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Amazon launches fulfilment center in Maharashtra, India ahead of festive season |
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Source: Business Standard, September 17, 2019 |
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Amazon.in, the Indian arm of the world’s largest retailer, launched its largest fulfillment center in Maharashtra (third largest in the country) ahead of the festive season. The new center, which is located near Bhiwandi (where Amazon has three existing warehouses) near Mumbai, has added more than 1.5 million cubic feet of storage space and 2.7 million square feet footprint. It will enable faster delivery of customer orders within the region and neighboring states. |
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Our Case |
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Amazon India was launched in June 2013. Since foreign e-commerce companies were not allowed to hold their own inventory and sell directly to consumers in India, Amazon launched its marketplace model which enabled third-party sellers to trade their products. Since it was launched in India, Amazon has built up one of the biggest online product ranges in the country. To know more about its strategies to win over the Indian market, read our cases: |
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“Amazon’s Foray into India: Competing in an Emerging Market” |
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“Amazon: Betting big on a trillion dollar Indian Market” |
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Unilever achieves 100% renewable electricity use target across five continents |
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Source: Livemint, Sep 16, 2019 |
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Global consumer goods firm Unilever has achieved 100% renewable electricity usage at its offices, factories and other facilities across five continents in line with its target to become a carbon neutral company by 2030. The company said 38% of grid electricity was supplied through corporate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and green electricity tariffs. |
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Our Case: |
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Unilever had been widely regarded as the global leader in corporate sustainability since its CEO, Paul Polman, launched the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) in 2010. USLP included an ambitious plan to double revenue by 2020 while halving the company’s environmental impact. In March 2015, Unilever was awarded the top position with a 71% score in the Oxfam Behind the Brands Scorecard on the basis of its policies and commitments to transparency, farmers, women, agricultural workers, access to land, water, and climate change. To know more, read our case: |
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“Championing Sustainability and Responsible Capitalism: Paul Polman at Unilever” |
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Zomato pulls back ‘Infinity Dining’ from Gold subscription |
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Source: Entrackr, September 13, 2019 |
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After facing flak from restaurant partners over deep discounting, Zomato has rolled back ‘Infinity Dining’ plan from Gold membership. The increasing complaints of restaurants prompted the company to do so. Zomato had introduced infinity dining plan for its gold membership subscribers in partnership with 350 restaurants only 50 days ago. The plan allowed the Gold members to order unlimited meals at restaurants for a fixed price. |
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Our Cases |
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Zomato had to face hard-hitting competition from Swiggy, Foodpanda and Uber Eats. Every firm tried its level best to increase their market share either by giving deep discounts or by providing varied offers. In 2017, Zomato launched a subscription-based program Zomato Treats and a premium membership program Zomato Gold. To know about Zomato’s strategies to face the threat from the heavily funded rival Swiggy and other players, read the case study: |
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“Zomato: Can it win the Battle for Leadership in India’s Food Tech Market?” |
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Making good the giving pledge: Premji sells Rs 7,300 crore shares in Wipro buyback |
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Source: The Economic Times, Sep 12, 2019 |
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Azim Premji and the promoter group of Wipro Ltd have sold stock worth over a billion dollars (Rs 7,300 crore) in the buyback programme announced by India’s fourth-largest IT services company. The bulk of the funds will likely be used to boost the philanthropic initiatives of India’s most generous billionaire whose eponymous foundation is one of the five largest private endowments in the world and the biggest in Asia. |
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Our cases |
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Azim Premji’s philanthropic initiative – the Azim Premji Foundation (APF) – envisioned transforming the Indian primary education sector. In 2001, Premji through his foundation, APF, started taking initiatives to fulfill the goal. To know more about APF’s efforts to accomplish the change in three broad phases of implementation, elaborating on the objectives, initiatives, and challenges that shaped each phase, read our cases: |
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“Azim Premji Foundation: A Philanthropic initiative to Improve Indian Rural Primary Education (A)” |
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“Azim Premji Foundation: A Philanthropic initiative to Improve Indian Rural Primary Education (B)” |
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Apple unveils Apple Watch Series 5 |
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Source: Apple Inc., September 10, 2019 |
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Apple announced Apple Watch Series 5, debuting an Always-On Retina display that never sleeps, so it’s easy to see the time and other important information, without raising or tapping the display. New location features, from a built-in compass to current elevation, help users better navigate their day, while international emergency calling allows customers to call emergency services directly from Apple Watch in over 150 countries, even without iPhone nearby. |
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Our Cases |
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Released in April 2015, the Apple Watch was the first new Apple device since the iPad. The Apple Watch was a smartwatch that integrated with iOS and displayed notifications like text messages. Apple became the world’s #1 wearables vendor in Q1 2017 with an estimated 3.5 million Apple Watch shipments, 59% higher than the shipments in the same period the previous year. To know more about Apple Watch, read our case: |
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“Apple Watch: A Disruptive Innovation or a Chink in Apple’s Armor?” |
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OYO expands presence to over 500 cities in India |
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Source: Moneycontrol.com, Sep 09, 2019 |
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Hospitality firm OYO said it has expanded presence to over 500 cities across India with focus on tier 2 and 3 cities and smaller towns. This is in line with the company's objectives of going deeper in existing markets and metros, while forming a stronger national network through presence in smaller towns, cities and popular tourist destinations. OYO said that Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Gurugram and Hyderabad lead in presence of hotels among metros and Manali, Ujjain, Siliguri and Jalandhar lead concentration of hotels among tier 2, 3 and 4 cities. |
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Our Cases |
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OYO began in 2012 as Oravel Stays and Private Ltd. (Oravel). Then Oravel was rebranded as “OYO Hotels and Rooms” in 2013. To know about OYO’s marketing strategy, financing, and operational strategies to become the largest hotel chain in the world, read our case study: |
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“OYO-From a Startup to a Global Hotel Chain” |
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Ashok Leyland domestic sales crash 50% in August |
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Source: The Economic Times, September 03, 2019 |
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Hinduja Group's flagship company Ashok Leyland reported steepest decline of 50% in its domestic sales at 8,296 units in August 2019. The company had posted 16,628 units of domestic sales in August 2018. Overall vehicle sales (domestic + exports) stood at 9,231 units in August 2019, witnessing a sharp 47% dip, as against 17,386 units in the same month a year ago. |
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Our cases |
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Ashok Leyland had been focusing on improving its operational performance by taking up various initiatives like cost reduction and undertaking organizational restructuring. To know more, read our case: |
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“Financial Statement Analysis of Ashok Leyland” |
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“Valuation of Ashok Leyland” |
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Bajaj Auto sales down 11% at 390,026 units in August |
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Source: The Pioneer, September 3, 2019 |
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Bajaj Auto reported 11% fall in total sales at 390,026 units in August 2019 compared to 437,092 units in the same month a year ago. Its domestic sales in August this year stood at 208,109 units as against 255,631 units, down 19%. Total motorcycle sales stood at 325,300 units, showing a decline of 10% as compared to 362,923 units sold in August last year. |
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Total commercial vehicle sales were at 64,726 units as against 74,169 units in the same month last year, down 13%. Exports in August were flat at 181,917 units as against 181,461 units exported in the corresponding month last year. |
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Our Cases |
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Bajaj Auto, one of the leading two-wheeler companies in India and the oldest, is at a crucial stage in its existence. It is facing increasing competition from foreign players like Suzuki and Honda whose market shares have been increasing over the years. Realizing the changing dynamics of the Indian two-wheeler industry and the deficiencies at Bajaj Auto, the company began to develop a new strategy. To know more, read our cases: |
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“EIC Framework: Company Analysis of Bajaj Auto Limited” |
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“A Product-based Branding Strategy: Bajaj Auto - Will It Work?” |
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“Bajaj Auto Ltd.’s Brand-Centric Strategy” |
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PEs exit Micromax via buyback, valuation crashes 93% in 4 years |
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Source: The Economic Times, Aug 29, 2019 |
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Micromax Informatics’ valuation has crashed about 93% in roughly four years from a peak of INR21,000 crore in 2015 to less than INR1,500 crore now, with major private equity investors including TA Associates and Sandstone Investment exiting the Indian handset maker. PE players are selling 6.9% in the company for INR93.65 crore to the promoters, whose holding will increase to more than 85%, Micromax said in its latest regulatory filings with the Registrar of Companies (RoC). |
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Our Case: |
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Micromax’s market share in smartphones had dropped from 22% in Q4 2014 to 14.1% in the corresponding quarter of 2015. Moreover the company lost its coveted position as India’s leading smartphone manufacturer to rival SAMSUNG (Samsung). Sales had plummeted and several top executives resigned from their positions. To know about issues and challenges faced by Micromax in the highly competitive Indian smartphone market, read our case: |
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“Micromax Informatics Limited: Growing Challenges for India’s Largest Smartphone Maker” |
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IndiGo looking for wide-body plane for long distance flights |
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Source: The Economic Times, Aug 28, 2019 |
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IndiGo announced it is scouting for an aircraft to launch direct services to long haul destinations including London. This is the first time the low-cost carrier has issued a statement regarding its plan to launch flights to long-haul markets, and it comes at a time when a void has been created by the grounding of Jet Airways. Until recently, Jet was the only private carrier that was offering flight connections between India and London. National carrier Air India is the other airline. |
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Our Case: |
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IndiGo was founded by Rahul Bhatia in 2006. it was introduced as a Low Cost Carrier in the market, faced government barriers, and still managed to emerge as one of the fastest growing airlines in India with a market share of 37% as of February 2015. To know about its strategies to remain profitable while all other airlines are struggling, read our case: |
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“IndiGo Airlines- Meandering through the Public Policies on the Success Runway – Can it Fly Higher?” |
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“IndiGo - India's Most Profitable Low Cost Carrier” |
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OnePlus opens global R&D center in Hyderabad, India |
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Source: Deccan Herald, Aug 27, 2019 |
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Chinese smartphone-maker OnePlus opened one of the company's biggest global Research and Development (R&D) centers in Hyderabad. The OnePlus R&D center will house three labs - camera lab, communications and networking labs and automation labs that will primarily focus on camera development, 5G testing, software with focus on AI and performance testing. The company would infuse close to INR1,000 crore into the OnePlus R&D center including INR100 crore dedicated for 5G lab and skill development for engineers in India. |
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Our Case: |
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Following its launch in India in December 2014, OnePlus sold close to one million smartphones in the country by the end of 2015. However it has a long way to go to catch up with market leaders in India, including home grown players and Chinese smartphone brands that offer high-end phones at affordable prices. To know about the company’s strategy in India, read our case: |
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“OnePlus: The Chinese Smartphone Start-up Targets India” |
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Our Other Cases on OnePlus: |
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“Economics of OnePlus: |
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“OnePlus: A Chinese Tech Start-up Aiming to Disrupt the Global Smartphone Market” |
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OYO Expands To Las Vegas with Its First US Acquisition |
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Source: inc42, Aug 24, 2019 |
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India-based hospitality chain OYO Hotels and Homes has expanded to Las Vegas in the US in partnership with Highgate, an American real estate investment and hospitality management company. The deal was proposed and managed by Highgate. OYO said that it will be revamping Hooters Casino Hotel, which will be managed by Highgate. The financial details of the acquisition of the Hooters Casino Hotel have not been disclosed. |
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Our Cases |
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OYO began in 2012 as Oravel Stays and Private Ltd. (Oravel). In 2013, the company was named as OYO Rooms. As of 2019, OYO aimed to emerge as the world’s largest hotel brand by adding over a million rooms globally in four to five years (2023). To know about OYO’s future plans in terms of its global expansion, read our case: |
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“OYO – From a Startup to a Global Hotel Chain” |
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“OYO Rooms in China: Scaling the Great Wall” |
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Amazon inaugurates its largest campus in Hyderabad, India |
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Source: The Economic Times, Aug 21, 2019 |
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US-based e-commerce giant Amazon inaugurated in the city its single-largest campus in the world that will house more than 15,000 employees. It is the only Amazon-owned campus outside the US and will house over 15,000 employees of its over 62,000 employee base in India. Amazon had laid the foundation stone of the campus on March 30, 2016. |
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Our Cases |
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Amazon India was launched in June 2013. Since foreign e-commerce companies were not allowed to hold their own inventory and sell directly to consumers in India, Amazon launched its marketplace model which enabled third-party sellers to trade their products. Since it was launched in India, Amazon has built up one of the biggest online product ranges in the country. To know more about its strategies to win over the Indian market, read our cases: |
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“Amazon’s Foray into India: Competing in an Emerging Market” |
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“Amazon: Betting big on a trillion dollar Indian Market” |
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Xiaomi reports 60 million shipped phones in H1 2019 |
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Source: GSMArena.com, August 20, 2019 |
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Xiaomi reported that its revenues in the first half of 2019 stood at CNY 95.71 billion ($13.56 billion), a 20% improvement compared to the first half of last year. Adjusted net profits came out to CNY 5.72 billion ($810.36 million) which is a 49.8% year on year increase. Looking into phone shipments, Xiaomi managed to move 60 million units in the period despite stagnating global market. Outside of the smartphone business, Xiaomi’s TV line also proved to be a big success as the company ranked first in China with 5.4 million units for the period and is now a top-five TV manufacturer on the global stage. |
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Our Case |
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Xiaomi was founded in April 2010. It followed a unique business model where it sold its smartphones at cheap prices and later took advantage of the revenue streams generated by selling its software such as apps, cloud computing, and games. To know more about its success, read our case: |
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“Xiaomi: Reinventing the Smartphone Business Model in China” |
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Lenovo’s Q2 profit doubled to USD 162 mln, boosted by PC and data centre business |
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Source: China Knowledge, Aug 19, 2019 |
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Chinese tech giant Lenovo Group Limited (Lenovo) more than doubled its profit in the quarter ended in June as its PC market share hit a record high and its internet data centre business performed strongly. The tech giant has consolidated its position as the world’s largest PC maker, grabbing a record 24.9% market share in the quarter. During the quarter, the company’s YoY growth reached 4.4% as the easing of supply shortage combined with looming trade tensions which increased the demand. Lenovo’s PC shipments grew 18.2% YoY to 16.25 mln units, far better than second placed HP Inc. which grew only 3.2%. |
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Our Case Study on Lenovo: |
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After becoming a market leader in the Chinese PC market, several international acquisitions helped Lenovo establish a presence in global markets. The company’s 2005 acquisition of the PC division of International Business Machine (IBM) gave the Lenovo brand global recognition. Lenovo’s 2011 acquisition of Medion and a joint PC venture with NEC Corporation helped the company transform from a small Chinese electronics company into the world’s largest PC maker by shipping over 53 million units in 2013. |
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After some initial success with its ‘Protect and Attack’ strategy, Lenovo started to face reverses. In 2017, it lost its PC crown i.e. market leadership in the global personal computers (PCs) market, to its arch rival Hewlett-Packard (HP). To know more, read our case: |
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“Can Lenovo Regain Glory with New Strategy?” |
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