WinstonWınston
Back
Varun Beverages Limited logo

Varun Beverages Limited

VBL.NS
67
Beverages - Non-Alcoholic · Consumer Defensive
Price
₹430.10
-8.20 (-1.87%)
Market Cap
₹1.45T
Exchange
National Stock Exchange of India
Winston Score
67
Winston is curious
A decent business — some strong pillars, some weaker.
Data as of Aug 23, 2026 · filings through Jun 30, 2026
How the score breaks down
Quality
Strong
Growth
Exceptional
Cash Flow
Weak
Stability
Exceptional
Valuation
Good
Dividends
Weak

Share count rising — dilution

+4.1% over 4y

The company has issued more shares over this period, which dilutes each existing shareholder’s stake.

Diluted shares outstanding: 3.25B (2021) → 3.38B (2025)

Winston Score History

The full picture

Varun Beverages Limited is one of the largest bottlers and distributors of PepsiCo products outside the United States. The company manufactures, bottles, and sells drinks like Pepsi, Mountain Dew, 7UP, Mirinda, and Tropicana, as well as snacks like Lay's, across India and several international markets including Africa and Nepal. It operates under a long-term franchise agreement with PepsiCo, making it a key partner in delivering those brands to consumers.

Varun Beverages earns money by producing and selling beverages and packaged snacks to retailers, restaurants, and distributors, charging per unit sold rather than through subscriptions. The company operates primarily in India, which accounts for the bulk of its revenue, with a growing presence in sub-Saharan Africa. Its main competitive advantage is its exclusive territorial rights from PepsiCo, which limits direct competition within its licensed regions. The key growth driver is expanding its African operations and increasing rural distribution in India, while its main risk is heavy dependence on PepsiCo renewing and maintaining its franchise agreements.

Growth Profile

When traditional metrics don't capture the full picture, these are the signals growth stock investors use instead.

Revenue Growth

+20.4% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Steady revenue growth

EPS Growth

+15.7% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Steady EPS growth

R&D Spend

₹0/ year

0.0% of revenue

Below sector average (2%)

Research and development spending

Insider Activity

61.5%ownership

Insiders own a meaningful stake in the company

Cash Position

Cash flow positive

₹46.5B cash & investments

Company generates more cash than it spends — no dilution risk from fundraising

Growth + cash flow

Varun Beverages Limited is a rare growth stock that's already generating positive cash flow while growing at 20%. The Winston Score doesn't fully credit this transition from "burner" to "earner."

The Winston Score above measures business quality today. Growth stocks often score lower because they invest in the future rather than maximising current profits. These metrics show what matters most for evaluating that future.

Score breakdown

Every number that matters to educated investors.

Each metric is explained in plain language so you know exactly what you're looking at. Start your free trial now.

Quality

Profit per sale
Gross Margin
55.0%
Healthy — 55.0% gross margin
Profit after running costs
Operating Margin
22.9%
Excellent — 22.9% operating margin
Return on the money invested
ROCE
17.2%
Strong — 17.2% return on capital

ROIC between 15% and 25%. Every dollar invested in the business earns 15 to 25 cents back per year.

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Growth

Sales growth
Sales YoY
+14.5%
Fast-growing sales (+14.5% YoY)
Profit growth
EPS YoY
+17.6%
Earnings growing fast (+17.6% YoY)

Healthy double-digit earnings growth — what compounders look like.

How steady the profit is
EPS Consistency
8/8 quarters
Every recent quarter grew earnings vs last year

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Cash Flow

Profit that turns into cash
Cash Conversion
28%
Weak — only 28% of profit becomes cash
Spare cash per sale
FCF Margin
-0.7%
Burning cash (-0.7%)

Free cash flow is negative. They are burning cash, not generating it.

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Stability

What it owes vs what it owns
Debt / Equity
0.14
Conservative — low debt load (0.14)
Covers its interest
Interest Cover
21.56x
Comfortably covers interest (21.6x)

Interest coverage above 8. Profits cover interest many times over.

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Valuation

Price vs profit
P/E Ratio (TTM)
43.0x
Pricey — P/E 43.0

P/E over 35. The market is pricing in heavy, sustained growth.

Cheaper or dearer next year
P/E vs Forward
+10.0
GROWING
Earnings expected to grow meaningfully — cheaper on forward P/E (43.0 → 33.0)

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Dividends

Dividend
Dividend Yield
0.34%
Small dividend — 0.34% yield

Modest yield. The bulk of any return needs to come from price appreciation.

Dividend record
Dividend Growth
-42.9%
Dividend cut (-42.9% YoY) — warning sign

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free
🔒 See full fundamentals and if they are improving or declining — click here for your free trial now.
Start free trial