Q3 results: Baba Ramdev's grand plans to beat HUL just got tougher

Hindustan Unilever's third-quarter revenue exceeds estimates, last year took its ayurveda brand Lever Ayush national

Hindustan Unilever Ltd.’s revenue climbed 4.1 per cent in the third quarter as India’s largest consumer-goods company widened the gap with competition including from yoga guru Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved Ltd.

Revenue at the Indian unit of Unilever rose to 87.4 billion rupees ($1.4 billion) in the three months through December, the Mumbai-based company said in a statement Wednesday. That exceeded the 84.3 billion-rupee average estimate of 14 analysts compiled by Bloomberg. Net income increased to 13.3 billion rupees, beating analyst estimates.

Ramdev on Tuesday predicted Patanjali will overtake Unilever in India next year. While Unilever has faced intense competition