GCPL Incurs Loss of Rs 1,893.21 Crore in Q4

Godrej Consumer Products reported a Q4 loss of Rs 1,893 crore due to exceptional items. Despite this, organic volumes grew 9% in Q4 and 7% for the fiscal year, led by India and Indonesia. The company incurred expenses of Rs 2,375 crore due to strategy refresh in Africa, resulting in impairment loss and sale of businesses. GCPL also posted a loss of Rs 560 crore for FY24, with exceptional items contributing to the decline. Despite challenges, the company remains focused on volume-led growth, brand investments, and profitability improvements.

Homegrown FMCG major Godrej Consumer Products Ltd on Monday reported a consolidated loss of Rs 1,893.21 crore in the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2024, impacted by exceptional items related to impairment of brand and goodwill, and loss on sale of business in Africa.

The company had posted a consolidated profit after tax of Rs 452.14 crore in the same quarter of the previous fiscal, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) said in a regulatory filing.

Consolidated total revenue from operations during the quarter under review stood at Rs 3,385.61 crore as against Rs 3,200.16 crore in the year-ago period.

Total expenses in the fourth quarter were higher at Rs 2,758.27 crore compared to Rs 2,680.39 crore in the corresponding period a year ago, the company said.

In the fourth quarter, GCPL incurred exceptional items of Rs 2,375.65 crore, the filing said.

For the fiscal ended March 31, 2024, GCPL said its consolidated loss after tax was Rs 560.55 crore. It had posted a consolidated profit after tax of Rs 1,702.46 crore in FY23.

Consolidated total revenue from operations in FY24 was at Rs 14,096.11 crore as against Rs 13,315.97 crore in the previous fiscal.

''During the quarter ended March 31, 2024, the group refreshed its long-term strategy for Africa, including 'Strength of Nature', enhancing the focus on 'profitable' growth. The strategy refresh resulted in various reorganisation actions during the quarter,'' the company said.

The future projections were also revised based on the revised strategy and changed external market conditions, it added.

''For the year ended March 31, 2024, exceptional items in the consolidated financial results include impairment loss of Rs 1,390.8 crore towards 'Brand and Goodwill' for Africa (including Strength Of Nature) and Rs 927.2 crore relating to loss on sale of subsidiaries and business in East Africa pursuant to changes in business model and long term strategy for Africa (including Strength Of Nature)...,'' the company said.

Further, the exceptional items also included Rs 71 crore on account of other group restructuring costs, including employees' severance pay and inventory-related costs etc necessitated by the restructuring.

The exceptional items also included stamp duty payment and other costs in relation to the acquisition of Raymond Consumer Care Business of Rs 87.8 crore, it added.

For the year ended March 31, 2023, exceptional items also include impairment loss of Rs 6 crore towards brands, restructuring costs of Rs 29.3 crore and Rs 18.8 crore on account of litigation settlement under VAT amnesty scheme in the consolidated financial results, the company said.

GCPL Managing Director and CEO, Sudhir Sitapati said the company delivered a strong performance for all four quarters in FY 2024, despite challenging conditions across markets.

''Our consolidated organic volumes for Q4FY24 grew by 9 per cent, led by the India business growing volumes at 7 per cent and Indonesia growing volumes at 12 per cent. This led to strong full-year organic volume growth delivery at 7 per cent for our consolidated business, 6 per cent for India and 11 per cent for Indonesia,'' he added.

Sitapati said the company continues to improve the strength of its balance sheet.

''We have completed the reorganisation in our East-Africa business. We are happy to report that there will be a positive impact on PAT of Rs 50 crore per annum despite the negative impact on revenue of Rs 470 crore per annum,'' he added.

GCPL remains focused on driving volume-led growth along with healthy investments in brands and improvement in profitability, Sitapati said, adding, ''We are on track in our journey to reduce wasted cost and are deploying this to drive profitable and sustainable volume growth across our portfolio through category development.'' The company said its board has declared an interim dividend of Rs 10 per share on shares of face value of Re 1 each for the financial year 2024-25.

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