Orient Cement Ltd. (OCL) reported a 35% YoY drop in Q2 net profit, sliding to ₹32 cr, while its shares rose 2.01% to ₹116.10 on NSE ahead of the announcement.
Revenue contracted 12% to ₹565 cr from ₹643 cr, missing the consensus estimate of ₹590 cr. Analysts noted the shortfall could be due to softer demand in the residential segment.
EBITDA fell 54.5% to ₹75 cr, narrowing the margin to 13.3% from 25.7% a year earlier—a 12.4‑point erosion that underscores higher raw‑material costs.
In the broader cement sector, growth was modest at 4% in Q2, yet Orient lagged peers: ACC reported a 18% margin expansion and Dalmia a 15% rise, highlighting competitive pressure.
Management signalled a rebound in Q3, citing expected uptick in construction activity, but warned that volatile cement prices and tightening credit conditions could temper gains. Analysts are watching the upcoming Q3 guidance closely.