United Spirits has posted a healthy lift in net profits for its fiscal year, despite slowing momentum in the final quarter.

The spirits arm of India’s UB Group said today (21 April) that net profits for the 12 months to the end of March came in at INR4.01bn (US$89.8m) compared to INR2.97bn in the corresponding period a year earlier. Net sales were also up, albeit less impressively, to INR49.6bn versus INR41.4bn.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Premium Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Operating profits similarly headed north for the year, coming in at INR8.09bn against INR6.42bn in fiscal year 2008-2009.

For the unit’s fourth quarter, the rise in net profits slowed to INR568.5m compared to INR556.2m, while net sales climbed to INR12.66bn from INR9.23bn. Operating profits increased to INR1.84bn against INR1.50bn in the same quarter a year earlier.

In volume terms in the final quarter, United Spirits enjoyed a 16% increase in shipments of cases, which totalled 25.7m in the three-month period. Full-year volumes were up by 13.5% to 100.2m cases, with the unit claiming that it is now “the second largest distilled spirits marketer (globally) by volume”, behind Diageo.

“The company has its sights set on attaining the No. 1 position during fiscal 2011,” the firm noted.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

United Spirits hailed its flagship McDowell’s No.1 spirits range, which offers whisky, brandy and rum variants, as leading the volume rise, with the brand delivering a 13% increase in case sales.

Bagpiper rum became the firm’s 20th ‘millionaire brand’ – signifying sales of over 1m cases in a fiscal year – during the 12-month period.

United Spirits also said today that it’s long-planned merger of Balaji Distilleries, initially announced back in December 2008, is expected to complete in the second quarter of its current fiscal year. Balaji Distilleries’ site in Chennai is India’s largest Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) facility, with monthly production in the region of 1m cases.

To read the official press release, click here.

Stay informed for just £1! *

Subscribe to Just Drinks for unbiased coverage of the global drinks industry, offering insights into the corporate strategies of beverage manufacturers and brands worldwide.


What’s included in your subscription:
  • Unlimited access to Just Drinks content including daily global news, in-depth analysis, and interviews with C-suite executives
  • Unbeatable coverage of categories from beer, wine and spirits to soft drinks and hot beverages
  • Unrivalled drinks industry comment from leading sector specialists

Ready to stay informed? Subscribe now and gain access to exclusive content.

Subscribe

Have a subscription? Sign in

For further details on subscribing, click here. Need multi-user access? Explore our corporate subscriptions now.

*After your 1-month trial, your subscription will continue at £315 per year.