Auto sector pins hope on upcoming festive season; analysts list triggers for rising demand & growth

The Indian automobile sector may see a revival during the upcoming festival season almost after two mundane years due to Covid. The categories such as PV, CV, and 2W among others across the industry are likely to show improvement in figures on the back of multiple triggers, several experts estimated.  

On the back of a positive outlook, Nifty Auto Index was among the top gainers, which most aided the benchmark indices. It closed almost 1.7 per cent higher with Eicher Motors concluding as one of the top gainers on the Nifty50 index today, along with Hero Moto, Tata Motors, and Bajaj Auto among others.  

“With supply chain issues easing off and demand-supply mismatch reducing, the Indian auto sector is expected to see robust demand during the festive season of 2022,” Tanusree Banerjee, Co-Head of Research, Equitymaster said in her comment.  

She also added that the launch of new and green energy models is also expected to keep the passenger car demand strong this year after two muted years. Besides, good monsoons may keep the rural demand encouraging, the research head at Equitymaster said. 

Reliance Securities believe that gradual price hikes, volume recovery, and softening commodity prices would improve operating margins in 2HFY23 of auto companies. It also expects the 3Ws and M&HCV segment to witness a strong double-digit volume growth in FY23E.  

Estimating that the long-term fundamentals continue to remain intact for the sector, the brokerage remain constructive on the PV segment amid a number of new launches and a strong demand outlook supported by a healthy order book.  

Considering the sentiments in the West and South during Ganesh Chathurthi and Onam, we are optimistic that the demand over the holiday season would be significantly more upbeat this year, Saurabh Vatsa, Brand Head, Citroën India said expecting a full-fledged revival in the sector, ahead. 

In August 2022, the overall Indian auto industry witnessed a robust recovery. PV reported volume recovery despite semiconductor shortages; the domestic 2W market exhibited partial recovery and CV reported growth primarily due to lower base and higher Infra spending among other factors.