Page 4 - The Compass

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

Metal stocks shine as JSW, Tata Steel rally; analysts lift H2FY26 view

JSW Steel hit all-time highs and Tata Steel a 15-month peak as metals gained 20% in six months, driven by global price recovery, US rate-cut hopes and GST-driven demand

Multiple demand triggers to keep sales trajectory strong for Cummins India

Early product launches and reliable aftermarket support make the company a market leader

Nykaa's faster growth keeps Street bullish, but valuations rich too

Nykaa Fashion may have gained market share even if growth has been slower than in BPC

Trent's Q2 update disappointed Street, but outlook still bullish

Trent's Y-o-Y store growth accelerated vs Q1. With Westside adding 13 stores, Y-o-Y store growth was 15 per cent in Q2 vs 9 per cent in Q1

DMart stock poor show may continue, but there're triggers to reverse it too

DMart's 15.4% revenue growth in Q2FY26 masks margin pressure and rising costs, but analysts see long-term upside from its North India push and network expansion

Valuation comfort emerges for gas firms despite demand, margin risks

Gas demand dipped in August, but upcoming LNG supply, policy targets and steady CNG growth support long-term outlook as stock valuations turn more attractive

GST 2.0, rural recovery may boost prospects for vehicle financiers

Vehicle finance demand has been muted and asset quality stressed in the financial year 2026 (until August)

New segments like defence and data centres to drive growth for L&T

Reports state the Telangana state government is to takeover the asset at around Rs 2,000 crore equity valuation

Power stocks may rebound on demand recovery, attractive valuations

Power stocks, down over 22 per cent in the past year, may see renewed interest in H2FY26 as demand recovers, coal capacity expands and renewable additions accelerate

Structural gains, valuation support positive for PSU bank stocks

PSU banks have gained 10% in a month as improved profitability, strong deposit franchises, stable asset quality and reasonable valuations drive investor interest

Strong growth and margin expansion ahead for Hindustan Aeronautics

The aircraft will have indigenous content of over 64 per cent, and this is over and above a previous contract for 83 LCA Mk-1A aircraft signed in January 2021