Godrej Consumer Products wrapped up its December 2024 quarter with numbers that painted a mixed picture. Net profit took a hit, sliding 14.28% year-on-year to ₹498 crore, down from ₹581 crore the previous year. While total revenue inched up 3% to ₹3,749 crore, it wasn’t enough to offset the challenges brewing in its key segments. Home Care posted a modest 4% growth, and Personal Care revenues rose by just 2%, both trailing behind expectations. The regional story had its own twists. Indonesia shone with a 9% YoY revenue growth to ₹508 crore, while Africa, the USA, and the Middle East faltered, with revenue dipping 8% YoY to ₹771 crore. Latin America was the dark horse, delivering a whopping 165% surge to ₹262 crore, showcasing its potential as a growth engine. Margins, however, bore the brunt of the raw material surge. Rising palm oil prices put a squeeze on the EBITDA margin, which dropped to 22.6%—a sharp fall from last year’s 29%. Personal wash volumes didn’t help either, slipping mid-to-high single digits, although price hikes partially cushioned the blow. Sudhir Sitapati, the company’s MD and CEO, was candid about the headwinds. Urban consumption has hit a rough patch, and soaring palm oil costs—up over 40%—are biting into profitability. Yet, he pointed out gains in market share for premium insecticides and a focus on trimming wasted costs as signs of resilience. With an interim dividend of ₹5 per share and an eye on long-term sustainable growth, GCPL is playing a balancing act between navigating current pressures and setting the stage for recovery.