Maruti Suzuki Delivers 1.65 Lakh Vehicles in Navratri; Festive Sales Momentum Strong

Market Performance

The festive season is off to a remarkable start for Maruti Suzuki India. In the first eight days of Navratri, the company delivered 1.65 lakh vehicles, marking a significant milestone. This surge comes as retail sales in September rose 27.5%, partly driven by deferred purchases from August following GST 2.0 reforms.

The stock market has noted this strong demand momentum, with Maruti Suzuki shares demonstrating robust performance year-to-date, up 41.3%, substantially outperforming the Nifty 50 index, which gained 4.5% over the same period.

Festive Season Sales

Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer of Marketing and Sales, highlighted that this is the first time in a decade that Navratri deliveries crossed the one-lakh mark. With pending bookings around 2.5 lakh vehicles at the start of October, the company is working to meet demand:

• Increased operations: Production and supply chain teams are working through Sundays and holidays.
• Delivery timelines: Customers who delay bookings may need to wait until after the festive season.

Maruti Suzuki expects total deliveries during the festive season to reach 2 lakh units, reflecting both strong domestic demand and strategic operational planning.

Export Performance

Exports are also gaining momentum. Last month, Maruti Suzuki’s export numbers grew nearly 50%, including around 3,000 electric vehicles shipped to markets in Japan, the Middle East, and Europe (Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland).

• The company is recalibrating its annual export target of 4 lakh units to balance international shipments with domestic demand.

Demand Trends and Market Insights

Maruti is witnessing clear upgradation trends among customers:

• Two-wheeler owners are moving to entry-level cars.
• Existing customers are shifting from models like Alto and WagonR to higher-end models like Baleno, Fronx, and Brezza.
• Rural markets contributed 51% of sales in September, slightly ahead of urban markets at 49%.

Stock Performance

Maruti Suzuki shares were trading at Rs 15,842, down 0.77% from the previous close, yet have risen 6.1% over the past month. The stock has traded between Rs 10,725 and Rs 16,435 in the last year, reflecting healthy volatility aligned with strong operational performance.

Summary

Maruti Suzuki is riding a wave of strong festive season demand, both domestically and internationally. With deliveries at 1.65 lakh vehicles in just the first eight days of Navratri, pending bookings at 2.5 lakh, and exports surging nearly 50%, the company is on track to reach its 2 lakh vehicle target for the season. Rural markets, upgradation trends, and operational efficiency are driving this momentum, making this festive period one of the strongest in a decade for Maruti Suzuki.