Indian retail sector is all set to move up, attracting fresh investments in the next few years. Pantaloon Retail is definitely the flavour of the season, going by its net turnover, market cap and returns in the second quarter of this year. Among its peer set we have Shoppers' Stop, Trent, and Pyramid Retail. We have also analysed returns and turnover of Provogue and Bata India. Barring Pyramid, all others have given a positive return.

Pantaloon Retail's Net Turnover zoomed a whopping 992% in the three month period ending September 29, 2006. It has also announced a 25% dividend of Rs 2.50 on shares of Rs 10 each. A stock split is in the offing. The company has decided to sub-divide every equity share of Rs 10 each to five shares of Rs 2 each, subject to shareholders approval. After the stock split the authorised share capital of Rs 35 crore would consist of 17.50 crore-equity shares of Rs 2 each.

Trent, a part of Tata Group, has attractive P/E multiple of 38.8 as its USP. In the three-month period ended September 29, 2006, the company gave a return of  27.73% and a net turnover of 287%. This retail arm of the Tatas proposes to mark up the number of its apparel retail chain, Westside. The group also has plans to share shelf-space with premium international brands.

Shoppers' Stop is on the expansion spree. This Raheja Group retail chain is adding 30 more stores for Shoppers' Stop Department Store with an area of 2.7 million square feet, which will take the total number of stores to 49, spread across 3.6 million square feet. Besides lifestyle stores and Crossword outlets, the group has the distinction of achieving one million footfalls within 90 days of introducing value retailing business Hypercity. 

Provogue, through Prozone, is scheduled to set up around eight retail outlets in metros and tier II cities in a year's time. However, Piramyd Retail which clocked a negative return of -3.83% in July-September quarter, was up in October trading. On October 12, 2006, the stock closed at  Rs 108 with a turnover of  Rs 4130.39. The group, meanwhile, is also on the expansion mode. It will open outlets at Lucknow, Jaipur, a second outlet in New Delhi and is close to signing up for properties in three southern cities. Next on the list are Ahmedabad and Kolkata and additional outlets in New Delhi and Surat.

For June-September table and October performance:

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