| Invalid Username / Password | ||||||||
| Invalid Captcha | ||||||||
|
||||||||
| Sign Up | Forgot Password? | ||||||||
Some companies don't just grow; they build business models that keep getting stronger over time. These are the kind of businesses investors like because they are scalable, and not easy to replace.
In this editorial, we will look at four such companies and understand how their business models work, where they make money from, and what makes them stand out.
Eternal Ltd (formerly Zomato) is a consumer internet company that operates across food delivery, quick commerce, and dining-out services.
Its business model stands out because it focuses on high-frequency use cases, things people use almost daily, making it both scalable and deeply embedded in urban lifestyles.
Eternal runs four segments: food delivery, quick commerce (Blinkit), dining and events (District), and B2B supplies (Hyperpure). It earns revenue through restaurant commissions, delivery fees, brand ads, and direct sales to businesses.
What makes the model strong is its network effect. More users attract more restaurants and delivery partners, which improves service and attracts even more users.
At the same time, its supply chain arm (Hyperpure) supports restaurants directly, strengthening its overall ecosystem.
| Segment | Revenue (Rs million) | Contribution (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Commerce | 122,560 | 73.40% |
| Food Delivery | 30,530 | 18.30% |
| B2B Supplies (Hyperpure) | 10,700 | 6.40% |
| Going out | 3,000 | 1.80% |
| Others | 130 | 0.10% |
Quick Commerce is now the biggest part of the business, contributing 73.4% of total revenue.
This is mainly because the company changed its model to an inventory-led approach, where it now records the full value of goods sold instead of just commissions.
In Q3 FY26, the company reported strong growth. Revenue increased 202% year-on-year, while profit grew 73%.
This increase was mainly due to Blinkit shifting to an inventory-led model, which boosted reported revenue. At the same time, both quick commerce and Hyperpure achieved adjusted EBITDA profitability for the first time.
Between FY23 and FY25, Eternal's revenue has grown at a CAGR of about 69%. The company has also moved from losses to profitability during this period, indicating a clear shift in its financial position.
Computer Age Management Services (CAMS) operates quietly behind the scenes but plays a critical role in India's mutual fund ecosystem.
As the largest Registrar and Transfer Agent (RTA), it handles investor records and transactions for most major fund houses. This makes it less visible to consumers but is highly important for the industry.
CAMS manages the full lifecycle of mutual fund investments. From onboarding and KYC to processing purchases, redemptions, and statements. Almost every backend activity flows through its systems.
The company earns revenue in two main ways. First, it charges asset-based fees, which are linked to the total assets managed by its clients.
Second, it earns transaction-based fees for services like account changes or additional requests.
What gives CAMS an edge is the difficulty of replacing it. Fund houses rely heavily on their systems, and switching providers is not easy.
Over time, it has also expanded into areas like insurance repositories, payment services, and data analytics, adding new revenue streams.
| Segment (Q3 FY26) | Revenue (Rs million) | Contribution (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Mutual Fund (Asset-based) | 2,871.40 | 73.60% |
| Mutual Fund (Non-asset-based) | 464.3 | 11.90% |
| Non-Mutual Fund | 565.7 | 14.50% |
| Total | 3,901.40 | 100% |
The mutual fund segment still drives the majority of revenue. The contribution of non-MF businesses to total revenue increased to 14.5% in the latest quarter, compared to approximately 13% in the previous full financial year.
In Q3 FY26, CAMS reported its highest ever revenue. Revenue grew by 5.5% year-on-year, while profit remained almost flat.
Growth was supported by strong equity inflows and a sharp rise in non-mutual fund revenue. However, profit growth was impacted by a one-time pricing change and higher employee-related costs.
Between FY22 and FY25, CAMS delivered steady growth. Revenue grew at a CAGR of 16%, while profit increased at a CAGR of 15%.
Info Edge (India) Limited is one of India's early internet companies that built strong platforms across jobs, real estate, matchmaking, and education.
Over the years, it has created category leaders like Naukri, 99acres, and Jeevansathi. Its strength lies in building platforms that benefit from continuous user participation.
Info Edge operates digital marketplaces where users and businesses interact. For example, job seekers upload resumes on Naukri, while recruiters pay to access this database. Similarly, property developers and brokers pay to list projects on 99acres.
The company earns most of its revenue from recruitment services, followed by real estate listings and other smaller segments, such as matchmaking and education. What makes the model strong is its data advantage. With over 100 million resumes, Naukri has built a large talent pool.
This attracts recruiters, which then brings in more job seekers. Over time, this loop strengthens the platform and makes it harder for competitors to replicate.
| Segment | Revenue (Rs million) | Contribution (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Recruitment Solutions | 6,006.42 | 73.30% |
| 99acres for real estate | 1,185.78 | 14.50% |
| Others (Matchmaking & Education) | 1,002.24 | 12.20% |
| Total Net Sales/Revenue from Operations | 8,194.44 | 100.00% |
Recruitment remains the main driver, contributing nearly three-fourths of total revenue.
In Q3 FY26, the company reported steady growth. Revenue increased by 13.9% year-on-year, while Net Profit grew by 10%.
This performance came despite a mixed hiring environment. The recruitment business remained stable, while platforms like 99acres and Jeevansathi improved margins and market positioning.
Between FY22 and FY25, Info Edge delivered a sales CAGR of 21%.
Multi-Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) is the country's largest platform for trading commodity derivatives like gold, crude oil, and metals.
It acts as a marketplace where buyers and sellers trade futures and options contracts. With a dominant market share, MCX plays a key role in price discovery and risk management.
MCX provides a digital platform where traders, businesses, and institutions can trade commodity contracts. These include bullion, energy products, industrial metals, and agricultural commodities.
The company earns most of its revenue through transaction fees. Every trade executed on the platform generates a fee based on contract value. Apart from this, it also earns revenue from data services, memberships, and investment income.
The strength of this model lies in liquidity. More participants lead to higher trading volumes, which attract even more users. Since the platform is digital, higher volumes do not significantly increase costs, allowing margins to expand over time.
If we see the revenue contribution, the bullion (Gold and Silver) and energy remain the primary drivers of trading activity, with Bullion Futures ADT alone growing by 297% YoY during the quarter.
In Q3 FY26, MCX reported strong growth with revenue rising 121% year-on-year, and Net Profit increased even faster, up 151%.
This was largely because of a sharp increase in trading volumes, especially in options. Improved system stability after platform upgrades also supported smoother operations.
If we see the FY23 to FY25 growth trend, the company generated sales growth of 45% and profit growth of 52%.
All these companies share one thing: strong business models that become better as they grow.
Some benefit from daily usage, others from deep integration or network effects. This makes their revenue more stable and harder to disrupt over time. For investors, understanding how a company makes money is just as important as its growth numbers.
In the long run, the strength of the business model decides how sustainable that growth really is.
Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such. Learn more about our recommendation services here...
Enter your email to continue reading on Equitymaster.
Important: We hate spam as much as you do. Check out our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.
By submitting your email address, you also sign up for Profit Hunter, a daily newsletter from Equitymaster covering exciting investing ideas and opportunities in India.
Before we send you your premium report, please go to your inbox and look for confirmation email from us.
Watch out for the subject line 'Verify Your Email for Equitymaster – Your OTP Inside'
If you don't find it in your inbox, please check your spam/junk folder.
Since 1996, Equitymaster has been the source for honest and credible opinions on investing in India. With solid research and in-depth analysis Equitymaster is dedicated towards making its readers- smarter, more confident and richer every day. Here's why hundreds of thousands of readers spread across more than 70 countries Trust Equitymaster.
Copyright © Quantum Information Services Private Limited.
Whitelist | Refer | Terms | Privacy | Contact | About | Sitemap
Quantum Information Services Private Limited
103, Regent Chambers, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021
U65990MH1989PTC054667
Ms. Sonal Ramachandran
| Telephone No.: +91-22-61434003 | Email: compliance@equitymaster.comSEBI Registration No.: INH000021128 | Type of Registration: Non-Individual | Validity: Perpetual | BSE Enlistment No: 6769
Principal Officer: Tanushree Banerjee | Telephone No.:+91-22-61434055 | Email: po.ra@equitymaster.com
SEBI Registration No.: INA000000680 | Type of Registration: Non-Individual | Validity: Perpetual | BSE Enlistment No: 1488
Principal Officer: Vivek Chaurasia | Telephone No.:+91-22-61434055 | Email: po.ria@equitymaster.com
SEBI Bhavan BKC
Address: Plot No.C4-A, 'G' Block Bandra-Kurla Complex, Bandra (East), Mumbai - 400051, Maharashtra
Telephone No.: +91-22-26449000 / 40459000 | Fax: +91-22-26449019-22 / 40459019-22 | Email: sebi@sebi.gov.in | Toll Free Investor Helpline: 1800 22 7575
SCORES: https://www.scores.gov.in/ | SMARTODR: https://smartodr.in/login
AMFI Registered Mutual Fund Distributor
AMFI Registration Number : ARN - 1022
Date of Initial Registration : 28 / JAN / 2008
Current Validity of ARN upto : 28 / JAN / 2028
LEGAL DISCLAIMER:
Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing.
Registration granted by SEBI, enlistment with BSE as IA and RA, and certification from NISM in no way guarantee performance of the intermediary or provide any assurance of returns to investors.
All rights reserved. Any act of copying, reproducing or distributing any content from this website whether wholly or in part, for any purpose without the permission of Quantum Information Services Private Limited is strictly prohibited and shall be deemed to be copyright infringement.
Quantum Information Services Private Limited (QIS) is a SEBI registered Research Analyst (bearing registration no INH000021128) and Investment Adviser(Reg. No: INA000000680). Consequent upon the merger of Equitymaster Research Private Limited into QIS, effective October 30, 2025 QIS owns and operates brand 'Equitymaster' and website www.equitymaster.com. This does not constitute or is not intended to constitute an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation to an offer to buy or sell financial products, units or securities and QIS including its employees, personnel, directors, associates will not be liable for any losses (direct or indirect) incurred or investment(s) made or decisions taken/or not taken based on the information provided herein. All content and information is provided on an 'As Is' basis by QIS. Information herein is believed to be reliable but QIS does not warrant its completeness or accuracy and expressly disclaims all warranties and conditions of any kind, whether express or implied. The services rendered by QIS are on a best effort basis. QIS does not assure or guarantee the user any minimum or fixed returns. The securities quoted, if any are for illustration only and are not recommendatory. Use of this information is at the user's own risk. The user must make his own investment decisions based on his specific investment objective and financial position and using such independent advisors as he believes necessary. This is not directed for access or use by anyone in a country, especially, USA, Canada or the European Union countries, where such use or access is unlawful or which may subject QIS or its affiliates to any registration or licensing requirement.
The performance data quoted represents past performance and does not guarantee future results. As a condition to accessing QIS's content and website, you agree to our Terms and Conditions of Use, available here

Equitymaster requests your view! Post a comment on "Companies With Powerful Business Models Investors Love". Click here!
Comments are moderated by Equitymaster, in accordance with the Terms of Use, and may not appear
on this article until they have been reviewed and deemed appropriate for posting.
In the meantime, you may want to share this article with your friends!