Indian companies have increased their cash reserves by 35% in the last two years. According to the recent Economic Survey, Indian companies have made good amounts of cash balances but they are not ready to raise the salaries of the employees. It was mentioned in the survey that the companies have massive cash balances but the salaries of employees were not offered accordingly.
According to a report published in Hindu Business Line, Nifty 500 companies witnessed a surge of 35 percent from Rs 10.6 lakh crore in September 2022 to Rs 14.3 lakh crore in September 2024. Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries top the list with huge cash balances.
Reliance Industries holds 15% cash balances of all 500 Nifty companies. The nation’s most valuable company has Rs 2.15 lakh crore cash and cash equivalent balances. After Reliance, Larsen and Tubero, Tata Motors, TCS and Wipro are the companies having large cash reserves as of 2024.
In the past two years, Indigo’s parent company, Interglobe Aviation, Reliance, and Hindustan Aeronautics have large cash reserves. Experts suggest that Indian companies have taken advantage of cost optimisation after the Covid period. These companies didn’t spend on expansion and it is the reason that they are witnessing huge cash reserves.
The companies that have huge cash reserves are from key sectors like chemical, power, health care, realty, auto, and FMCG. In the last few years, the companies have focused on brownfield projects.
