Stocks to Watch today, Feb 23: IDFC First, Zee Ent, UPL, Cipla, NHPC

Stocks to Watch today, February 23, 2026: From IDFC First Bank to Zee Entertainment, here is a list of shares that will be in focus

Stocks to Watch today, February 23, 2026: Domestic indices are set for a gap-up start following the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn broad "reciprocal" tariffs previously enacted by President Donald Trump. 

 

At 7:30 AM, GIFT Nifty futures indicated a gain of 154 points, trading at 25,739.

 

However, market sentiment remains cautious as Trump responded to the court's ruling by announcing plans over the weekend to hike global tariffs to 15 per cent, up from the current 10 per cent.

 

In Asian markets, South Korea’s Kospi climbed for the third consecutive session, rising 1.7 per cent to reach a new record high. Trading hubs in China and Japan remained closed for public holidays.

 

On Friday, Wall Street benchmarks finished in the green following the judicial ruling. The S&P 500 gained 0.47 per cent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.69 per cent, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.9 per cent.

Here are the key stocks in focus for the trading session on February 23, 2026:

IDFC First Bank:

The private lender disclosed on Sunday that it uncovered a ₹590 crore fraudulent activity at a branch in Chandigarh. The matter involves accounts associated with the Haryana state government.

Zee Entertainment:

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has issued a fresh show-cause notice to the company and its top management. The move reopens investigations into alleged fund diversion and governance failures that previously led to the collapse of its merger with Sony Pictures Networks India.

UPL:

The board has nodded a composite scheme of arrangement to split its Indian and international crop protection units into a standalone entity, which will be listed independently on the stock exchanges.

 

The restructuring involves merging UPL Sustainable Agri Solutions (UPL SAS) into the parent company, followed by a demerger of the Indian crop protection business into UPL Global Sustainable Agri Solutions (UPL 2). Finally, UPL Cayman will be amalgamated into UPL Global. This will result in two listed entities: UPL, focusing on diversified chemicals and new ventures, and UPL Global, a dedicated crop protection platform.

Cipla:

The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has assigned an "Official Action Indicated" (OAI) status to a Greek manufacturing site operated by Cipla's partner, Pharmathen International. The facility produces Lanreotide Injection for Cipla’s US arm. An OAI tag typically suggests that the regulator may pause new product approvals from the site until compliance gaps are addressed.

Narayana Hrudayalaya:

The healthcare provider has acquired approximately 3.3 acres of land in southern Bengaluru, including existing buildings and structures spanning over 36,475 square meters.

Novartis India:

Novartis AG is set to exit its listed Indian subsidiary, Novartis India Ltd (NIL), to prioritize high-margin, innovative therapies globally. CEO Vasant Narasimhan has agreed to divest the parent company's 70.68 per cent stake to a consortium comprising WaveRise Investments, ChrysCapital Fund X, and Two Infinity Partners.

Highway Infrastructure:

Following an earlier letter of acceptance, the company has formally signed a contract with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The project, valued at ₹154.6 crore, is slated for completion within 90 days.

NHPC:

The board has cleared investment plans for two hydroelectric projects in Jammu & Kashmir: Uri-I Stage-II (240 MW) and Dulhasti Stage-II (260 MW). Construction is scheduled to begin on March 1, 2026. The Uri project is budgeted at ₹2,708.95 crore, while the Dulhasti project is estimated at ₹2,993.96 crore, both including interest during construction and infrastructure costs.

Lodha Developers:

The realtor has entered into a joint development agreement with Sahana Properties and Resorts and Sahana Builders and Developers. The deal involves developing land in Mumbai for a total consideration of ₹364.8 crore.

Railtel:

A consortium led by Railtel and Ashoka Buildcon has secured a letter of intent (LoI) from the Inspector General of Registration, Maharashtra, for the modernization of registration and stamp offices. While the total value isn't fixed, the rate is set at ₹24.75 per scanned page. Based on historical volumes, Railtel estimates a potential financial impact of approximately ₹1,136.18 crore over the five-year contract term.

Vikram Solar:

The company has signed a strategic domestic procurement deal with Jupiter International to source 2GW of ALMM-compliant TopCon and mono PERC solar cells.

Intellect Design Arena:

The firm has introduced "Tech Services TeamSpace," a solution powered by Purple Fabric, which it describes as the first open business impact artificial intelligence (AI) platform globally.

TVS Motor Company:

The company's CEO KN Radhakrishnan stated that the two-wheeler sector has the potential for a long-term CAGR of 8-9 per cent. He attributed this outlook to potential GST rationalization, increased infrastructure spending, and broader economic expansion.

Aurobindo Pharma:

The pharmaceutical major plans to scale up its Penicillin-G production capacity to exceed 10,000 metric tonnes annually over the coming year.