Maruti Suzuki India Total Sales Down 17% In April

Maruti Suzuki India on Wednesday reported a decline of 17.19 per cent in sales for the month of April. Maruti Suzuki India's total sales, including domestic sales and exports, came in at 143,245 units in April, the auto maker said in a regulatory filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). That compares with total sales of 172,986 units in the corresponding period a year ago. Maruti Suzuki India said its passenger car sales which include models such as Alto, Old WagonR, New WagonR, Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Baleno, Dzire and Ciaz declined 22.91 per cent year-on-year to 97,701 units in April.

Total domestic sales stood at 134,068 units in April, Maruti Suzuki India said. That marked a decline of 18.74 per cent compared with total domestic sales of 164,978 units in April 2018.

Exports, however, rose 14.6 per cent to 9,177 units last month, compared to 8,008 units in the year-ago period, according to Maruti Suzuki India's regulatory filing.

Last week, Maruti Suzuki India lowered its sales growth forecast for the current financial year amid an industry-wide weakening of demand. 

The carmaker also reported a 4.6 per cent year-on-year fall in net profit for the quarter ended March 31. Its net profit stood at Rs. 1,795.6 crore for the last quarter of financial year 2018-19, as against Rs 1,882.1 crore for the corresponding period a year ago. 

Maruti Suzuki shares ended 2.98 per cent lower at Rs 6,638.60 apiece on the National Stock Exchange on Tuesday, underperforming the broader markets which ended almost unchanged.

The domestic stock markets remained closed on Wednesday for the Maharashtra Day holiday. Trading will resume on Thursday, May 2.