Pidilite holds price line as Q2 demand stays resilient

Pidilite Industries does not anticipate the need for further price increases in the second quarter as commodity volatility eases, managing director Sudhanshu Vats said. The company had implemented price hikes of up to 12 per cent in tranches during the June quarter to offset elevated crude oil prices following geopolitical tensions in West Asia, but now sees no immediate urgency for additional adjustments.

Vats told PTI that demand trends in July and August were tracking in line with the first quarter performance, with overall consumer sentiment across India remaining "reasonably robust." The company's qualitative assessment across its markets indicates that demand momentum has held steady, defying earlier concerns about inflationary headwinds dampening consumption.

"If you look at Q1 demand, demand in Q2 as well, as we travel and qualitatively see, is broadly holding," Vats said, expressing cautious optimism about the resilience demonstrated by Indian consumers. He noted that he had been pleasantly surprised by the strength in overall consumer sentiment during the period.

Pidilite, a leading player in adhesives and construction chemicals, remains watchful of crude oil trajectories even as it holds prices steady. The measured approach reflects the company's confidence in underlying demand fundamentals despite the volatile macroeconomic environment that triggered aggressive pricing actions in the preceding quarter.