FMCG cos push cart of margin worries made heavy by commodity cost pick-up

A subpar monsoon in one year is unlikely to cause a meaningful dent in major cereal production, a spike in inflation, or a deceleration in FMCG growth, says IIFL Research

Irregular rainfall and a pick-up in commodity costs are expected to weigh on the demand and margins of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies. Most companies reported a sharp expansion in gross margins in the April-June quarter (first quarter, or Q1) of 2023-24 (FY24), given the lower prices of key raw materials and earlier price hikes. Furthermore, there were expectations that cost savings being passed on could reflect in volume growth going forward. However, these hopes could be dashed if demand recovery, especially in the rural segment, stalls, and gains on the raw material front start to recede.

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