Gillette India profit jumps on demand for grooming products

Gillette India's third-quarter profit jumped about 37% on ‍Thursday, as demand stayed robust for its staple men's grooming products, ⁠including shaving razors and creams.

The company, a unit of U.S. consumer goods major Procter & Gamble, posted a profit of 1.72 billion rupees ($18.70 ‌million), compared ‌to 1.26 billion rupees a year ago.

Demand for men's grooming products is ‌driven by urbanisation, rising incomes and a young population that considers such items as low‑ticket daily essentials.


Shares of Gillette India, also home to Oral-B, Venus and Braun brands, were up ​around 5% after the results.

The grooming ​segment revenue, which accounts for more than 80% of ‌the company's ‍total revenue, increased about 13% to 6.47 ‍billion rupees during the reported quarter, while its ‌smaller oral care segment rose 24%.

The company's total revenue from operations climbed 15% to 7.9 billion rupees.

Facing competition from Bombay Shaving Company in razors and Philips in trimmers, Gillette India has broadened its portfolio aimed at varied facial-hair preferences, alongside products targeted at ‍women.

Gillette India said it did not see a material impact after India notified new labour ‍codes, the ⁠country's biggest overhaul ⁠of workers' laws in decades, adding that its current salary structure is in line with the requirements.

Last week, its parent's second-quarter revenue fell slightly short of Wall Street expectations as weak spending by U.S. consumers and the hit from a government shutdown offset stronger growth globally.

($1 = 91.9625 Indian rupees)