Street looks at Voltas' margin trend; rise in share of ACs a positive

Increasing share of AC market and volume outlook are positive, but profitability pressure remains a worry

Shares of Voltas have gained over 25 per cent from the June-end lows of Rs 493.45. This trend may sustain if factors like profitability show improvement.

The earlier weak sentiment was after the company’s air conditioner (AC) sales were affected by unseasonal rains in a seasonally strong April-June quarter (Q1). However, things turned out to be better than expected. While the AC business did see an impact in Q1, reporting flattish revenues year-on-year, Voltas still improved its market share to 23.5 per cent, from 22 per cent at end of the March quarter, improving its leadership in a business that