Did Radhakishan Damani dump Trent? Contained in the retail king’s mysterious exit from Tata’s hottest inventory
Filings for the September 2025 quarter reveal that Damani’s stake in Trent, held by means of Derive Buying and selling and Resorts Non-public Restricted, has slipped under 1%, down from 1.2% within the June quarter. Damani had first picked up a 2.74% stake round 2010, in accordance with market sources, although Trendlyne.com knowledge tracks his holding from December 2015.
For practically a decade, Damani, the person behind DMart and broadly thought to be India’s “Retail King,” stayed invested within the Tata Group’s retail arm, an organization that started life as Lakme in 1952 earlier than evolving right into a trend and way of life behemoth. His obvious exit comes after a spectacular run in Trent’s enterprise and inventory efficiency, even because the rally exhibits indicators of fatigue.
From cosmetics to trend empire
Trent, at present valued at Rs 1.70 lakh crore, operates a various retail portfolio spanning attire, footwear, equipment, groceries, toys, and residential merchandise by means of its manufacturers Westside, Zudio, Star, and Landmark. Over the previous 5 years, the corporate’s development has been stellar.
Gross sales soared from Rs 3,486 crore in FY20 to Rs 17,135 crore in FY25, a compounded annual development fee (CAGR) of 38%. EBITDA surged from Rs 529 crore to Rs 2,820 crore, rising at a 40% CAGR, whereas internet revenue jumped from Rs 106 crore in FY20 to Rs 1,534 crore in FY25, a 67% CAGR.
A meteoric rise, then a pointy fall
The inventory’s journey has been equally dramatic. From Rs 635 in October 2020, Trent’s share value skyrocketed greater than 650% to Rs 4,788.55 as of October 24, 2025. Nonetheless, after peaking close to Rs 7,500 in October 2024, the inventory has tumbled over 36%, reflecting rising investor warning about whether or not the corporate can maintain its speedy growth.
Regardless of the correction, Trent stays considered one of India’s most richly valued retail shares, buying and selling at 108 occasions earnings in contrast with an business median of round 42 occasions. Its price-to-book ratio stands at 31.2 occasions. The corporate continues to ship enviable profitability, with a three-year ROE of 25.6%, ROCE of 31% versus the business’s 17%, and a gradual dividend yield of 0.10%.
Technicals trace at fatigue
From a technical perspective, Trent’s inventory seems to be consolidating. It’s at the moment buying and selling under six of its eight key easy transferring averages (SMAs), together with the 5-day, 30-day, 50-day, 100-day, 150-day, and 200-day SMAs, whereas holding above its 10-day and 20-day averages.
The Relative Power Index (RSI) at 45 signifies it’s neither overbought nor oversold, whereas the MACD at -72.6 stays under the centerline, signaling a bearish bias.
Damani’s resolution to exit might merely be profit-taking after a decade-long multibagger run, or it might sign that considered one of India’s shrewdest buyers sees restricted upside forward.
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