Robust growth to continue for Aditya Birla Fashion Retail and Trent

Steady same-store sales growth and improving margins to help sustain premium valuations

Even as the performance of some retailers was affected by the slowdown, two apparel-focussed companies have bucked the trend in the December quarter (Q3). Trent and Aditya Birla Fashion Retail (ABFRL) have posted numbers which were ahead of brokerage estimates.
 
An analyst at a domestic brokerage believes that the outperformance is because of their ability to expand without taking a hit on profitability, which has been the case with some other retailers. This, coupled with good working capital management, consistent execution, and sound balance sheet, keeps them ahead, he adds. It is not a surprise then that the two