Sale of listed private non-financial firms rose 7.1% in Q4FY25: RBI data

RBI data shows varied sales growth among private companies in Q4 2024-25, with IT companies leading the way.

Sales of listed private non-financial companies registered 7.1% growth (y-o-y) during Q42024-25 compared with 8% growth in the previous quarter and 6.9% in Q42023-24, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday.

Aggregate sales growth (y-o-y) of 1,659 listed private manufacturing companies moderated to 6.6% during Q42024-25 from 7.7% during the previous quarter; even as major industries such as electrical machinery, chemicals, food products and pharmaceuticals industries recorded double-digit sales growth; weak performance of petroleum industry pulled down the sector’s sales growth, according to RBI.

On an annual basis, sales growth (y-o-y) of IT companies improved further to 8.6% in Q4 from 6.8% in the previous quarter and 3.1% a year ago.

Sales of non-IT services companies continued to grow in double digits at 10% in Q4, on the back of good performance of telecommunication and transport & storage companies.

Manufacturing companies’ expenses on raw material rose by 8.3% (y-o-y) in tandem with their sales growth, however, raw material to sales ratio broadly remained stable during Q4 from the previous quarter. 

Staff cost of manufacturing, IT and non-IT services companies rose by 10%, 6.4% and 9.5%, respectively, during Q42024-25. Staff cost to sales ratio for manufacturing, IT and non-IT services companies broadly remained stable at 5.5%, 48% and 10.1%, respectively, during Q4:2024-25.

RBI said the operating profit of manufacturing and non-IT services companies rose by 8.1% and 18.4%, respectively, during Q4, while it increased modestly by 2.4% for IT companies.