While HUL's Fair & Lovely was launched in 1975, Emami's Fair & Handsome was unveiled in 2005. Both companies now straddle both the men's and women's fairness categories in the country.
With crude palm oil prices on the rise, companies have started to jack up rates of soaps and edible oils in order to pass on the hike to consumers. Crude palm oil, one of the main ingredients in the manufacture of some consumer goods, saw a price rise of 45.2 per cent in the last three months. One of the country's largest consumer companies, Hindustan Unilever, said it has already started to take price increases in the skin cleansing category.
For a product initially positioned as a "closet mate" which could help improve a woman's marital prospects, HUL Chairman Sanjiv Mehta says the communication now is all about women's empowerment.
Big, listed FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) companies such as Hindustan Unilever, ITC, Nestl, and Britannia have been top-performing stocks on the bourses in recent weeks. The Nifty FMCG index, which tracks the share prices of the country's top 15 listed FMCG companies, is up 1.9 per cent month-to-date in May compared to a 2.4 per cent decline in the benchmark Nifty 50 in the period.
Anglo-Dutch parent's stake in Indian subsidiary rises from 52.5% to 67.3%.
FMCG major Hindustan Unilever on Wednesday said clear instructions need to be provided to enforcement authorities across states for the smooth transportation of essential items and functioning of supply chain amid the nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus outbreak.
"Taking forward the brand's journey towards a more inclusive vision of beauty, the company will stop using the word 'Fair' in the brand name 'Fair & Lovely'. The new name is awaiting regulatory approvals and we expect to change the name in the next few months," Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) said in a statement. As part of the rebranding, the company will also be announcing the new name for the 'Fair & Lovely' Foundation, set up in 2003 to offer scholarships to women to help them pursue their education.
Stock markets closed lower for the second straight day on Friday amid relentless foreign fund outflows and losses in blue-chip stocks Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and State Bank of India. Benchmark BSE Sensex declined by 55.47 points or 0.07 per cent to settle at 79,486.32. During the day, it tanked 424.42 points or 0.53 per cent to 79,117.37.
By targeting the salon-going consumer through Tresemme, Hindustan Unilever is taking its premiumisation agenda to the next level.
Hindustan Unilever Ltd, India's largest personal care product maker, on Tuesday reported a better-than-expected increase in its September quarter net profit and revenues, signalling a revival of demand following the world's biggest lockdown.
'He has been one of the clearest thinkers in the history of business.'
The investigation against HUL was initiated on the basis of an anonymous complaint. It alleged 'profiteering' of around Rs 535 crore between November 15, 2017, and February 28, 2018.
From the 30-share Sensex pack, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Steel, Adani Ports, JSW Steel, IndusInd Bank, Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank were the biggest laggards. Tata Motors, NTPC, Hindustan Unilever, Asian Paints and Infosys were the gainers.
Relatively new brands of HUL, such as Closeup, play second fiddle to other legacy brands such as Colgate from Colgate-Palmolive and Vicco.
The board meeting also saw Mehta, 57, being re-appointed as MD & CEO for a period of five years after the completion of his term in October
Stock investors have become richer by Rs 10.47 lakh crore in two straight days of gains in markets as benchmark Sensex jumped 2 per cent. At close on Wednesday, the market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies surged by Rs 10,47,565.48 crore to Rs 4,52,58,633.53 crore ($5.37 trillion) in two days of gains. "The feel good factor of Trump's win in the US election had a rub-off effect on world equity markets, including local indices as domestic investors resorted to value buying, especially in IT stocks, which pushed the benchmark Sensex above the 80k mark.
The company has reduced the price of its 200 gm Wheel Active Blue detergent cake by 20 per cent to Rs 8 from Rs 10, HUL said in response to an email query. The company, however, refused to say anything regarding the reasons for undertaking the price cuts or if such actions are likely to be repeated in the near future.
From the 30-share blue-chip pack, Zomato cracked nearly 7 per cent. Power Grid, Adani Ports, Tata Steel, NTPC, Tata Motors, Tech Mahindra, Mahindra & Mahindra, Asian Paints, Sun Pharma and UltraTech Cement were the other major laggards. In contrast, Axis Bank, Hindustan Unilever, Tata Consultancy Services and IndusInd Bank were the gainers.
These 10 stocks represent the best mix of value and growth, offering relatively low price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios, a high return on equity, and sufficiently high potential from current levels.
FMCG major Hindustan Unilever on Friday reported 23.43 per cent decline in net profit at Rs 1,019.25 crore (Rs 10.19 billion) for the first quarter ended June 30, 2013.
From the 30-share Sensex pack, Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, NTPC, HCL Technologies, Axis Bank, Tech Mahindra, Bajaj Finserv, Sun Pharma, IndusInd Bank and Reliance Industries were the major laggards. Tata Steel, Hindustan Unilever, Mahindra & Mahindra, Nestle and State Bank of India were among the gainers.
'Selling could further intensify and take the index towards 22,800-22,750 in the near-term.'
Investors' wealth eroded by a whopping Rs 7.15 lakh crore during the morning trade on Friday as equity markets tumbled, driven by sharp fall in IndusInd Bank shares and unabated foreign fund outflows. The BSE Sensex tanked 708.69 points to 79,356.47 and the NSE Nifty plunged 286.35 points to 24,113.05. Tracking the weak trend in equities, the market capitalisation of BSE-listed firms tumbled Rs 715,739.19 crore to Rs 4,36,63,565.73 crore ($5.19 trillion) during the morning trade.
Investors lost Rs 24.69 lakh crore in market valuation in the last four days of severe drubbing in the equity market. Spike in global crude prices, unabated foreign fund outflows, a strong US jobs data diminishing early rate cut expectations, and the rupee logging its steepest single-day fall in nearly two years dampened investors' sentiment.
Hindustan Unilever shares were up 3.7 per cent at 9.24 am after earlier hitting an all-time high of Rs 632.
While Tata Consultancy Services, HUL, ITC and Infosys saw a rise in their market capitalisation (m-cap) for the week ended Friday, RIL, HDFC Bank, HDFC, Maruti Suzuki India, SBI and Kotak Mahindra Bank suffered losses.
Rather than move up the echelons of finance management, he was part of crisis management at his first employer, and then the commercial head of home and personal care products and, lately, chairman of Middle East and North Africa for Unilever, the second-largest fast-moving consumer goods company in the world.
Overall expenses in Q1 stood at Rs 6,466.52 crore (Rs 64.66 billion), as against Rs 5,789.88 crore (Rs 57.89 billion) in the year-ago period.
From the 30 Sensex firms, IndusInd Bank, Asian Paints, Hindustan Unilever, Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Titan, Reliance Industries and NTPC were among the major laggards. Tech Mahindra, Mahindra & Mahindra, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Infosys, HCL Technologies and State Bank of India were among the major gainers.
Names such as Danone, Dabur, Mondelez and Abbott Healthcare have also figured on the list of suitors.
The FSSAI issued an order to test more brands of noodles, pastas.
Nine of the 10 most valued firms together added over Rs 2.12 lakh crore in their market valuation last week, with HDFC Bank and TCS emerging as the lead gainers. Last week, the 30-share BSE benchmark jumped 844.68 points or 1.38 per cent. The stock markets were closed on Tuesday for Guru Nanak Jayanti.
Automobile, apparel and electronics are among sectors that see a sales boost during the festival season, a time when investors expect gains in related stocks. This year could be different: Analysts have factored in all positives and do not expect such stocks to deliver lucrative returns. "Indian households spend across sectors like automobiles, consumer durables, and consumer staples during the festival season.
This could be the first instance when a consumer goods company would move court against NAA. The confrontation began after the government cut tax rates on over 175 items like toothpaste, shampoo, shaving cream and washing powder to 18 per cent from 28 per cent.
Investors' wealth plummeted by Rs 4.12 lakh crore during the morning trade on Friday as markets faced a massive correction tracking a weak trend in global peers and fresh foreign fund outflows. Falling for the third day running, the 30-share BSE Sensex tanked 896.7 points or 1.09 per cent to 81,304.46 during the morning trade.
Overall expenses in Q2 stood at Rs 6,473.68 crore, as against Rs 5,871.25 crore in the year-ago period.
Experts point out that National Anti-profiteering Authority does not have the power to advise companies on depositing amounts voluntarily.
But return on equity deteriorated for 7 of the 12 firms analysed.
While Unilever has been aggressive, both organically and inorganically in the country, P&G's approach has been about achieving 'balanced growth' in terms of top line and bottom line.
A Nielsen report found that biscuits, salty snacks, toilet soap, shampoo, washing powder and skin creams were reporting a sharp decline in sales due to demonetisation, reports Viveat Susan Pinto from Mumbai.