New Delhi, Oct 31 : Maruti Suzuki India Limited, the country's largest carmaker, on Friday reported a 7.94 per cent rise in its consolidated net profit to Rs 3,349 crore for the September quarter (Q2 FY26), driven by higher vehicle sales and strong demand momentum.

The company had posted a net profit of Rs 3,102.5 crore in the same period last fiscal (Q2 FY25), according to its stock exchange filing.

On a standalone basis, the automaker reported a 7.3 per cent increase in profit after tax (PAT) to Rs 3,293.1 crore from Rs 3,069.2 crore a year earlier.

The company's total revenue from operations rose 13 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 42,344 crore in the July'September quarter, compared with Rs 37,449 crore a year ago.

At the operational level, Maruti Suzuki's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) stood at Rs 4,434 crore, slightly higher than Rs 4,417 crore a year earlier.

However, the EBITDA margin declined to 10.5 per cent from 11.9 per cent, due to higher input costs and competitive pricing pressures.

Despite the earnings improvement, shares of Maruti Suzuki India were trading marginally lower at Rs 16,167 on the NSE, down 0.24 per cent from the previous close.

Earlier this month, the company said its production rose 26 per cent year-on-year in September 2025 to 2,01,915 units, supported by higher market demand and new model launches.

Production of utility vehicles such as the Brezza, Ertiga, and Fronx saw a 27 per cent increase, while compact models like the Baleno, Swift, and Dzire also recorded strong output growth.

As the Indian automobile sector enters the second half of FY26, analysts expect a steady performance supported by festive demand, GST rate cuts, rural recovery, and new launches.

Axis Securities recently noted that while two-wheelers and commercial vehicles are witnessing strong momentum, passenger vehicle sales could see high single-digit growth in the coming months.

/IANS