Footwear major Bata India Ltd is optimistic about maintaining growth momentum, banking on its wide retail network, enhanced digital capabilities and operational efficiency, the company’s outgoing Managing Director and CEO Gunjan Shah said.
Switzerland-headquartered Bata Corporation, part of Lausanne, remains confident of capturing emerging opportunities and reinforcing its position as the country’s largest footwear retailer, while simultaneously building “future-ready” capabilities to accelerate growth going forward, said its Chairman Ashwani Windlass in the latest annual report.
“Our ambition is to accelerate revenue through a balanced combination of higher volumes and improved average selling prices, supported by a more premium product mix, stronger brand equity and superior execution,” he said addressing shareholders.
Shah said that fundamentals of the Indian economy remain strong, supported by a growing middle class, increasingly discerning consumers, rapid digital adoption and a youthful demography.
“We remain confident that in the near-term and long-term there exists huge potential in the Indian discretionary spending market,” Shah said, adding that the company was “optimistic to maintain momentum, gain market share and create value for our stakeholders.”
Shah noted that sluggishness in discretionary spending, which had persisted since March 2023, began easing only after the roll-out of GST 2.0 reforms in September 2025, which aided a revival in demand for the company’s premium brands during the festive, wedding and winter seasons.
“With the roll-out of GST 2.0, premium brands like Floatz, Power, Hush Puppies saw a healthy revival in demand during the festive, wedding and winter seasons, backed by growth in e-commerce sales,” he said.
Bata India reported sales of Rs 3,515.5 crore in FY26 despite muted demand conditions carried forward from the previous year. EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation) stood at Rs 7,063 million and profit after tax at Rs 1,336 million, after accounting for one-time VRS costs, non-cash forex losses linked to currency devaluation, and the impact of the new labour code.
“Despite the market headwinds, further accentuated by inflationary pressures, currency devaluation and geopolitical uncertainties, leading to flattening of growth in real wages, we managed to defend EBITDA (excluding exceptional items) margin through strong resilience and disciplined execution of the key strategic levers,” he said.
Over the outlook, Shah, who is concluding his tenure on September 30, 2026, said store expansion, particularly in towns and semi-urban markets under Bata and Hush Puppies formats, will be a key growth driver going forward, alongside same-store sales growth.
“Footprint expansion shall continue, driven by addition of stores with focus on towns/semi-urban markets under the Bata and Hush Puppies concepts,” he said.
The company’s network of nearly 2,000 stores includes more than 1,100 company-owned outlets, over 700 franchise stores and 125-plus Hush Puppies stores.
Bata India is also banking on product innovation and premiumisation, with brands such as Floatz, Power and Hush Puppies expected to sustain demand, alongside continued casualisation of its portfolio.
