Page 2 - The Compass

LIC's strong H2FY26 growth outlook likely to trigger stock rerating

LIC reported a 5% rise in premium income and 12% growth in VNB for Q2FY26. With non-par policy growth and improved margins, analysts see room for a positive rerating

Cash flow concerns likely to keep Hindalco's stock under pressure

The entire cashflow impact will be visible in H2FY26 though management is guiding for 70-80 per cent loss recovery in insurance

Improving credit growth trajectory, steady margins positive for SBI

SBI's strong credit growth, stable NIMs, and improved asset quality drive optimism as analysts raise earnings and price targets for H2 FY26

Competitive intensity, valuations may cap gains in Ambuja Cements

ACEM reported strong growth of 81 per cent Y-o-Y in operating profit to Rs 1,760 crore, and operating profit per tonne (t) grew 52 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 1,042

Vedanta eyes FY26 growth with debt cut, demerger, and new capacities

Aluminium and zinc segments drive Vedanta's Q2FY26 performance as debt reduction, demerger progress, and expansion projects boost investor confidence in earnings growth ahead

ITC's healthy core business signals rerating scope amid weak Q2 agri show

ITC's cigarette and FMCG segments delivered steady performance in Q2 FY26 despite a slump in agri sales; analysts see scope for a valuation re-rating as core margins improve

Strong domestic orders, non-core divestments may drive rerating for L&T

The consolidated Q2FY26 net profit was in line, though revenue guidance was missed due to lower-than-expected revenue from core engineering, procurement and construction (EPC)

Expansion, margin improvement likely to drive gains for Indian Oil

The IOC petrochemicals segment posted a profit of Rs 170 crore versus a loss of Rs 1 crore in Q1FY26

Domestic expansion, Europe recovery to drive growth for Tata Steel

Tata Steel's growth to be powered by capacity expansion in India, cost savings and a turnaround in its European operations amid a strong demand outlook

Cut in earnings expectations, valuations to cap upside in SBI Card

Festive expenses and weaker margins weighed on earnings, even as GNPA ratios eased and spending momentum stayed strong

Pace of volume recovery key for gains in Hindustan Unilever stock

Net sales grew 2.1 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to ₹16,060 crore while underlying volume growth (UVG) was flat Y-o-Y

Hindustan Zinc's margins to see support from firm prices, lower costs

In H1FY26, HZ's revenue was flat Y-o-Y at Rs 16,300 crore, but both operating and net profit increased 3 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 8,300 crore and Rs 4,900 crore, respectively

JSW Steel forged strong but tested by market heat and capacity shifts

Rising coking coal costs, low steel prices, and export challenges may weigh on JSW Steel's near-term margins, though management expects price recovery ahead

UltraTech Cement gears up for expansion plans and market share gains

UltraTech Cement's profit and margin rose sharply in Q2FY26 as demand, cost controls, and GST 2.0 reforms supported growth; firm eyes 235 mtpa capacity by FY29

ICICI Bank to benefit from improved asset quality, healthy loan growth

Lower provisions, healthy margins, and steady advances drive ICICI Bank's performance; management expects NIMs to remain stable in coming quarters

Competition, store expansion likely to weigh on Eternal's margins

Zomato reported operating profit of Rs 239 crore and operating profit margins of 1.8 per cent, down 295 basis points Y-o-Y, due to higher operating costs on account of rapid store expansion

Improving asset quality, growth outlook brighten Axis Bank's prospects

Axis Bank's Q2FY26 profit falls amid higher provisions, but asset quality and loan growth show steady improvement

ICICI Lombard Q2 profit rises 18% YoY, driven by capital gains, low losses

It has seen a more limited impact of input tax credit (ITC) losses and there are tailwinds from higher new vehicle sales and goods and services tax (GST) exemption for healthcare

Strong Q2 performance, services guidance upgrade positive for HCLTech

HCL Technologies posts steady Q2FY26 growth with $2.6B net new deals, AI revenue hitting $400M, and margin at 17.4%, while EPS stays flat at Rs 15.6

Volume, higher realisations to drive further gains for hospital stocks

Given bed additions in FY26, investors may focus on ramp-ups of newly launched facilities to gauge demand, competitive intensity, and earnings trends over the next two years