Mumbai, May 27 (IANS) Footwear major Bata India on Wednesday reported a sharp 95.2 per cent decline in consolidated net profit for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 (Q4 FY26), as a one-time loss weighed heavily on its bottom line despite higher revenue growth.

The company’s net profit stood at Rs 2.2 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, compared with Rs 45.9 crore in the corresponding period of the previous financial year, according to a stock exchange filing. Bata India said the quarter was impacted by a one-time loss of Rs 28 crore.

Revenue from operations rose 5 per cent year-on-year to Rs 828 crore during the January-March quarter, up from Rs 788 crore in the same period last year.

However, profitability remained under pressure. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) declined 15.3 per cent to Rs 151 crore from Rs 178 crore a year earlier. As a result, the company’s operating margin contracted to 18.2 per cent from 22.6 per cent in the year-ago quarter.

Despite the sharp fall in quarterly profit, Bata India announced a final dividend of Rs 9 per equity share for fiscal 2026. The proposed payout will result in a distribution of nearly Rs 115.67 crore to shareholders.

The company said the final dividend is subject to approval by shareholders at the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM). The record date to determine shareholder eligibility has been fixed as July 31, while the dividend payment will commence from August 27 onwards.

Bata India had also rewarded shareholders in recent years through regular dividend payouts. The company paid a final dividend of Rs 9 per share in August 2025, while shareholders received Rs 10 per share in August 2024 and Rs 12 per share in July 2024. In August 2023, the company had declared a dividend of Rs 13.50 per share.

–IANS

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