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  • Delhi High Court rejects Amazon challenge to $3.4 billion Reliance deal

    Delhi High Court rejects Amazon challenge to $3.4 billion Reliance deal

    The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to restrain Jeff Bezos-led Amazon from interfering in Kishore Biyani-headed Future Retail’s $3.4 billion deal with Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Retail by writing to statutory authorities.

    The order was pronounced by a Single Judge Bench of Justice Mukta Gupta in the suit by Future Retail Ltd after an Emergency Arbitrator of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) restrained Future Group from taking any steps in furtherance of the transaction with Reliance Retail, according to the information available on law platform Bar & Bench.

    “However, the court passed a neutral observation that the balance of convenience lay both in favor of FRL and Amazon and also observed that the statutory authorities were free to form their own opinion as per law,” said Salman Waris, managing partner at technology law firm TechLegis Advocates and Solicitors, after doing an analysis of the development. “The Court opined that it was ‘a matter of trial’ to determine whether Amazon’s case outweighed FRL’s claim and for now, it was for the statutory authorities (or) regulators to come to their own right conclusion.”

    In August, retail conglomerate Future Group struck a $3.4 billion asset sale deal with Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL). Amazon then sent a legal notice to Future, alleging the retailer’s deal breached an agreement with the American e-commerce giant. This was because last year, Amazon had bought a 49 percent stake in one of Future’s unlisted firms Future Coupons Pvt Ltd (FCPL) for Rs 1,430 crore. As per the conditions of the deal the disputes was arbitrated under SIAC rules and Amazon won a favorable ruling. Future Retail then approached the Delhi High Court seeking relief against the arbitration order passed by the SIAC with regard to its deal with Reliance.

    The Delhi High Court, prima facie, found that the suit filed by Future Retail was maintainable, the Emergency Award was valid, and that Future Retail’s resolution approving the transaction with Reliance was also valid, according to Bar & Bench.

    Waris of TechLegis said for Amazon, the court held that the ‘control’ as per the conflation of 3 agreements is not permitted under FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) FDI (Foreign direct investment) rules, without the government’s approval. Thus, prima facie Amazon’s plea is void. However, Waris said the breach of the agreement by FRL would make a strong case for Amazon since it owns a stake in Future Coupons Pvt Ltd, which is, in turn, has a 9.82 percent shareholder in FRL.

    Without challenging the Emergency Award before the High Court, FRL had prayed Amazon be prevented from writing to statutory authorities such as the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) in an attempt to stall the deal, according to Bar & Bench.

    Also, FRL had asserted that the Emergency Award was of no consequence as it was not enforceable in the Indian regime.

    Earlier Future Retail’s representative had told the arbitration panel that if the deal with Reliance Retail fails, then the company would go into liquidation. The closure of the company would lead to over 29,000 job losses. Also, the company lost Rs 7,000 crore in revenue in the first three to four months of the pandemic phase.

    “(As) For Future, FRL does not want Amazon to interfere in the $3.4 Billion asset sale deal,” said Waris. “Moreover, it also contended that being an investor in Future Coupons Pvt Ltd and not FRL, Amazon had no say in a transaction between FRL and Reliance.”

    Waris said Reliance supported FRL’s case before the High Court, arguing that Amazon was “playing mischief” by stalling the deal that would save FRL from going under. “The said deal would get the benefit of economies of scale as Reliance Retail is India’s largest, most profitable retail business and is the fastest-growing retailer in the world thus far,” said Waris.

    Last month the court witnessed a lot of drama in this case. Future Retail which was represented by senior advocate Harish Salve likened Amazon to the “East India Company’” and told the court that its interference in the Future-Reliance deal would result in thousands of job losses and make FRL bankrupt. Amazon, represented by senior advocate Gopal Subramanium, told the court that it has invested $6.5 billion all over India and created 900,000 jobs. He had said some comments were made which were misplaced and said that the rhetoric should be kept aside on Amazon being called “East India Company.”

    Meanwhile, in November, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) cleared Reliance Industries’ (RIL) bid to buy Future group’s retail, wholesale and logistics assets even as Amazon had sought to block the transaction, alleging contractual violations by Future.

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  • What Volkswagen India’s SUVW Strategy Entails

    What Volkswagen India’s SUVW Strategy Entails

    How many times have you seen a Volkswagen Beetle and not given it another look? Well, the answer is zero and that’s because its design is timeless, ageless. That’s also why we can’t help but look at the new-gen models from Volkswagen India like the Jetta, Polo, Vento, Polo GTI or now even the Tiguan, T-Roc, and even the Tiguan AllSpace. It’s the design of all these cars evoke the same reaction – wow!

    And it’s because these cars have a strong lineage. They all are a culmination of what the company has been able to learn in so many years of being part of the global automotive fraternity. That’s why you see the technology funnel down to cars like the Polo GT TSI making it one of the best hot hatches in the country. In fact, it was the car that started the hot hatch trend in India and remains to date one of the most loved driver’s car in the country.

    But with SUVs fast becoming a trend in global markets, VW had to go back to the drawing board and figure out what it could do. It’s not as if the company had no SUV in the market earlier. Remember the Touareg? Yes, the one with the V6 engine. But it was ahead of its time, in fact, Indian buyers weren’t looking at buying SUVs back then, they were more into sedans. But as the market matured, VW India adapted to the change. The big step then in the SUV direction was in 2017, when the company introduced customers to the 5-seater Tiguan.

    With the Tiguan, Volkswagen tested the shores to understand the response and yes, it was a good one. The fact that you get German engineering, precision driving capabilities and of course great build quality, customers knew exactly what to expect from these products. And that was one reason why there’s a more strong focus on bringing in SUVs to India under the India 2.0 Project.

    With the Group investing ₹ 8000 for the India 2.0 project, there was going to be a strong focus on three aspects a) building cars with a high amount of localization content, b) align the business to make sure that service costs come down, and finally, make cars in India for the world!

    The company has already inaugurated a tech center in Pune in 2019 which will look into the development of these upcoming products but the attention is more on the new localized MQB-A0-IN platform. Just like the modular architecture of the MQB platform, where a number of body styles are made on a single platform, the A0-IN will also serve a similar purpose but given the high level of local content on the cars, all the products based on it will be price competitive. To put things into perspective, currently, the localized content in VW cars like the Polo and Vento is around 82 percent that will go up to 95 percent and that’s a massive leap.

    The Volkswagen Taigun will be one of the first SUVs to be built on the new localised MQB-A0-IN platform.

    The first car to be based on this platform is going to be the Taigun which was showcased just ahead of the Auto Expo 2020 and you got to see the car in the flesh back then. And this car will lead the charge for everything that comes post it. Now, the Tiguan AllSpace and the T-Roc have already had their fair share of success, so yes, it’s perfect timing for the Taigun to enter the market. The SUVW strategy then is falling into place and in 2021, we’ll see the Taigun and one more product coming to India. We can’t wait to drive everything that comes our way!

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  • AirAsia Reduces Stake In Indian Subsidiary

    AirAsia Reduces Stake In Indian Subsidiary

    AirAsia is scaling back its investment in AirAsia India as the group continues to face financial difficulties. The group will reportedly cut its stake to just 13%, giving the Tata Group significantly more stake in the airline. The change in ownership is unlikely to affect the AirAsia India brand but could see the airline separate from AirAsia’s operations.

    Questions over the future of AirAsia India have been swirling for a few months now, with both Tata and AirAsia considering an exit. Eventually, the AirAsia group stopped funding the airline and left Tata to decide the carrier’s future.

    According to a report, Tata has bought out most of AirAsia’s stake, leaving the group with only 13% of the airline. This means Tata now owns 87% of the carrier, making AirAsia more of an investor than a joint-venture partner. While the “AirAsia India” brand will survive, Tata is making some changes to the company.

    Tata is reportedly working on a new booking website for AirAsia India, which is currently integrated into the AirAsia group’s website. Additionally, a new crew scheduling software will also be put in place for the airline. While there are unlikely to be many changes on the surface, the Tata Group does have big plans for Indian aviation at large.

    AirAsia India first began flying in 2014, with 51% owned by Tata and 49% by AirAsia. The carrier hoped to capture the fast-growing low-cost market in India, similar to the model AirAsia had replicated in other regions. The partnership with Tata provided the airline with funding and strong name recognition in India.

    However, the airline struggled to make its mark in the Indian market, facing stiff competition from established players like IndiGo, SpiceJet, and GoAir. As of November 2020, the airline only has a market share of 6.6%. This places AirAsia India second-last on the list of major domestic airlines. The carrier currently operates a fleet of 33 aircraft, consisting of 30 A320-200s and three A320neo aircraft.

    All of this has resulted in AirAsia India being a loss-making airline for nearly all of its existence. Following a relatively better 2019, the pandemic has once again pushed AirAsia India deep into the red. The airline reported a 69% drop in revenue during the second fiscal quarter and losses of nearly $45 million in the first.

    This isn’t the first subsidiary AirAsia is exiting this year, with both its Indonesia and Japan arms being axed. The carrier has faced significant financial concerns this year, as flight traffic across Asia remains low. While traffic has been picking up slightly recently, the group continues to face existential crises as the pandemic drags on.

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  • Melorra set to revolutionize shopping for gold with its brick-and-mortar store launch

    Melorra set to revolutionize shopping for gold with its brick-and-mortar store launch

    India’s fastest growing lightweight fine jewellery brand designing affordable jewellery for everyday wear, recently launched its first brick-and-mortar store in Orion Mall, Rajajinagar Bangalore on 21st December 2020.

    The women-centric jewellery ‘experience centre’ for millennials is fresh and fun, driven by Melorra’s three pillars — fashion, technology and variety. The launch was attended by Siddharth Talwar, Co-Founder and Partner at Lightbox, Sandeep Murthy, Partner at Lightbox and Nirupa Shankar, Executive Director, Brigade Group.

    Built in line with the online experience that Melorra currently offers, the physical outlets are unique, fresh, and iconic. The brand aims to enhance a customer’s sense of touch, feel and trial of Melorra jewellery, through the experience centre.

    Speaking about this, Saroja Yeramilli, Founder and CEO, Melorra, said, “Melorra’s journey in the jewellery world has been completely unique in every respect. From online to offline, the launch of the retail stores will provide a seamless, customer-in-control experience. We are a brand taking inspiration from global fashion trends, and launch a new collection every week. Melorra is known for its design innovation offering customers easy to wear, comfortable everyday jewellery. We offer the largest range of over 10000 unique, contemporary, lightweight gold and diamond jewellery designs.”

    Adding further, Saroja Yeramilli said, “At our physical stores, customers can shop worry free with the option of a digital checkout. They walk in not just to buy jewellery, but also to get informed about global fashion trends. There is a Bliss Bar wherein women can get along their friends, have fun trying Melorra’s latest jewellery or just go through the recent trends.”

    Functionally, the stores are designed for any of the many journeys a customer may choose to adopt: shop online pick up in store; shop in store ship to home and everything in between.

    Melorra warmly welcomes their customers with beautiful full-length mirrors and in-store stylists available as advisors and consultants, enabling the woman to build her fashionable fine jewellery wardrobe. The brand aims to give its customers a high-energy and high-fashion experience – with the physical stores becoming a super happy place to be!

    Melorra has been a disruptor in the jewellery industry since it started operations in 2016. The brand is redefining the way fine jewellery is being perceived and worn. So far, Melorra has delivered to over 1900 towns in the country and made its mark everywhere – from villages with a population of less than 10,000 to cities with population above 1 million.

    Melorra recently raised US $12.50 mn in an oversubscribed funding round led by Symphony Asia (one of Asia’s first private equity firms), Lightbox Ventures, Alteria Capital and other leading family offices. The brand has been recording accelerated growth in order value and numbers ever since the lockdown was lifted.

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  • Indian tech firm to hire over 3,000 people in Vietnam

    Indian tech firm to hire over 3,000 people in Vietnam

    India’s HCL Technologies, set to enter Vietnam next month, plans to hire more than 3,000 people for its operations in the country. HCL Vietnam will deploy advanced technology solutions for multinational businesses in a number of line departments in sectors like banking, financial service, healthcare, infrastructure, engineering and network security, the company said.

    “Starting with an office in Hanoi, HCL plans to expand and find more talent in other localities. We will cooperate with partners in Vietnam like universities to provide structured programs that will enhance students’ skills, so they can support HCL’s global clients from Vietnam,” said Sanjay Gupta, vice chairman of HCL Technologies.

    Gupta said HCL plans to build its organizational base with more than 3,000 university graduates and experienced experts in Vietnam. The main goal of HCL Vietnam’s business and development strategy is to provide training platforms that give new graduates the opportunity to work in the high-tech sector and improve their skills by working with multinational companies.

    The start of HCL’s activity chain will be an online job fair held December 19 for fresh university graduates and experienced professionals.

    Pham Sanh Chau, Vietnam’s ambassador to India, said HCL’s presence will help Vietnamese talents have the opportunity to work with international clients. He said the operation of HCL in Vietnam was also a good sign for promoting Indian investment in Vietnam. He hoped that Vietnam will become famous as a familiar destination for many global IT companies.

    In an earlier meeting with HCL, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Phan Tam had said that Vietnam always welcomes digital enterprises like HCL to invest in the country to support digital transformation not only for global businesses but also for domestic firms. He said he believed that HCL would contribute to creating many job opportunities in the digital field as well as opportunities for Vietnamese workers to participate in the global supply chain by training and improving their skills in the digital age.

    Tam said the ministry was ready to support HCL in connecting with universities and colleges to train high-quality human resources and meet the recruitment requirements of companies in Vietnam. He assured that the ministry would consistently create the best conditions for HCL to develop in Vietnam.

    HCL is one of the three largest IT enterprises in India with revenues of around $9.7 billion per year. Currently, it has more than 153,000 employees working in 50 countries.

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  • Petrol, Diesel Prices Hiked For Sixth Consecutive Day

    Petrol, Diesel Prices Hiked For Sixth Consecutive Day

    Domestic fuel rates on Monday were hiked for the sixth consecutive day by the state-owned marketing companies across the metro cities in India leading the prices to touch two-year high. As per the notification from Indian Oil Corporation, petrol and diesel rates were increased by 30 paise and 26 paise in the national capital. Due to firming international oil prices, there has been a continuous revision in fuel prices across the country. In the last sixteen days, the fuel rates have been hiked on fifteen occasions that came into effect from 6 am today.

    Here are the prices of petrol and diesel per litre in the five metros on December 7, 2020:

    City Petrol Diesel
    Delhi ₹ 83.71 ₹ 73.87
    Mumbai ₹ 90.34 ₹ 80.51
    Chennai ₹ 86.51 ₹ 79.21
    Kolkata ₹ 85.19 ₹ 77.44
    Bengaluru ₹ 86.51 ₹ 78.31

    On Sunday, petrol and diesel prices shot past ₹ 90 per litre and ₹ 80 per litre in Mumbai. With a new revision in fuel rates, petrol retails at ₹ 90.34 per litre and ₹ 80.51 per litre. Buyers in the capital city will have to shell out ₹ 83.71 for one litre of petrol and will have to pay ₹ 73.87 per litre for diesel. The fuel prices have seen a cumulative hike of ₹ 2.65 per and ₹ 3.42 per litre, respectively. Petrol and diesel rates remained static since September 22 and October 2, respectively. The OMCs started revising rates of auto fuels from November 20 onwards.

    Petrol price in Kolkata has been increased to ₹ 85.19 per litre, which was ₹ 84.90 per litre on Sunday. Similarly, the cost of diesel also increased by 26 paise from 77.18 to 77.44 rupees per litre. In Chennai, petrol and diesel retailed at ₹ 86.51 per litre and ₹ 79.21 per litre, respectively. The two auto fuels in Bengaluru cost ₹ 86.51 per litre and ₹ 78.31 per litre for petrol and diesel respectively.

    Oil marketing companies (OMCs) have been revising the retail rates of petroleum products since November 20, 2020. The 58-day hiatus in petrol price revision and 48-day status quo on diesel rates were preceded by no change in rates between June 30 and August 15 and an 85-day status quo between March 17 and June 6.

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  • Disney arrives with ShopDisney in India

    Disney arrives with ShopDisney in India

    Disney India on Tuesday forayed into the e-commerce space with the launch of its online marketplace ‘shopDisney.’ This will give Disney fans across the country access to authentic toys and accessories related to Marvel’s Avengers, Spider-Man, Mickey and Friends, Disney Princess and Frozen, among others.

    “With shopDisney, our endeavour is to bring genuine Disney-licensed products inspired by our stories and characters to every household in the country. shopDisney will extend the magic of Disney and be a truly immersive experience for kids and families wherever and whenever they want,” said Sanjeet Mehta, executive director and head, consumer products, Disney India.

    Disney India said at launch, over 3,000 items across various categories, including fashion, toys, apparel, back-to-school, accessories, and gifts will be available on the e-commerce site with delivery to more than 500 cities across India.

    “The product line-up will continue to grow to ensure consumers can always find what they want, to add the magic of Disney into their daily lives,” the company added.

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  • CapitaLand Secures Green Loans in India

    CapitaLand Secures Green Loans in India

    The Singapore-based property developer has secured its first three green loans in India, from DBS and HSBC, totaling INR 17 billion ($230 million).

    CapitaLand’s first foray into sustainable finance in India will be used to finance the development of its green-certified International Tech Parks in Chennai, Gurgaon and Pune, it announced in a statement on Wednesday.

    The four-and-a-half-year INR 6.25 billion ($84 million) and three-year INR4.25 billion ($57 million) green loans provided by DBS will be used to finance the development of Phase 1 of International Tech Park Chennai, Radial Road, and Phase 1 of International Tech Park Gurgaon respectively. The four-year INR6.5 billion ($87 million) green loan provided by HSBC India will be used to finance the development of International Tech Park Pune, Kharadi.

    The securing of the first green loans in India demonstrates CapitaLand’s commitment to grow our business in a responsible manner as we create long-term value for our stakeholders, Vinamra Srivastava, CEO, Business Parks, CapitaLand India, said in the announcement.

    DBS head of institutional banking Tan Su Shan said that India is a promising market with ample opportunities to go green.

    We see immense potential for growth in Asia’s sustainable financing market as companies look to further their sustainability agenda through responsible financing practices. In becoming the first Singapore bank to finance green loans in India, we are also establishing Singapore as a regional sustainable financing hub with the expertise and experience to forge meaningful partnerships for a more sustainable Asia, Tan said in a separate announcement.

    CapitaLand owns and manages a global portfolio worth about S$133.3 billion ($99.13 billion) as at 30 September 2020. The company has a strong presence in India, with a portfolio of over 20 business and IT parks, industrial, lodging and logistics properties across seven cities – Bangalore, Chennai, Goa, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune.

  • DBS India to Save Troubled Lakshmi Vilas Bank

    DBS India to Save Troubled Lakshmi Vilas Bank

    The Chennai-based bank, which has a 94-year history in India, with established retail and SME customer base, and a strong presence in South India, has undergone a steady decline with the bank incurring continuous losses over the last three years, eroding its net-worth.

    India’s banking regulator imposed a 30-day moratorium Tuesday on struggling Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB), superseded its board of directors and announced a draft scheme for the amalgamation of the bank with DBS Bank’s India subsidiary.

    The financial position of Lakshmi Vilas Bank has undergone a steady decline with the bank incurring continuous losses over the last three years, eroding its net-worth. In the absence of any viable strategic plan, declining advances and mounting non-performing assets (NPAs), the losses are expected to continue,» the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said.

    To support the amalgamation, DBS will inject INR 2,500 crore ($345 million) into DBIL if the scheme is approved. This will be fully funded from DBS’ existing resources, the bank said.

    The proposed amalgamation will provide stability and better prospects to Lakshmi Vilas Bank’s depositors, customers, and employees following a time of uncertainty. At the same time, the proposed amalgamation will allow DBIL to scale its customer base and network, particularly in South India, which has longstanding and close business ties with Singapore, DBS said in a statement on Wednesday.

    DBS has been in India since 1994. To expand the franchise and build greater scale, DBS converted its India operations to a wholly-owned subsidiary in 2019, DBIL. The bank is now present in 24 cities across 13 states.

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  • Suzuki Expects Annual Profit To Shrink By A Quarter As India Sales Slump

    Suzuki Expects Annual Profit To Shrink By A Quarter As India Sales Slump

    Suzuki Motor Corp on Thursday forecast operating profit to fall by a quarter to 160 billion yen ($1.5 billion) in the year to March as sales, including in its key Indian market, shrink amid the coronavirus pandemic. That prediction was more than an average estimate for a 124.3 billion yen compiled from 14 analysts polled by Refinitiv.

    Suzuki’s Indian car sales in the first half of the year fell 36% to 432,000 vehicles, and dipped in other markets, including Japan, Indonesia and Europe as people stay away from dealerships.

    “We don’t know what will happen with the coronavirus in India or what measures the government will implement, so that makes the market difficult to predict,” Suzuki’s president, Toshihiro Suzuki said in a conference call.

    India accounts for just over half of Suzuki’s global car sales. Through its majority stake in Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, the company accounts for roughly one in every two cars sold in the country.

    Last business year, Maruti Suzuki paid Suzuki 38.2 billion rupees in royalties, or about 5% of its revenue, according to its annual report

    For the full business year, the Japanese automaker expects to sell 2.38 million cars worldwide, 16.6% fewer than the previous twelve months.

    The forecast came as Suzuki posted a 73.6 billion yen operating profit in the three months ended Sept. 30 compared with a profit of 55.9 billion yen a year earlier, according to Reuters’ calculations.

    Japan’s fourth-largest automaker had declined to give a full-year forecast when it reported it first-quarter results.

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  • Japanese Eyewear Brand Owndays expands India presence

    Japanese Eyewear Brand Owndays expands India presence

    Japanese eyewear brand OWNDAYS, one of the largest players in the fashion eyewear space, is now expanding its India footprint. The company announced the launch of a new store at Inorbit mall, Mumbai, others being in Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chandigarh.

    Currently, the company has a global presence of 350 stores spread across 12 countries including Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia. OWNDAYS’ India presence is in collaboration with GKB Opticals, which is a big name to reckon with in Indian Eyewear Industry already.

    Owndays will offer a range of around 1,500 styles from basic to functional, stylish, and fashionable eyewear for men and women starting at Rs. 2,990. With 24 brands under the parent company, Owndays offers eyewear for children, young adults, millennials, and the elderly.

    Established in Tokyo, Japan in 1989, Owndays Co., Ltd has redefined the world of optics by following Simple Pricing, Quick Servicing, and Value. With more than 1,500 designs of frames ranging from basic and functional, to stylish and fashion-forward.

    Owndays outlets have a list of a unique set of pointers to grab your interest:

    • State of the art Japanese eye testing equipment, that helps complete the process in almost half the time the regular testing process takes.
    • The company has a unique 20-minute process feature with over 2,000 lenses stocked in the store which allow glasses to be processed within 20 minutes after the eye check.
    • Pricing is simple and uncomplicated with price of best suitable lenses (minus customised ones) included with the frame

    Speaking on the launch Sanjay Malhotra Business Head – India, Owndays said, “We are thrilled to be opening yet another outlet in India as the demand for quality eyewear at affordable price is increasing considerably and our product has been loved by Indian customer’s youth and matured alike. The fact that we are even opening during the Covid environment shows that we are bullish about Indian market as we have been received exceptionally well in the country”.

    OWNDAYS Outlets in India:

    BANGALORE: Indiranagar & Phoneix Marketcity Mall

    CHENNAI: Palladium Mall

    HYDERABAD: Sarath City Capital Mall

    KOLKATA: South City Mall

    CHANDIGARH: Elante Mall

     

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  • Deutsche Bank in Talks with Tata to Offload Tech Unit

    Deutsche Bank in Talks with Tata to Offload Tech Unit

    Deutsche Bank is reportedly in advanced talks to sell its technology services unit to India’s Tata Consultancy Services.

    Tata Consultancy Services – Asia’s biggest software exporter and the tech subsidiary of Indian conglomerate Tata group – could take over Deutsche Bank’s Postbank Systems, according to a «Bloomberg» report citing unnamed sources.

    There are expectations for a deal to materialize by year-end though negations are ongoing and no conclusions have been made.

    If successful, Tata Consultancy would onboard Postbank System’s 1,400 employees while Deutsche Bank would come closer to its restructuring target to reduce 18,000 jobs.

    The Bonn-based technology unit generated revenue of 533 million euros ($629 million) in 2015, the latest annual figures available.

    Bottom lines aside, the bank is currently focused on importing Postbank’s operational capabilities by merging with its technology in a move that would render Postbank System’s obsolete by 2021-end and shed 1 billion euros ($1.18 billion) of operational costs, the report added.

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  • H&M India sales face first profit decline ever

    H&M India sales face first profit decline ever

    Though H&M reported lower sales during the nine-month from December 2019-August 2020 loss, it returned to profitability in September as sales recovered in many of its markets. The brand’s sales decline narrowed to 5 percent year-on-year in September. Currently, 166 of its stores are closed, although a large number of stores have opened with local restrictions and limited opening hours.

    From June-August, net sales of the Swedish fashion retail giant fell by 16 percent in local currencies to SEK50.87 billion. Its gross profit for the quarter dropped to SEK24.85 billion from SEK31.81 billion in the prior year’s Q3it. This corresponds to a gross margin of 48.9 percent.

    Profit after financial items was SEK 2.36 billion. Excluding IFRS 16, profit after financial items plunged to SEK2.26 billion from SEK5 billion. The brand’s sales during the nine-month period were significantly affected by the COVID-19 situation. Its net sales fell to SEK134.48 billion from SEK171 billion a year ago as Q2 included the height of the pandemic.

    The company made a loss of SEK1.613 billion during the nine months and a net loss of SEK1.24 billion. Excluding IFRS 16, its loss was SEK1.847 billion, much worse that the profit of SEK11.98 billion a year earlier.

    The firm is on a recovery trajectory even though it’s far from business-as-usual as fashion sales remain challenged globally.

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  • AirAsia Said to Stop Funding Indian Venture as Cash Dwindles

    AirAsia Said to Stop Funding Indian Venture as Cash Dwindles

    AirAsia Group Bhd has stopped funding its Indian affiliate as the global travel slump leaves the Malaysian group struggling to support a sprawling empire of no-frills airlines, people familiar with the matter said.

    AirAsia India Ltd’s future may now depend on Indian conglomerate Tata Group, its majority shareholder, which has provided emergency funding but has yet to commit to a full rescue, according to the people, who asked not to be named discussing a confidential matter.

    The airline isn’t at any immediate risk of folding, the people said. India’s aviation minister said over the weekend that AirAsia was shutting up shop in the South Asian nation, though his office later suggested the comment was taken out of context.

    AirAsia India declined to comment, as did a representative for Tata Group. AirAsia Group didn’t respond to requests for comment after usual office hours.

    AirAsia said earlier Monday that its Japanese arm will cease flying immediately as the coronavirus outbreak continues to roil the airline industry. Once the poster child of the region’s revolution in low-cost travel, the group is seeking as much as RM2.5 billion to steer its way through the crisis.

    Long-haul arm AirAsia X Bhd has meanwhile said it needs to reach deals with major creditors to restructure debt amid “severe liquidity constraints” that threaten its ability to resume services and continue as a going concern.

    AirAsia India has survived on 3 billion rupees (US$41 million) in funding from Tata, which owns a 51% stake, with another round of financing expected soon, one of the people said.

    Tata is weighing its options and how much it would cost to buy out AirAsia and save the carrier, another person said. The industrial group also has a 51% holding in the Vistara full-service airline venture with Singapore Airlines Ltd.

    AirAsia India predicted it would break even in four months when it began flying in 2014. In reality, it has yet to make money in a market where high fuel taxes and cut-throat fares can make even dominant players unprofitable. The carrier has a market share of 6.8% and employs more than 3,000 people.

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  • Harley-Davidson Decides To Discontinue India Operations

    Harley-Davidson Decides To Discontinue India Operations

    Harley-Davidson has decided to discontinue its sales and manufacturing operations in India, as part of restructuring actions that the company refers to as ‘The Rewire’ strategy. On Thursday, Harley-Davidson informed its employees of additional restructuring costs amounting to $75 million in 2020, which includes discontinuing the iconic American brand’s operations in India. Total costs associated with ‘The Rewire’ strategy outlined by Jochen Zeitz, President, Chairman and CEO of Harley-Davidson amount to $169 million this year. The motorcycle brand expects to complete the restructuring actions from August to be completed within the next 12 months, which will include optimizing its global dealer network, exiting certain international markets and discontinuing its sales and manufacturing operations in India. In India, Harley-Davidson will reduce the workforce by approximately 70 employees.

    In a statement to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Harley-Davidson outlined the development, adding some details about the restructuring costs.

    “As a result of the actions approved from August 6, 2020 through September 23, 2020, the Company expects to incur restructuring expenses of approximately $75 million in 2020, of which approximately 80% are expected to be cash expenditures, including one-time termination benefits of approximately $3 million, non-current asset adjustments of approximately $5 million, and contract termination and other costs of approximately $67 million. Full implementation of these Rewire actions may require the Company to commit additional funds for additional contract termination and other costs. Including previously disclosed restructuring charges, the Company expects total restructuring expenses associated with Rewire restructuring actions approved through September 23, 2020 of approximately $169 million in 2020. The Company expects to complete the restructuring activities approved through September 23, 2020 within the next 12 months. Announcements associated with additional actions under The Rewire are expected to occur, some of which will likely result in additional restructuring charges,” Harley-Davidson said.

    Harley-Davidson India has responded with a press statement saying that the company is “evaluating options” to continue to serve its customers. While H-D India has said that the manufacturing facility in Bawal will be closed down, and the sales office in Gurugram will be significantly reduced in size, there is still no concrete announcement on how the brand will support its existing customer base in India. All Harley-Davidson India has said is that the dealer network will continue to serve customers through the contract term. Harley-Davidson has 33 dealerships across India, and each dealership will have a different contract term, but how existing customers will be served in terms of spares and service in the future is still not clear. In fact, with the closure of the manufacturing facility in India, the Harley-Davidson Street 750 range will likely be discontinued, as will be assembly operations. But there’s still some hope that the brand will continue to have some presence, importing models from its facility in Thailand, and with India’s Free Trade Agreement, that may work out to be cost-effective as well.

    Harley-Davidson has been under pressure in recent years, with sales of the American motorcycle brand slowing down in several markets around the world. And India seems to be one such market, where Harley-Davidson has been present since 2009, and where the first Harley dealership came up in July 2010. Harley-Davidson still led premium motorcycle sales in India over the last few years, led by the made-in-India Street 750 models. Harley-Davidson also had assembly operations in India at its plant in Haryana, assembling several models from completely knocked down (CKD) kits. In the last financial year, Harley-Davidson sold fewer than 2,500 units in India, and between April-June 2020, only about 100 Harleys were sold in India, making it one of the worst-performing international markets. And just about 10 years since the iconic brand set up shop in the world’s largest motorcycle market, it’s now time to wind up manufacturing and sales.

    Earlier this year, Jochen Zeitz replaced former CEO Matt Levatich as President, Chairman and CEO of Harley-Davidson. Levatich was in Harley-Davidson for 26 years, and with increasingly slowing sales in recent years, his exit was seen as a move to give new strategic vision to revive the brand internationally. ‘The Rewire’ plan outlined by Zeitz intends to re-look Harley-Davidson’s product strategy, as well as focus on about 50 markets, mainly in North America, Europe and parts of Asia Pacific, that represent the “majority of the company’s volume and growth potential.” And India, the world’s largest motorcycle market, seems to have been given the miss from those important markets where Harley-Davidson sees potential growth.