Bata's slow pace of turnaround is testing market's patience

One step at a time

- Manvi Agarwal

Forgettable earnings performance in FY25 has left footwear maker Bata India Ltd limping. Amid weak demand, revenue at ₹34,887 crore was flat year-on-year, while Ebitda margin slid 150 basis points to 21.1%, hurt by elevated expenses. But what's making the Street impatient is the slow pace of Bata's turnaround. Despite a slew of initiatives, progress has been underwhelming.

In FY26, the company plans to take its Zero Base Merchandising (ZBM) strategy deeper, scaling it from 146 stores in Q4FY25 to 300 by December 2025—covering nearly half of its retail revenues. The aim: better inventory turns, faster service, and improved customer conversions.