Asian Paints witnessed a significant downturn in its share price, dropping approximately 4.5% to reach an intraday low of ₹2,847.80 on Monday morning.
The sharp decline in Asian Paints’ stock value today coincides with growing apprehension among investors and analysts following the Aditya Birla Group’s foray into the paints sector. CLSA, a global brokerage firm, downgraded the stock rating from “buy” to “sell,” highlighting escalating competitive pressures and reducing the price target to ₹2,425 from ₹3,215, indicating a potential downside of 19% from Friday’s closing levels.
Despite the industry shake-up, CLSA acknowledges the potential for Asian Paints to maintain its market leadership, though it remains uncertain. Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) maintained a “neutral” rating on Asian Paints but revised the price target to ₹2,850 from ₹3,300.
In contrast, Macquarie holds an optimistic view of the paints giant, maintaining an “outperform” recommendation with a price target of ₹4,000. Macquarie suggests that industry discounting levels are unlikely to see significant increases despite new competition, expressing a preference for Asian Paints over Berger, which may face a more substantial impact from new entrants.
The entry of Grasim Industries (NS:GRAS), a subsidiary of the Aditya Birla Group, into the paints business last week has heightened market competition. Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla has set ambitious targets for the paints business, aiming for profitability and revenue exceeding ₹10,000 crore within the next three years.
Asian Paints’ share price experienced a notable decline of 3.94%, trading at ₹2,868.35 in early Monday trading.