Homegrown fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) firm Dabur reported a second-quarter profit above market expectations on Wednesday, as steady demand for personal care goods and packaged foods subdued the impact of rising raw material costs.

Dabur posted an 11.6 percent rise in net profit to Rs 506 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, compared to Rs 453 crore a year earlier. Analysts had expected Rs 498 crore, according to data compiled by LSEG. Meanwhile, revenue from operations rose 11.6 percent dto Rs 3,563 crore from Rs 3,191 crore in the same period last year.

The FMCG firm said its global CEO Mohit Malhotra has resigned with effect from November 13, 2026. The company board also approved the appointment of India business CEO Herjit S Bhalla to the Board as a Whole-time Director, subject to regulatory approvals, for a five-year term with effect from November 14, 2026.

"Our performance in Q2 reflects the strength of our brands and the sharper execution of our strategy. We delivered profitable growth despite operating in a ·challenging external environment marked by geopolitical uncertainty and elevated input-cost pressures," said Bhalla, adding that the growth was backed by healthy underlying volumes.

The company reported a 10.7 percent growth in the India business, aided by a 5.5 percent underlying volume growth. Meanwhile, premium brands grew at 4 times the pace of regular brands, accounting for 20 percent share of the domestic business.

"The evolving channel landscape continues to present significant opportunities for us. This

quarter saw a marked resurgence in General Trade with the channel growing by mid to high single digit," Bhalla said, adding that the company is focused on strengthening its  brands and expanding presence across channels to sustain growth momentum.

The Home & Personal Care (HPC) business, comprising brands like Odonil and Oxylife, grew 10.9 percent during the quarter, while the shampoo and hair oils businesses registered high double-digit growths. Further, the skin and salon business grew at high single-digit rate while the oral care category reported mid-single-digit growth.

The healthcare business grew 6.9 percent during the quarter, supported by continued momentum in Digestives, OTC & Ethicals businesses reporting strong double-digit growth.

The food and beverages (F&B) business grew 17.4 percent during the quarter, supported by strong performance in foods and a sequential recovery in the beverages portfolio.

Meanwhile, the international business reported a 20 percent growth in constant currency terms, supported by strong performances across several key markets like Bangladesh, Egypt, Sub-Saharan Africa and Turkey.

Industry bellwethers Hindustan Unilever and Nestle India also reported growth in quarterly sales volume even as they indicated commodity inflation could persist.