New Delhi, Feb. 18 -- Bata India Ltd has been finding it challenging to boost its sales for a while now, and that has continued in the December quarter (Q3FY25). Revenue growth was lacklustre at about 1.7%, hardly much of an improvement from the 0.3% and 0.8% growth seen in H1FY25 and FY24, respectively. Sure, Bata's Q2FY25 growth was slightly better at 2.2%, but that's not exciting either.

Still, efficient cost management held the company in good stead in Q3FY25 as Ebitda growth came in at 9% year-on-year to almost Rs.200 crore with margin rising 152 basis points to 21.7%. A relatively slower pace of growth in raw material costs and employee costs, along with a drop in other expenses did the trick on the operating profit front.

The man...