New Delhi, April 29 -- Maruti Suzuki India's stock rose 5% to Rs.13,512 on Wednesday as investors prioritised the company's strong operating performance in the March quarter (Q4FY26) over a 7% year-on-year drop in net profit to Rs.3,591 crore.

It should be noted that Maruti's Q4FY26 profitability per vehicle held up well despite the pressure from higher raw material costs, particularly steel. Ebitda per vehicle fell just 1.4% sequentially to Rs.91,050 as the average selling price (ASP) rose 4% quarter-on-quarter to Rs.7.76 lakh per unit.

On the other hand, Q4FY26 domestic sales volumes announced at the start of April were disappointing. Q4 had been the best quarter for domestic volumes in FY24 and FY25. But Maruti's Q4FY26 volume, at 53...