Despite its claims and market expectations, Grasim’s domination of the decorative paint industry may not be inevitable. The market would do well to not play into the conglomerate’s hands.
Imagine a company that has weathered crises, competition and downturns while growing like clockwork for decades. During this time, it has continually grabbed market share, enhanced margins and expanded capacity while remaining debt-free.
Such a stock would be loved to death. And it was. Asian Paints is a 24/24 stock—a 24% compounded annual growth rate over 24 years—and a true wealth creator with consistent returns. The past two years, though, have seen it stagnate and suffer its worst run ever.
The wrinkle started with the Russia-Ukraine war, which spiked key input prices and hurt margins. Even as commodity prices eased …
Ujval leads our Business vertical at The Morning Context. In a corporate career spanning 14 years, he has worked across startups, consulting firms, multinational corporations and large Indian companies, including India Infoline, ICICI, KPMG, Tata Steel and Jubilant Pharma. Ujval has been a freelance writer and trainer for eight years, with bylines in Forbes India and The Economic Times.
Editor, Business
ujval@mailtmc.com
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