Casio India outlets, G-Shock exclusive stores, and online. For anyone who wants a timepiece that’s equal parts cultural whisper and street-ready resilience, these origami-infused G-Shocks fold elegance and toughness into one very wearable package proving that sometimes the strongest things start as a single sheet of inspiration.
