Key Audit Matter
Auditor's Response
Investment in Subsidiaries, Associates and Equity Instruments
Principal audit procedures performed included the following:
The Company holds investment in subsidiaries, associates and equity
Obtained understanding of the process and tested the internal controls
instruments amounting to I 4,901.40 crores as at March 31, 2025. At
related to the assumptions used by the management for determination
each reporting period, the Company assesses the recoverable amount
of (a) recoverable value of the investments in subsidiaries and
of the investments in subsidiaries and associates and fair value of
associates and (b) fair value of investments in equity instruments.
equity instruments, respectively, in order to determine (i) whether
Challenged management on the appropriateness of the valuation
there is any indication that the investments in subsidiaries andassociates have suffered an impairment loss and (ii) changes in fair
methodology and performed following procedures:
value of equity instruments.
To assess the recoverability of investments in subsidiaries and
• Assessed the recoverable value of the subsidiaries and associatesbased on latest available financial information;
associates and to determine the fair value of equity instruments,
• Evaluated the objectivity and competency of the specialist
management is required to use appropriate methodology and apply
engaged by the Company and reviewed the valuation reports
significant assumptions relating to discount rate, long term growth
issued by such specialist;
rate and revenue multiples.
• With the assistance of our valuation specialist, we assessed
We have identified the valuation methodology and aforementioned
the reasonableness of the methodology and assumptions
assumptions used by the management for estimation of the
used to determine the recoverable value of the investments in
recoverable value and determination of fair value as the key audit
subsidiaries and associates and fair value of investments in
matter because these assumptions are of particular importance due
equity instruments, primarily related to discount rates, long term
to the level of judgements involved.
growth rate and revenue multiples;
Refer note 3.15 and 9 of the Standalone Financial Statements
• Tested the arithmetical accuracy of the valuation models; and
• Assessed appropriateness of disclosures made by the Company.
We have audited the accompanying standalone financialstatements of Hero MotoCorp Limited (“the Company"),which comprise the Standalone Balance Sheet as at March31, 2025, and the Standalone Statement of Profit and Loss(including Other Comprehensive Loss), the StandaloneStatement of Cash Flows and the Standalone Statement ofChanges in Equity for the year ended on that date, and notesto the standalone financial statements, including a summaryof material accounting policies and other explanatoryinformation (hereinafter referred to as “the standalonefinancial statements").
In our opinion and to the best of our information and accordingto the explanations given to us, the aforesaid standalonefinancial statements give the information required by theCompanies Act, 2013 (“the Act") in the manner so requiredand give a true and fair view in conformity with the IndianAccounting Standards prescribed under section 133 of theAct read with the Companies (Indian Accounting Standards)Rules, 2015, as amended, (“Ind AS") and other accountingprinciples generally accepted in India, of the state of affairsof the Company as at March 31, 2025, and its profit, totalcomprehensive income, its cash flows and the changes inequity for the year ended on that date.
Basis for Opinion
We conducted our audit of the standalone financial statementsin accordance with the Standards on Auditing (“SAs") specifiedunder section 143(10) of the Act. Our responsibilities underthose Standards are further described in the Auditor'sResponsibility for the Audit of the Standalone FinancialStatements section of our report. We are independent of theCompany in accordance with the Code of Ethics issued bythe Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (the “ICAI")together with the ethical requirements that are relevant toour audit of the standalone financial statements under theprovisions of the Act and the Rules made thereunder, and wehave fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordancewith these requirements and the ICAI's Code of Ethics. Webelieve that the audit evidence obtained by us is sufficientand appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion on thestandalone financial statements.
Key Audit Matters
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professionaljudgment, were of most significance in our audit of thestandalone financial statements of the current period. Thesematters were addressed in the context of our audit of thestandalone financial statements as a whole, and in formingour opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinionon these matters. We have determined the matters describedbelow to be the key audit matters to be communicated inour report.
Information Other than the Financial Statementsand Auditor's Report Thereon
• The Company's Board of Directors is responsible for theother information. The other information comprises theinformation included in the Board's Report includingAnnexures to the Board's Report, ManagementDiscussion and Analysis, Business Responsibility& Sustainability Report and Corporate GovernanceReport, but does not include the consolidated financialstatements, standalone financial statements and ourauditor's report thereon.
• Our opinion on the standalone financial statements doesnot cover the other information and we do not expressany form of assurance conclusion thereon.
• In connection with our audit of the standalone financialstatements, our responsibility is to read the otherinformation and, in doing so, consider whether theother information is materially inconsistent with thestandalone financial statements or our knowledgeobtained during the course of our audit or otherwiseappears to be materially misstated.
• If, based on the work we have performed, we concludethat there is a material misstatement of this otherinformation, we are required to report that fact. We havenothing to report in this regard.
Responsibilities of Management and Board ofDirectors for the Standalone Financial Statements
The Company's Board of Directors is responsible for thematters stated in section 134(5) of the Act with respect tothe preparation of these standalone financial statementsthat give a true and fair view of the financial position, financialperformance including other comprehensive loss, cash flowsand changes in equity of the Company in accordance with theaccounting principles generally accepted in India, including IndAS specified under section 133 of the Act. This responsibilityalso includes maintenance of adequate accounting records inaccordance with the provisions of the Act for safeguardingthe assets of the Company and for preventing and detectingfrauds and other irregularities; selection and applicationof appropriate accounting policies; making judgments andestimates that are reasonable and prudent; and design,implementation and maintenance of adequate internalfinancial controls, that were operating effectively for ensuringthe accuracy and completeness of the accounting records,relevant to the preparation and presentation of the standalonefinancial statements that give a true and fair view and are freefrom material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the standalone financial statements,management and Board of Directors are responsible forassessing the Company's ability to continue as a going concern,disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern andusing the going concern basis of accounting unless the Board
of Directors either intends to liquidate the Company or tocease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
The Company's Board of Directors is also responsible foroverseeing the Company's financial reporting process.
Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of theStandalone Financial Statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance aboutwhether the standalone financial statements as a wholeare free from material misstatement, whether due to fraudor error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes ouropinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance,but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordancewith SAs will always detect a material misstatement whenit exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error andare considered material if, individually or in the aggregate,they could reasonably be expected to influence the economicdecisions of users taken on the basis of these standalonefinancial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with SAs, we exerciseprofessional judgment and maintain professional skepticismthroughout the audit. We also:
• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatementof the standalone financial statements, whether dueto fraud or error, design and perform audit proceduresresponsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidencethat is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basisfor our opinion. The risk of not detecting a materialmisstatement resulting from fraud is higher than forone resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion,forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, orthe override of internal control.
• Obtain an understanding of internal financial controlsrelevant to the audit in order to design audit proceduresthat are appropriate in the circumstances. Undersection 143(3)(i) of the Act, we are also responsible forexpressing our opinion on whether the Company hasadequate internal financial controls with referenceto standalone financial statements in place and theoperating effectiveness of such controls.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies usedand the reasonableness of accounting estimates andrelated disclosures made by the management.
• Conclude on the appropriateness of management's useof the going concern basis of accounting and, basedon the audit evidence obtained, whether a materialuncertainty exists related to events or conditions thatmay cast significant doubt on the Company's ability tocontinue as a going concern. If we conclude that a materialuncertainty exists, we are required to draw attentionin our auditor's report to the related disclosures in thestandalone financial statements or, if such disclosures
are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusionsare based on the audit evidence obtained up to thedate of our auditor's report. However, future events orconditions may cause the Company to cease to continueas a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and contentof the standalone financial statements, including thedisclosures, and whether the standalone financialstatements represent the underlying transactions andevents in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
Materiality is the magnitude of misstatements in thestandalone financial statements that, individually or inaggregate, makes it probable that the economic decisions ofa reasonably knowledgeable user of the standalone financialstatements may be influenced. We consider quantitativemateriality and qualitative factors in (i) planning the scope ofour audit work and in evaluating the results of our work; and (ii)to evaluate the effect of any identified misstatements in thestandalone financial statements.
We communicate with those charged with governanceregarding, among other matters, the planned scope andtiming of the audit and significant audit findings, including anysignificant deficiencies in internal financial controls that weidentify during our audit.
We also provide those charged with governance with astatement that we have complied with relevant ethicalrequirements regarding independence, and to communicatewith them all relationships and other matters that mayreasonably be thought to bear on our independence, andwhere applicable, related safeguards.
From the matters communicated with those charged withgovernance, we determine those matters that were of mostsignificance in the audit of the standalone financial statementsof the current period and are therefore the key audit matters.We describe these matters in our auditor's report unless lawor regulation precludes public disclosure about the matter orwhen, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine thata matter should not be communicated in our report becausethe adverse consequences of doing so would reasonablybe expected to outweigh the public interest benefits ofsuch communication.
Report on Other Legal and RegulatoryRequirements
1. As required by Section 143(3) of the Act, we report that:
a) We have sought and obtained all the informationand explanations which to the best of our knowledgeand belief were necessary for the purposes ofour audit.
b) In our opinion, proper books of account as requiredby law have been kept by the Company so far as itappears from our examination of those books.
c) The Standalone Balance Sheet, the StandaloneStatement of Profit and Loss including OtherComprehensive Loss, the Standalone Statement ofCash Flows and Standalone Statement of Changesin Equity dealt with by this Report are in agreementwith the relevant books of account.
d) In our opinion, the aforesaid standalone financialstatements comply with the Ind AS specified underSection 133 of the Act.
e) On the basis of the written representations receivedfrom the directors as on March 31, 2025 takenon record by the Board of Directors, none of thedirectors is disqualified as on March 31, 2025 frombeing appointed as a director in terms of Section164(2) of the Act.
f) With respect to the adequacy of the internalfinancial controls with reference to standalonefinancial statements of the Company and theoperating effectiveness of such controls, refer toour separate Report in ''Annexure A". Our reportexpresses an unmodified opinion on the adequacyand operating effectiveness of the Company'sinternal financial controls with reference tostandalone financial statements.
g) With respect to the other matters to be includedin the Auditor's Report in accordance with therequirements of section 197(16) of the Act, asamended, in our opinion and to the best of ourinformation and according to the explanations givento us, the remuneration paid by the Company to itsdirectors during the year is in accordance with theprovisions of section 197 of the Act.
h) With respect to the other matters to be includedin the Auditor's Report in accordance with Rule 11of the Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014,as amended in our opinion and to the best of ourinformation and according to the explanations givento us:
i. The Company has disclosed the impact ofpending litigations on its financial positionin its standalone financial statements -Refer Note 34 (a) and (b) to the standalonefinancial statements.
ii. The Company did not have any long-termcontracts including derivative contractsfor which there were any materialforeseeable losses.
iii. There has been no delay in transferringamounts, required to be transferred, to theInvestor Education and Protection Fund bythe Company. Refer Note 23 to the standalonefinancial statements.
iv. (a) The Management has represented that,
to the best of its knowledge and belief,as disclosed in the note 45(vii) to thestandalone financial statements, nofunds have been advanced or loaned orinvested (either from borrowed funds orshare premium or any other sources orkind of funds) by the Company to or in anyother person(s) or entity(ies), includingforeign entities (“Intermediaries"), withthe understanding, whether recordedin writing or otherwise, that theIntermediary shall, directly or indirectlylend or invest in other persons or entitiesidentified in any manner whatsoever byor on behalf of the Company (“UltimateBeneficiaries") or provide any guarantee,security or the like on behalf of theUltimate Beneficiaries.
(b) The Management has represented, that,to the best of its knowledge and belief,as disclosed in the note 45(viii) to thestandalone financial statements, nofunds have been received by the Companyfrom any person(s) or entity(ies), includingforeign entities (“Funding Parties"), withthe understanding, whether recorded inwriting or otherwise, that the Companyshall, directly or indirectly, lend or investin other persons or entities identifiedin any manner whatsoever by or onbehalf of the Funding Party (“UltimateBeneficiaries") or provide any guarantee,security or the like on behalf of theUltimate Beneficiaries.
(c) Based on the audit procedures performedthat have been considered reasonable andappropriate in the circumstances, nothinghas come to our notice that has caused usto believe that the representations undersub-clause (i) and (ii) of Rule 11(e), asprovided under (a) and (b) above, containany material misstatement.
v. As stated in the Note 19 to the standalonefinancial statements,
a) The final dividend proposed in theprevious year, declared and paid by theCompany during the year is in accordancewith section 123 of the Act, as applicable.
b) The interim dividend declared and paid bythe Company during the year and until thedate of this audit report is in compliancewith section 123 of the Act.
c) The Board of Directors of the Companyhave proposed final dividend for the yearwhich is subject to the approval of themembers at the ensuing Annual GeneralMeeting. The final dividend proposed is inaccordance with section 123 of the Act.
vi. Based on our examination, which included testchecks, the Company has used an accountingsoftware system for maintaining its booksof account for the financial year ended March31, 2025 which has a feature of recordingaudit trail (edit log) facility and the same hasoperated throughout the year for all relevanttransactions recorded in the software system.
Further, during the course of our audit, wedid not come across any instance of the audittrail feature being tampered with, in respectof said accounting software for the period forwhich the audit trail feature was enabled andoperating. Additionally, the audit trail thatwas enabled and operated for the year endedMarch 31, 2024, has been preserved by theCompany as per the statutory requirementsfor record retention, as stated in Note 45(xi) tothe financial statements.
2. As required by the Companies (Auditor's Report) Order,2020 (“the Order") issued by the Central Government interms of Section 143(11) of the Act, we give in “AnnexureB" a statement on the matters specified in paragraphs 3and 4 of the Order.
For DELOITTE HASKINS & SELLS LLP
Chartered Accountants(Firm's Registration No. 117366W/W-100018)
Vijay Agarwal
Partner
(Membership No. 094468)UDIN: 25094468BMMIYU2782
Place: Gurugram
Date: May 13, 2025