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SEATTLE — May 26, 2026 — With Seattle set to welcome visitors from around the world for the FIFA Soccer World Cup in just a few weeks, those planning their time between matches will likely gravitate toward familiar stops, such as Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, and MoPOP. Just steps from Seattle Stadium, a less known stop offers a different kind of experience: 

Evergreen Goodwill of Northwest Washington’s Seattle flagship store, the largest Goodwill in the world, invites visitors to immerse themselves into something very Seattle—the city’s commitment to sustainability and the circular economy.

A treasure hunters’ paradise, the 70,000-square-foot resale space stocks approximately 10,000 new items on the shop floor each day. A team comprised of members from over 20 different nations assists visitors as they explore and replace whatever they may have forgotten at home or didn’t realize they might need for their trip.

For travelers navigating a busy and often expensive event, resale offers a compelling shopping alternative:

• A multitude of affordable options at a time when prices are rising
• Access to quality used items being kept out of landfills for minimum environmental impact
• A retail experience shaped by the local community, where inventory reflects what Seattleites give—the best starting point for memorable travel souvenirs

For those moving between matches or exploring nearby neighborhoods, the store can serve several purposes at once: a place to pick up an extra layer, find something unexpected, or take home a piece of Seattle that doesn’t feel mass-produced. Its proximity to Seattle Stadium makes it an easy addition to any itinerary, whether stopping in briefly or spending time exploring.

Unlike traditional retail, each purchase carries an added dimension. Revenue from every sale supports Evergreen Goodwill’s tuition-free job training, education, and career placement programs across Northwest Washington, connecting everyday shopping to long-term community impact. 

Audited standalone & consolidated financial results for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2026

 

L to R -Mr. M. Ramaswamy, Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Rajiv C. Lochan, Managing Director, and Mr. A. N. Raju, Joint Managing Director of Sundaram Finance Limited addressing the media 

May 25: The Board of Directors of Sundaram Finance Ltd. (SFL) approved the audited standalone and consolidated financial results for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2026, at its meeting held on May 25, 2026, in Chennai.

“Q4FY26 witnessed continued improvement in the economic environment following the GST 2.0 reforms effected in September 2025. While H1FY26 witnessed trade tariff related complications resulting in somewhat muted demand and macroeconomic activity, H2FY26 gathered steam spurred by the transmission of monetary policy and stimulus provided by fiscal policy measures.Under these circumstances, Team Sundaram has delivered 16.4% growth in AUM to Rs. 59,908 crores, asset quality with net stage 3 assets at 0.69% vs 0.75% last year and profits after tax growth of 19% year-on-year. Our Group companies in asset management, general insurance and home finance have continued to record strong results. We continue to rely on our time-tested approach of steady and sustainable growth with best-in-class asset quality and consistent profitability,” said Harsha Viji, Executive Vice Chairman.

AUM for FY26 grew 16% to Rs. 59,908 crores. Disbursements for FY26 recorded a growth of 14% over FY25 and for Q4FY26, disbursements have grown 17% Y-o-Y. Gross stage 3 assets as on March 31, 2026, stood at 1.44% with provision cover of 53% as against 1.44% as on March 31, 2025, with provision cover of 49%. Profits from operations performed strongly, growing by 18% in FY26 and 14% in Q4FY26. Profit after tax registered a 19% rise in FY26, with net profit at Rs. 1,834 crores.

During the year, the Company has considered Rs. 75 crores under “Exceptional Items” for the incremental impact of the new Labour Codes. Consequently, for Q4, the net profit grew by 11% to Rs. 608 crores. Return on assets closed at 3.03% in FY26 as against 2.85% for FY25 and capital adequacy at 19.1% remained quite comfortable.

Rajiv Lochan, Managing Director, stated, “Our overall performance for the year has been well balanced across growth, asset quality and profitability. Our profitability and profit growth has been strong, asset quality has improved substantially in Q4FY26 to close the year well and growth in disbursements and assets under management has been reasonable. Looking ahead, we remain optimistic that India’s macroeconomic fundamentals remain strong supported by resilient domestic consumption, sustained public capital expenditure and a gradual revival in private investment. While uncertainties due to geopolitical challenges are a key monitorable, we remain confident of our plan to gain market share, maintain best in class asset quality and operating expenses and deliver sustainable profit growth.”

STANDALONE PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS FOR FY26

·Disbursements for FY26 grew by 14% to Rs. 32,321 crores as compared to Rs. 28,405 crores registered in FY25. Disbursements for Q4FY26 grew by 17% to Rs. 8,051 crores as compared to Rs. 6,873 crores registered in Q4FY25.

·The assets under management grew by 16% to Rs. 59,908 crores as on 31stMarch 2026 as against Rs. 51,476 crores as on 31stMarch 2025.

·Net interest income (NII) grew by 21% to Rs. 3,376 crores in FY26 from Rs. 2,793 crores in FY25. Q4FY26 growth in NII was 20% to Rs. 901 crores.

·Gross stage 3 assets as on 31stMarch 2026 stood at 1.44% with 53% provision cover as against 1.44% with provision cover of 49% as on 31stMarch 2025. Net stage 3 assets as on 31stMarch 2026 closed at 0.69% as against 0.75% as on 31stMarch 2025. During the year, the Company reviewed and refined its methodology for computing Expected Credit Loss (ECL), including the use of more recent historical data and machine learning-based model enhancements, where appropriate.

·The Gross and Net NPA, as per RBI’s asset classification norms for NBFCs, are 2.14% and 1.27% respectivelyas against 2.17% and 1.38% as of 31stMarch 2025.

·Costto income ratio improved to 28.71% in FY26 as against 30.80% in FY25.

·Profits from operations grew 18% to Rs. 2,151 crores in FY26 as against Rs. 1,825 crores in FY25. For the quarter, profits from operations grew 14% to Rs. 622 crores.

·The Company has considered Rs. 75 crores under “Exceptional Items” for the incremental impact of the new Labour Codes.

·Higher dividend income resulted in profit after tax registering 19% rise in FY26, with net profit at Rs. 1,834 crores as against Rs. 1,543 crores in FY25. For Q4FY26, PAT grew 11% Y-o-Y to Rs. 608 crores.

·Return on assets (ROA) for FY26 closed at 3.03% as against 2.85% for FY25. Return on equity (ROE) was at 17.49% for FY26 as against 16.30% for FY25. Including the impact of new Labour Codes, the ROA and ROE for FY26 were 2.94% and 17.00% respectively.

·Capital Adequacy Ratio stood at 19.1% (Tier I –17.2%) as of 31stMarch 2026 compared to 20.4% (Tier I – 17.4%) as of 31stMarch 2025.

·The Company has declared a final dividend of Rs. 24/- per share (240%).

CONSOLIDATED PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS FOR FY26

The consolidated results of SFL include the results of its standalone subsidiaries Sundaram Home Finance, Sundaram Asset Management and joint venture company Royal Sundaram General Insurance.

·The assets under management (AUM) in our lending and general insurance businesses stood at Rs. 89,541 crores as on 31stMarch 2026 as against Rs. 78,145 crores as on 31stMarch 2025, a growth of 15%. The assets under management of our asset management business stood at Rs. 77,457 crores as on 31stMarch 2026 as against Rs. 71,826 crores as on 31stMarch 2025.

·Profit after tax for FY26 grew by 10% to Rs. 2,059 crores as compared to Rs. 1,879 crores in FY25, after considering Rs. 76 crores under “Exceptional Items” for the incremental impact of the new Labour Codes.

GROUP COMPANY PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS

Our group companies continued to perform well.

·The asset management business closed the year ended 31stMarch 2026with assets under management of Rs. 77,457 crores (around 80% in equity) and consolidated profits from the asset management businesses were at Rs. 174 croresas against Rs. 154 crores in FY25.

·Royal Sundaram reported a Gross Written Premium (GWP) of Rs. 4,638crores as compared to Rs. 4,065 crores in the previous year, representing a growth of 14%. The company reported a profit after tax of Rs. 107 crores for FY26 as against a profit of Rs. 133 crores in FY25.

·Sundaram Home Finance disbursements grew by 4% to Rs. 6,805 crores in FY26. The profit for FY26 was Rs. 282 crores, as against Rs. 245 crores in FY25.Gross stage 3 assets as on 31stMarch 2026 stood at 1.11% as against 1.02% as on 31stMarch 2025. Net stage 3 assets as on 31stMarch 2026 closed at 0.51% as against 0.53% as on 31stMarch 2025.The Gross and Net NPA, as per RBI’s asset classification norms, are 1.21% and 0.59% respectivelyas against 1.33% and 0.77% as of 31stMarch 2025.

 

 

 

 

Engineered for demanding conditions, the MG MAJESTOR is equipped with an advanced 4WD system and segment-first triple differential locks, enabling superior traction and precise control across challenging terrains. Powered by a 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine paired with an advanced drivetrain, the SUV delivers strong performance with controlled capability, ensuring confidence in real-world driving scenarios.

Driven by a customer-first philosophy, JSW MG Motor India offers the MG MAJESTOR with its Complete Peace of Mind programme, featuring a 5-5-5 ownership package comprising a 5-Year Unlimited Kilometre Warranty, 5-Year Roadside Assistance, and 5 Labour-Free Services*.

Commenting on the milestone, Biju Balendran, Deputy Managing Director, JSW MG Motor India, said, “The commencement of production of the MG MAJESTOR marks a significant step for us as we move closer to introducing a new benchmark in the premium SUV space. With the MAJESTOR, we are bringing together strong engineering, advanced capability and a commanding presence, aligned to the evolving expectations of customers. Built at our Halol facility with advanced processes and stringent quality systems, the MAJESTOR is engineered to deliver high standards of durability, performance and reliability. We are confident it will resonate strongly with customers looking for both capability and refinement in their next SUV.”

The Halol facility, known for its advanced manufacturing capabilities and stringent quality systems, continues to play a pivotal role in delivering world-class manufacturing standards. Equipped with precision engineering processes and robust quality control mechanisms, the plant ensures that every MG MAJESTOR is built to deliver high levels of durability, performance and reliability across demanding conditions.

Built on true SUV fundamentals, the MG MAJESTOR stands as MG’s most rugged and premium offering, designed to deliver commanding road presence along with exceptional real-world capability. With its strong proportions and bold design language, the SUV reflects a confident, upright stance while maintaining a refined and premium aesthetic suited for both urban environments and demanding terrains. Safety and intelligent technology remain integral to the MG MAJESTOR, with the SUV equipped with advanced driver assistance systems designed to enhance confidence, control and overall driving experience across diverse conditions.

Customers can pre-reserve the MG MAJESTOR at INR 41,000 on www.mgmotor.co.in, with early customers set to benefit from priority deliveries, exclusive previews and curated experiential drives.

Mumbai, May 25: CocoCart, India’s premium omnichannel destination for chocolates, gourmet gifting and global confectionery, is bringing four globally loved gourmet brands to India as part of its new premium F&B boutiques vertical. The portfolio includes Venchi from Italy, Neuhaus from Belgium, Café Bateel from UAE and Saudi Arabia, and Le Pain Quotidien from Belgium.

The announcement follows CocoCart’s recent India launch of Venchi, the iconic Italian chocolate and gelato brand founded in Turin in 1878. With this next phase, CocoCart is expanding its offering beyond premium chocolate retail into experience-led gourmet destinations across chocolate, artisanal gelato, luxury gifting, premium cafés and European-style bakery café formats.

CocoCart’s boutiques vertical has been planned around a ₹56.8 crore capex commitment, with a target of 18 stores across Mumbai and Delhi by the end of Year 1 and 32 stores across Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru by Year 3. The company is also investing ₹15 crore in a central commissary to support its café formats.

Speaking on the announcement, Karan Ahuja, Co-Founder, CocoCart, said, “At CocoCart, our vision has always been to bring the world’s most loved chocolate and gourmet experiences closer to Indian consumers. With Venchi, Neuhaus, Café Bateel and Le Pain Quotidien, we are creating a portfolio that speaks to how India now consumes premium F&B, not just as a product, but as an experience. Consumers today are looking for quality, provenance, discovery and moments that feel special, whether it is a chocolate gift, a gelato outing, a café meeting or an everyday indulgence.”

Venchi will bring its Italian chocolate and gelato experience to India through boutiques, kiosks and shop-in-shop formats. Known for its chocolate-making legacy since 1878, Venchi combines Italian craftsmanship, premium ingredients and a distinctive retail experience that appeals to consumers looking for indulgence with heritage.

Neuhaus, founded in Belgium in 1857, will add a luxury chocolate and gifting dimension to CocoCart’s India portfolio. The brand is expected to cater to India’s growing appetite for refined chocolate gifting, premium celebrations, corporate gifting and special occasion-led consumption.

Café Bateel will bring a premium gourmet café experience rooted in the Middle East’s date culture and luxury hospitality sensibility. Planned across flagship café and boutique formats, the brand will add a new layer to India’s premium café landscape.

Le Pain Quotidien, founded in Belgium in 1990, will introduce its European bakery and café format to Indian consumers through flagship café and kiosk formats. The brand is known globally for its warm café experience, artisanal food culture and community-led dining approach.

Karan added, “India’s premium F&B consumer is evolving very quickly. The same consumer who once discovered global gourmet brands while travelling is now looking for those experiences closer to home. Our goal is to create destinations that feel aspirational yet accessible, where premium chocolate, gelato, cafés and gifting come together in a way that is relevant to the Indian market.”

The move comes at a time when India’s premium chocolate, café, frozen dessert and gifting categories are seeing strong growth. CocoCart’s boutiques vertical addresses a combined Indian premium F&B and gifting opportunity estimated at ₹25,000 to ₹35,000 crore. Within this, the premium chocolate market is estimated at ₹10,000 to ₹12,500 crore, the premium café and coffee retail chain market at approximately ₹5,100 crore, the premium gelato and artisanal frozen desserts market at ₹2,500 to ₹3,500 crore, and the corporate and luxury gifting market at ₹14,000 to ₹15,000 crore.

For the F&B and hospitality industry, CocoCart’s expansion signals a larger shift in how premium dining, gifting and gourmet retail are converging in India. Consumers are no longer looking at chocolate, desserts or cafés as standalone categories. Increasingly, they are seeking destination-led experiences that combine product quality, ambience, gifting, discovery and global storytelling.

CocoCart’s boutiques portfolio will begin with Mumbai and Delhi, followed by Ahmedabad and Bengaluru. The company is also developing India-exclusive launches for key gifting occasions, including Raksha Bandhan 2026 and Diwali 2026, across select brands in the portfolio.

Sustainability is another key part of the portfolio. Venchi works with Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa and global renewable electricity commitments. Neuhaus uses 100% sustainably sourced cocoa and is moving toward full traceability. Café Bateel is known for its fully integrated organic date production, while Le Pain Quotidien follows global sustainability-linked sourcing and food standards.

With Venchi, Neuhaus, Café Bateel and Le Pain Quotidien, CocoCart is looking to create a new premium F&B experience for India, one that brings together chocolate, gelato, cafés, gifting and global hospitality under one Indian retail platform.

New Delhi, May25 : Ashok Leyland, the Indian flagship of the Hinduja Group and the country’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, today announced that it has bagged an order of 715 vehicles from VRL Logistics, a key logistics player in India. The order includes AVTR 3120 haulage trucks, BOSS 1615 trucks and Oyster staff buses. This milestone marks a significant step in strengthening the partnership between the two companies and further reinforces Ashok Leyland’s position as a trusted mobility partner.

Building on a strong and enduring partnership, deliveries are progressing as planned, with 300 trucks already delivered and the remaining 415 scheduled for execution in the current year.

Dr. Anand Sankeshwar, Managing Director, VRL Logistics said,

“We have absolute confidence in the quality, reliability, and performance of Ashok Leyland trucks. Their strong after-sales support enables uninterrupted operations, while the rapidly expanding service network gives us a clear operational advantage. The fresh order of 715 vehicles marks a strategic deepening of our partnership to drive higher logistics efficiency. Backed by Ashok Leyland’s relentless focus on innovation and our forward-looking transport strategy, we are confident of sustained success on the road ahead.”

Ms. Madhavi Deshmukh, National Sales Head – MHCV, Ashok Leyland said,

 “We are delighted to strengthen our long-standing partnership with VRL Logistics. Over the years, VRL has worked closely with us in developing new products and features tailored to the emerging needs of customers in the logistics industry. This order win is a testament to the trust and confidence VRL Logistics have in Ashok Leyland’s technology and performance and it reinforces our dedication to creating efficient and technologically advanced products that exceed customers’ expectations. Our focus continues to be on developing advanced, safe, and efficient mobility solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers.”

The trucks are equipped with state-of-the-art features and advanced technologies engineered to deliver superior operational performance and reliability. These capabilities will enable VRL Logistics to significantly reduce maintenance downtime and unplanned stoppages, while enhancing fleet efficiency and productivity. The result will be higher vehicle uptime, optimised operations, and improved profitability, supporting the company’s continued growth and service excellence.

This milestone reflects the strength of a partnership built over decades, combining Ashok Leyland’s leadership in commercial vehicles with VRL Logistics’ position as one of India’s largest surface transportation companies.

By Varun Bhatia, Vice President-Project & Learning Solutions, Electronics Sector Skills Council of India (ESSCI)

For decades, the story of India’s power sector was one of chronic scarcity and the desperate scramble for generation. We measured progress by the number of power plants commissioned and the megawatts added to a perennially hungry grid. However, as global geopolitics becomes increasingly volatile, particularly with the ongoing disruptions in West Asia, India’s energy narrative is undergoing a fundamental shift. With nearly 40 percent of our crude oil imports transiting through the precarious Strait of Hormuz, the vulnerability of our fossil fuel dependence has never been more apparent. In this high-stakes environment, energy self-sufficiency is no longer just an environmental aspiration; it is a strategic imperative central to national sovereignty.

Yet, an often underemphasised truth sits at the heart of this transition. Generation capacity alone does not guarantee energy security. Without a robust and forward-looking transmission network, even the most ambitious renewable targets risk underdelivery. The real story of India’s energy transformation, therefore, lies in the interplay between generation and transmission, and the policy clarity that binds them together.

India’s electricity sector has undergone a structural transformation over the past decade. Energy shortages, which stood at over 4.2% in 2013–14, have nearly disappeared, falling to negligible levels in recent years (just 0.03% in 2025–26). The country has successfully met record peak demand exceeding 242 GW, signalling both demand growth and system resilience. The national grid, one of the largest synchronised networks in the world, operates at system availability levels exceeding 99%. These are not incremental improvements. They reflect sustained investments in both capacity creation and grid strengthening.

From Fields to Power: Farmers in a New Role

There is a quiet transformation taking place across rural India. The same farmers who once powered the Green Revolution are now enabling the country’s energy transition. Land that fed the nation is increasingly hosting solar parks, wind corridors and transmission networks.

This is not a disruption. It is a continuum. India’s journey from food security to energy security is being written on the same soil. Farmers are no longer just beneficiaries of infrastructure. They are partners in building it. This shift also signals the arrival of what can be called an Electricity Revolution. Reliable and abundant power is beginning to reshape consumption patterns. Electric mobility is expanding, industries are adapting, and households are becoming less dependent on fossil fuels. As renewable capacity grows, the country’s long-term dependence on imported crude and LNG is expected to ease.

Policy ambition is keeping pace. India has already crossed the milestone of 50 per cent non-fossil installed capacity and is now aiming for 60% by 2035. Its emissions intensity reduction target has also been raised to 47% by 2030 from 2005 levels. These are not incremental changes. They signal a structural shift.

India’s Electrification & Renewable Energy Momentum

Today, India stands as the fourth largest renewable energy market globally. Our total installed capacity has crossed the 509 GW mark, with non-fossil sources now accounting for more than half of that total. However, the sheer scale of our renewable ambitions—targeting 786 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2035—presents a unique set of engineering and logistical challenges. Unlike coal-fired plants that can be built near load centers, renewable energy is location-specific. The sun shines brightest in the deserts of Rajasthan and Gujarat, and the winds blow strongest along the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Without a robust transmission network, this clean energy remains “stranded,” unable to reach the factories of Maharashtra or the households of Delhi. Transmission is the ultimate enabler of scale; it turns localized potential into national power.

The expansion of our national grid has been nothing short of Herculean. Since April 2014, the transmission network has grown by over 71 percent, adding 2.09 lakh circuit kilometers (ckm) to cross a total milestone of 5 lakh ckm. In the last fiscal year alone, over 8,800 ckm of lines were added to strengthen connectivity. This progress is anchored by the Green Energy Corridors and the Intra-State Transmission System (InSTS) projects active across eight renewable-rich states. These corridors are essential for evacuating the 40 GW of renewable power currently being integrated through initial phases of development.

Why It Matters Now

The case for prioritising both generation and transmission is not merely technical. It is strategic. Reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels shields India from geopolitical shocks. A robust grid ensures that power reaches every corner of the country reliably, supporting growth and improving quality of life. Rural India, through farmers’ participation, is emerging as a key driver of this transformation.

There is also a larger shift underway. India is no longer just a major energy consumer. It is positioning itself as a global leader in clean energy deployment. But we cannot afford to be complacent. To reach our updated target of 60 percent non-fossil power capacity by 2035, the grid must evolve from being reactive to being pre-emptive. The current Inter-State Transmission System plan is ambitious, envisioning 67,000 circuit kilometers of lines and 600,000 MVA of transformation capacity by 2031. This forward-looking approach is necessary because transmission infrastructure often takes longer to plan and execute than the renewable plants themselves. If we do not build the “highways” of electricity today, our future generation capacity will have nowhere to go.

The economic implications of this shift are profound. Greater availability of domestic electricity for mobility, residential use, and industry directly dampens the growth in petroleum demand. As we integrate more solar, wind, and hydro, our long-term dependence on expensive, imported LNG and crude oil will naturally decline. Furthermore, India has raised the stakes for its own efficiency, revising the target for reducing energy intensity to 47 percent of GDP by 2030. This dual focus on adding green capacity while reducing intensity is the only viable pathway to a sustainable, high-growth economy.

Looking ahead, the next decade will be the most decisive for India’s transmission sector. We are moving toward a reality of round-the-clock renewable energy (RE-RTC) that combines solar, wind, and storage. This requires a grid that is not just a series of wires, but a sophisticated, modernized entity capable of handling the intermittency of clean power. Transmission and generation are two sides of the same coin: generation without transmission is an exercise in inefficiency, while transmission without generation is a redundancy we cannot afford.