Investors cheered a healthy operational performance by United Spirits Ltd (USL) in the March quarter (Q4) and pushed the stock up 11 per cent intra-day on Wednesday. Despite a fall in overall volumes and sales, higher value products grouped under the prestige and above segment (brands such as McDowell's No 1, Royal Challenge, Signature) grew at a healthy clip. This segment contributes 58 per cent to total revenue and has helped offset a decline in the entry or popular segment.
A host of factors, including prohibition in Bihar, demonetisation and the highway ban issue pulled down revenue of the popular segment.