Bata India reported its audited financial results for the year ended March 31, 2026, recording a 59.3% decline in net profit to ₹1,335.59 million compared to the previous year. The decline was primarily driven by exceptional items, including voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) costs and a foreign exchange loss, which weighed on profitability despite a marginal increase in revenue from operations.

Financial Performance

Revenue from operations for FY26 rose to ₹35,154.84 million from ₹34,880.26 million in FY25, representing a 0.8% growth. Total income increased to ₹35,940.40 million from ₹35,550.26 million. However, profitability was significantly impacted by exceptional expenses. The company incurred a VRS expense of ₹423.66 million during the year and a foreign exchange loss of ₹223.74 million arising from the translation of liabilities related to license rights. Consequently, net profit for the year stood at ₹1,335.59 million, down from ₹3,284.49 million in the prior year.

Quarterly Results and Operational Highlights

For the quarter ended March 31, 2026 (Q4FY26), revenue from operations increased to ₹8,276.26 million from ₹7,877.70 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The company reported a net profit of ₹20.69 million for the quarter, a sharp decrease from ₹435.51 million in Q4FY25, largely due to a VRS expense of ₹280.60 million booked during the quarter.

Operational efficiency measures enabled the company to reduce gross inventory by 13.2% to ₹7,076.20 million as of March 31, 2026, from ₹8,150.57 million a year earlier. Cash generated from operations for the year stood at ₹6,760.35 million.

Dividend and Corporate Actions

The Board of Directors has recommended a final dividend of ₹9 per share (180%) for the financial year ended March 31, 2026, subject to shareholder approval. The total dividend outlay amounts to ₹1,156.75 million. The Record Date for the purpose of dividend payment has been fixed as Friday, July 31, 2026. The Annual General Meeting is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, via Video Conferencing or Other Audio Visual Means.

The statutory auditors, M/s. Price Waterhouse Chartered Accountants LLP, have issued an audit report with an unmodified opinion on the standalone and consolidated financial results.

Bata India Limited has concluded the remote e-voting period for its postal ballot proceedings on May 23, 2026, at 5:00 P.M. IST. The voting was conducted to seek shareholder approval for the re-appointment of Ms. Radha Rajappa as an Independent Director. The resolution received strong support, with 99.48% of the total valid votes cast in favour. This outcome ensures the continuation of her tenure on the Board.

The postal ballot process was initiated following a notice dated April 15, 2026. Electronic notices were dispatched to members whose names appeared in the Register of Members or the List of Beneficial Owners as of April 17, 2026. The communication of assent or dissent was facilitated solely through the remote e-voting mechanism provided by NSDL, in adherence to the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013, and relevant General Circulars issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Voting Results Summary

The resolution garnered significant participation across shareholder categories. A total of 107,550,547 votes were polled, representing 83.68% of the outstanding shares. The detailed breakdown of the voting results is as follows:

Process and Oversight

Mr. Gagan Verma of M/s. Kochhar & Co. served as the scrutinizer for the postal ballot. The official results were declared by the Chairman, Mr. Ashwani Windlass, based on the scrutinizer's report. The outcome has been communicated to the stock exchanges and relevant stakeholders in accordance with regulatory guidelines. The filing was submitted by Nitin Bagaria, AVP – Company Secretary & Compliance Officer.