Hester Biosciences: Standalone struggles, consolidated profits surge on forex gains

Hester Biosciences Limited reported standalone revenue from operations of INR 645.79 million for Q2 FY26, a 12% decrease from the previous year. Standalone profit after tax also saw a 23% decline to INR 72.09 million. For the first half of FY26, standalone revenue was INR 1,280.69 million, down 13%, with profit after tax decreasing by 15% to INR 150.47 million. This was primarily attributed to lower sales volumes and deferred institutional orders in the Animal Healthcare Division.

In contrast, consolidated results showed a 71% increase in profit for Q2 FY26, reaching INR 143.31 million, despite a 15% decline in divisional product sales to INR 708.96 million. For H1 FY26, consolidated profit surged by 99% to INR 316.27 million, even as divisional product sales decreased by 7% to INR 1,549.85 million. The consolidated performance was bolstered by a net foreign exchange gain of INR 88.90 million.

The Poultry Healthcare Division delivered strong growth, with an 18% increase in Q2 FY26 and 10% in H1 FY26. However, the Animal Healthcare Division experienced a 50% decline in Q2 FY26 and 41% in H1 FY26, largely due to delays in government-led immunization programs. The company expects a recovery in the second half of the fiscal year as these programs resume.