Tata Motors posts Rs 9,894 cr loss in March qtr on weak demand, lockdown

The carmaker's consolidated net loss was Rs 9,894 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31, compared with a profit of Rs 1,117 crore a year earlier

Tata Motors Ltd said on Monday it expects a significantly weak 2021 first quarter, as it grapples with worsening demand and coronavirus-induced lockdowns in several countries where it sells its luxury Jaguar Land Rover cars.

Sales at JLR, which rakes in most of the company's revenue, were heavily impacted during the quarter as some of its key markets such as China and Europe went into lockdowns, while also disrupting supply chains.

The pandemic has been a major blow to Tata Motors which had made progress on its turnaround plan to improve JLR sales in key markets. The company in January warned the virus outbreak could impact profits at the JLR unit.

Tata Motors' consolidated net loss was Rs 9,894 crore ($1.30 billion) for the fourth quarter ended March 31, compared with a profit of 11.17 billion rupees a year earlier.

JLR retail unit sales slumped nearly 31 per cent during the quarter, and Tata Motors said outlook for the unit remains uncertain.

The company's total revenue from operations fell 27.7 per cent to Rs 62,493 crore in the reported quarter as its home market, India, already facing a bruising slowdown in demand went into a lockdown due to the pandemic.