Brands
Stanley Lifestyles posts 6.2 per cent gross profit growth in 9M FY26
Luxury furniture retailer flags near-term pressure on margins as expansion and depreciation dent profits
BENGALURU: Stanley Lifestyles Ltd, the home-grown luxury and super-premium furniture maker, delivered a resilient rise in gross profits for the first nine months of FY26, even as store expansion and softer demand squeezed quarterly earnings and pushed the December quarter into the red.
The company, incorporated in 2007, reported unaudited results for the quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2025, showing a business balancing growth ambitions with near-term cost pressures.
Quarter under pressure
Revenue from operations in Q3FY26 slipped 5.4 per cent year on year to Rs 1,038 mn from Rs 1,097 mn, as demand softened in the premium furniture segment.
Gross profit stood at Rs 618 mn, down 3.1 per cent, but margins improved to 59.5 per cent from 58.2 per cent, a 130 bps expansion driven by product mix.
The real drag came lower down the profit and loss statement. EBITDA fell 39.5 per cent to Rs 124 mn, with margins shrinking 680 bps to 11.9 per cent.
The quarter closed with a net loss of Rs 2 mn against a profit of Rs 89 mn a year earlier. Higher depreciation, rising finance costs and expenses linked to new stores that are yet to reach optimal utilisation weighed on the bottom line.
Nine-month picture steadier
For 9M FY26, revenue rose a modest 1.4 per cent to Rs 3,179 mn, reflecting what the company described as evolving consumer preferences and a tilt towards value-oriented buying.
Gross profit climbed 6.2 per cent to Rs 1,857 mn, while gross margins expanded 260 bps to 58.4 per cent, helped by a sharper product mix and operating efficiencies.
EBITDA for the period inched up 1.1 per cent to Rs 597 mn, though margins were nearly flat at 18.8 per cent.
Profit after tax fell 26.1 per cent to Rs 136 mn from Rs 184 mn, again due to higher depreciation and finance costs tied to retail expansion and growth investments.
Betting on scale and standards
Sunil Suresh, managing director, said the gross profit growth underlined the strength of the brand and operating model, even as investments in leadership and retail footprint inflated near-term costs. He pointed to improving handovers and a healthy order pipeline as grounds for confidence in coming quarters.
The company also secured certification for both its manufacturing units from the Bureau of Indian Standards, a timely move as the Furniture Quality Control Order is expected to be implemented by the end of the financial year. Compliance, Suresh argued, could translate into a competitive edge as regulation tightens.
Luxury pitch
Stanley operates across brands such as Stanley Level Next, Stanley Boutique and Sofas & More, spanning sofas, recliners, beds, cabinetry and interior solutions.
Its vertically integrated model covers design, manufacturing and retail, with two Bengaluru facilities spread over more than 300,000 sq ft. A network of 68 outlets across major cities, run through both company-owned and franchise formats, gives it national reach in the ultra-luxury to super-premium segments.
The strategy now is to deepen the COCO network, push design-led collections and ride the long-term premiumisation wave in Indian homes.
For now, Stanley’s story is one of investment ahead of returns. The near term looks bruised, but the company is wagering that scale, standards and a taste for luxury will eventually do the talking. In India’s aspirational living rooms, it is playing the long game.
Brands
FSS names Anand Krishnamurthi head of global digital delivery
Tech veteran to drive AI-first, cloud-led transformation in payments globally
CHENNAI: Financial Software and Systems (FSS), an AI-first payment infrastructure company, has appointed Anand Krishnamurthi as head of global digital delivery.
In his new role, Anand Krishnamurthi will lead FSS’s global digital delivery capabilities, focusing on AI-first and cloud-led transformation while ensuring predictable, high-quality outcomes for customers worldwide. He will be based in Chennai and report to V. Balasubramanian, CEO of FSS.
Bringing 28 years of experience in technology and digital transformation across banking, capital markets, financial services, and insurance, Anand has held senior leadership positions at Cognizant and NuSummit. He is recognised for scaling multi-geography delivery teams, leading mission-critical platforms, and embedding AI-driven automation in complex, regulated environments.
“What drew me to FSS is its deep payments expertise, strong product DNA, and the scale at which its platforms power real-world financial ecosystems,” said Anand Krishnamurthi. “I aim to strengthen delivery predictability, execution rigor, and engineering quality, building empowered teams that deliver measurable customer outcomes. FSS has a unique opportunity to create real-time, AI-infused payments infrastructure that is resilient, secure, and globally scalable.”
V. Balasubramanian added, “Anand’s track record in leading multi-geography delivery programs and AI-first operating models makes him the ideal leader for FSS as we accelerate our AI-driven digital payments business. His leadership will help us raise the bar for outcomes globally.”
This appointment is part of FSS’s broader push to build an AI-powered, cloud-native delivery organisation capable of meeting the evolving needs of banks, fintechs, and financial institutions worldwide.
