Asian Paints usually has its house in order. But the latest Q3 report for the 2025-26 fiscal year just threw a curveball at investors. Even though more people are actually buying their paint, the company’s bottom line took a hit. It’s a classic case of “more work, less pay.”
The paint giant posted a net profit of ₹1,060 crore. Sounds like a lot? It is, but it’s actually a 5% drop from last year. What makes this weird is that their revenue actually climbed up to ₹8,867 crore. So, the sales are there, but the profit is leaking out somewhere.
So, where did the money go? It wasn’t just expensive raw materials. The company got hit by some “exceptional” bills. They had to set aside ₹158 crore for one-time costs. A chunk of that—₹64 crore—was for new labor laws regarding employee benefits. Another ₹94 crore was written off because of their home décor brand, White Teak, which didn’t perform as expected. Without these sudden bills, the profit would have actually looked quite healthy.
The stock market doesn’t like surprises. As soon as the news broke, Asian Paints’ stock took a 7% dive. It hit its lowest point since October 2025. While they sold 8% more paint (volume growth), investors were hoping for double digits.
What’s Next? CEO Amit Syngle is keeping his cool. He says the core business is still solid. But let’s be real: the competition is heating up. New brands like Birla Opus are fighting for shelf space. Plus, people are spending more on vacations than on repainting their living rooms lately. It’s a tough spot, but the company is betting on new tech to trim the fat and get those margins back up.
