United Breweries

The Heineken-controlled brewer reported a decline in FY26 revenue and profit as packaging costs surged and pricing delays offset steady demand and premium growth.

United Breweries shares fell nearly 5% on May 6 after Q4 results showed a 4.2% rise in net profit to ₹ 101.87 crore, despite a slight decline in revenue from operations. Overall FY26 net profit declined 6.55% amid mixed performance.

Kingfisher producer United Breweries warns of a 5-6% increase in cost of sales due to rising freight and bottle prices. State-set beer prices mean the company must absorb war-driven cost hikes, impacting margins.

Stock market today: On Wednesday, the Sensex climbed 633.29 points, or 0.83%, to settle at 76,704.13, while the Nifty 50 rose 196.65 points, or 0.83%, to end at 23,777.80.

Early summer and state reforms are boosting sales, pointing to a rebound in India’s beer market in FY27. Supply bottlenecks and weather risks could temper the upturn.

Liquor stocks surged up to 8% after Karnataka's government announced a shift to global taxation and deregulation of alcohol pricing in its state budget. The new excise structure, effective April 2026, will modernize the framework and enhance transparency, targeting alcohol content for taxation.

Breakout stocks to buy or sell: Sumeet Bagadia recommends five shares to buy today — United Breweries, Zen Technologies, Coal India, Aster DM Healthcare, and Kirloskar Oil Engines.

Chief executive Jacob Aarup-Andersen said in a February earnings call that the company is assessing an initial public offering in India. If it goes through, it will make Carlsberg only the second listed pure-play beer company in India after United Breweries Ltd.