Trent could be in for more pain

Fashion and retail chain Trent Ltd has just had another tough quarter: Revenue growth continued to slow, and its entry into smaller cities may carry a price.

- Pallavi Pengonda

On Monday, shares of the Tata Group company sank over 7% to hit a new 52-week low of₹4,262.60, on a day when the Nifty50 index rose 0.3%. The disappointing results in the September quarter (Q2FY26) prompted some analysts to trim their earnings projections, given uncertainty on the timeline of growth recovery amid dull demand conditions and stiff competition.

For the fifth straight quarter, Trent's Q2 standalone revenue growth decelerated, highlighting its struggle to boost sales adequately. Revenue rose 17% year-on-year to ₹4,724 crore, with low single-digit like-for-like growth in its fashion portfolio. Relatively muted consumer sentiment and unseasonal rains were the main villains last quarter. Trent said customers initially seemed to have prioritized biggerticket purchases after goods and services tax (GST) rate cuts.