Ashok Leyland just had a record June quarter. So why did the margin fall a full point?

Ashok Leyland's June-quarter has an unusual contradiction. The company sold 48,763 commercial vehicles, its highest-ever first-quarter volume, and revenue from operations rose 10.43% to Rs. 9,634 crore. Yet, the operating EBITDA was Rs. 970 crore, almost the same as a year earlier. The Q1 FY 27 result must, therefore, be understood not in terms of greater demand, but in terms of why the record volumes and revenue did not lead to an increase in operating earnings.