Highweight on Aam Adami

LPG costlier by Rs 50 per cylinder, diesel prices up by Rs 3

   Biting the bullet, government on Friday hiked the price of diesel by Rs 3 a litre, kerosene Rs 2 a litre and cooking gas by a steep Rs 50 a cylinder to raise Rs 21,000 crores, and slashed customs and excise duties on petroleum products, sacrificing Rs 49,000 crore a year.

The hike in prices will be effective from midnight on Friday night.

New Game Plan for to Reduce Input Cost

FMCG companies are tightening their purse strings by controlling advertising spends and other marketing expenses to maintain their margins, as high raw material prices continue to pose serious challenge, according to analysts.

Experts said these companies were likely to be cautious on their advertising expenses if they had to remain profitable despite high input costs. “Most of the FMCG companies are focusing on volume growth without hurting their operating margins. While they are resorting to price increases, they also have to reduce their operating cost, including their ad spend, staff cost and other expenses, to maintain their margins,” India Infoline Research Analyst Vanmala Nagwekar said.

 Two of the biggest spenders on advertising, Hindustan Uniliver (HUL) and Procter & Gamble (P&G) marginally reduced their advertising and promotional expenses in the fourth quarter last financial year. In the last quarter of 2010-11, HUL’s advertising and promotional expenses were down marginally to Rs 623.29 crore, from Rs 626.52 crore in the period a year ago.

Similarly, P&G reduced its ad spend to Rs 37.96 crore, from Rs 44.13 crore in the corresponding period last financial year.

 In an investor conference recently, Dabur Ltd Chief Executive Officer Sunil Duggal had said the company would not obviously go overboard in terms of advertising and promotion as long as inflation remained the way it was. 

New whitening form Nivea.

Nivea India has launched Whitening, a deodorant for women. It claims to repair underarm skin and make it fairer and even-toned. It contains liquorice extracts and witch hazel. It is available in an aerosol spray pack for Rs 179 and 50 ml roll-on for Rs 165.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY ...

      God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mother's- HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY."MOTHER'S LOVE"

Happy Companies & Happy Work !!

 FMCG major Hindustan Unilever, telecom player Bharti Airtel and state-owned NTPC were adjudged among the best employers in India by leading global human resources management company Aon Hewitt. 

Aon Hewit in its seventh 'Best Employer in India Study 2011', done in partnership with magazine Outlook Business, has listed the country's 25 companies that provide the best working environment for employees. 

Hindustan Unilever is put on top of the list as the best employer, followed by Aditya Birla Group, LG Electronics India , Godrej Consumer Products , Bharti Airtel, NTPC, Becton Dickinson India, Aircel, Wipro and Marriott Hotels India. 

"Best Employers in India represent organisations that have done an outstanding job of aligning people strategy with articulated business strategy. The Best have been able to offer a compelling career proposition to their employees in a high performing work environment that differentiates needs, expectations and drivers of different employee segments," Aon Hewitt India Project Director Rakesh Malik said. 

Wipro Worry About Rising Input cost ..!!

        Wipro's consumer products division will increase prices of its soap brands such as Santoor and Chandrika for the second time this calendar year due to high palm oil prices, a top executive said. 

     The company will increase soap prices by around 5%, Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting President Vineet Agrawal said. He said he did not expect Wipro consumers to opt for cheaper brands after the price increase. Wipro Consumer's sales rose 19% in the quarter ended March despite a 5% increase in soap prices during January-February . 

    Sharp increases in key ingredients such as palm oil and crude oil hit personal care product makers in recent months. "Palm oil prices are still at an all-time high... but I am not expecting a further hike in prices unless crude goes awry," Agrawal said.There was a 10-15% correction in prices in mid-March.

Gilleette, half shave out it's profit !!

   Gillette India net profit down 51.45% at Rs 20.73 crore

Personal care products maker Gillette India Ltd (GIL) posted 51.45 per cent dip in net profit for the third quarter ended March 31 at Rs 20.73 crore on the back of high advertising spends.
In the same period last year, the company's net profit was Rs 42.70 crore, Gillette said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange .


GIL's net sales for the three month period under review, however, grew 18.61 per cent at Rs 263.11 crore compared to Rs 221.81 crore during the quarter ended March 31, 2010.


"There has been a substantial increase in advertising and sales promotion expenses," the filing said.


GIL spent Rs 72.68 crore on advertising and sales promotion during the three months ended March 31, 2011, compared to Rs 42.16 crore in the same period last year.