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Benefiting from strong sales, organised gold jewellery retailers are set to clock 17-19 per cent revenue growth in the current financial year 2024-25, according to Crisil.
The rating agency asserted that the projected revenue would be driven by higher realisations stemming from elevated gold prices, while volume remains steady. Gold, considered a safe haven asset for investment, has been in demand for considerable period of time, with its prices rallying to hit record highs every now and then. Geopolitical conflict in the West Asia that stretched for long now, buying by several central banks including RBI, physical demand, have altogether pushed gold prices towards northwards. Retailers are likely to step up marketing and promotional campaigns this fiscal to combat the moderation in demand amid rising gold prices, Crisil said on Wednesday. Hence, operating profitability may marginally moderate 20-40 basis points (100 basis points is equal to 1 percentage point) year-on-year to 7.7-7.9 per cent. "Working capital requirements may rise, too, resulting from increased inventory due to a substantial rise in gold prices and new stores additions. That said, credit profiles should remain stable," the rating agency noted. The organised gold sector accounts for slightly more than a third of the market, with the highly fragmented unorganised sector making up the rest. Domestic gold price increased 15 per cent during fiscal 2024 and reached Rs 67,000 per 10 gm as on end of March 2024. Now, they are trading at over Rs 74,000. Gold kept its shine as one of the safer investment options seen by various central banks across the world as well as end consumers amid geopolitical uncertainties. Gold is a scarce commodity, and any mismatch in demand-supply conditions may invariably trigger sharp price rise. Moreover, Crisil believes organised retailers will continue to gain market share at the expense of the unorganised ones, supported by changing consumer preferences and store expansion into Tier 1 and 2 cities and beyond. Himank Sharma, Director, CRISIL Ratings, "Stronger cash generation, due to healthy revenue growth and adequate profitability, will keep credit profiles of organised gold jewellery retailers stable, despite an expected rise in working capital borrowings." At the global level too, gold prices too are at their peaks. Historically, gold, as an asset, is considered to be a haven as it typically manages to retain or appreciate its underlying value in times of turbulence. (ANI)
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