Stocks of 5 woman-led companies that shone on Dalal Street in adverse times

NEW DELHI: The women of Dalal Street have been through a tough year, but their resilience and will to overcome the odds has ensured that the companies they head remain headstrong despite the downtrend that bugged the domestic market through the past year.

On the International Women’s Day, ETMarkets.com takes a sneak peek at five companies that have women at the helm of things and have outperformed their peers on Dalal Street.

Sulajja Firodia Motwani, Joint MD, Kinetic Engineering
One-year stock performance: up 70%



The company that drove in the country’s first automatic scooter bringing mobility to women like never before has seen quite a positive year. Sulajja, who joined the family business, has been at the forefront of the transformation from just vehicle maker to an auto component maker. The transformation was accepted with glee by the Street as its stock surged about 70 per cent in the past year at a time when the market collapsed.

Ekta Kapoor, Joint MD and Creative Director, Balaji Telefilms
One-year stock performance: up 57%



The woman who transformed the way India watches television has guided her company Balaji Telefilms to success over the past one year too. The company recently allotted preferential shares to investors to raise Rs 150 crore for its foray in the OTT business and live streaming of content. The year’s success was also reflected in the company’s stock performance, which has surged 57 per cent in last one year and was one of the best performers on the Street.

Nishi Vasudeva, CMD, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd
One-year stock performance: up 18%



The first woman ever to head a Navratna PSU, the country’s fourth largest company in revenues HPCL , Nishi Vasudeva has had a fruitful year leading HPCL. She was awarded the CEO of the year award by Platts Award. The company has had a good year on the stock market with shares gaining 18 per cent in the year as the bounty from lower crude oil prices reflected in the company’s earnings. The company has entered a new cycle of capex investment with plans to invest Rs 45,000 crore by 2020.

Vinita Bali, MD, Britannia Industries
One-year stock performance: up 30%



One of the most admired business leaders of our times, Bali has steered Britannia’s fortunes in a year of much prosperity for the company. The company that has reported stellar profits as recently as the last quarter, has been able to ride the India consumption story better than most. Its stock has surged 30 per cent in the past one year leaving behind peers like Marico, Hindustan Unilever among others.

Shanti Ekambaram, President, Consumer Banking, Kotak Mahindra Bank
One-year stock performance: down 7%



The pioneer at Kotak Bank, who became the president of the bank’s consumer-related business after heading its investment and corporate banking arm for 11 years, has just come out of perhaps the toughest year in the bank’s history with considerable ease when her peers were down in the dumps.

Shares of Kotak Mahindra bank emerged analysts’ favourite at a time when the entire banking industry went for a toss over NPA concerns. Kotak Bank’s shares dropped only 7 per cent in the past one year when others around it fell like ninepins.