ITC Share Price Live Updates: ITC's trading volume reflects strong demand
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Mint
5 hours ago
- Mint
Godfrey Phillips to ITC: Cigarette makers puff up strong Q1 numbers — What's igniting this growth?
Indian cigarette makers delivered a strong performance in the June-ending quarter, with numbers coming in above Street estimates, driven by resilient volumes, continued premiumization, and innovations. The upbeat results also led to a strong spike in their shares despite the Indian stock market remaining under severe volatility. Godfrey Phillips, which owns cigarette brands like Four Square, Red & White, and Cavanders, delivered robust domestic cigarette sales volume growth in Q1 FY26, reaching 1,903 million per month, marking an increase from 1,497 million per month in Q1 FY25. This reflects continued growth in quarterly sales and builds on the consistent upward trend observed throughout FY25. Against the backdrop of strong volume growth, the company reported a 36.5% YoY jump in revenue to ₹ 1,486 crore, while higher production costs and expenses hit the company's margins. However, net profit grew by 55.9% YoY to ₹ 356 crore. It further strengthened its partnership with Philip Morris International for the manufacture and distribution of Marlboro brand cigarettes in India. The company has been steadily gaining domestic market share while maintaining focus on its international business, which contributed 25% of net sales during the reporting quarter. The company has a significant market presence across Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe in around 35 countries. Meanwhile, the strong cigarette demand also led ITC to deliver better-than-expected numbers in the June quarter. ITC's cigarette business grew 7.6% YoY to ₹ 8,520 crore, driven by strategic portfolio and market interventions focused on competitive belts. ITC strengthened its FMCG Cigarettes segment with multiple new launches and portfolio enhancements. The company introduced new variants such as Classic Connect, American Club Clove Mint, and Gold Flake Indie Mint while reinforcing its existing portfolio with brands like Scissors, Flake Special, and Silk Cut Red. Although ITC is larger than Godfrey Phillips in scale, Godfrey Phillips is challenging ITC's dominance in many markets, particularly in southern India, where it plans to expand its Marlboro brand. Analysts also favor Godfrey Phillips, citing the resolution of the family dispute and expecting the firm to rank among the fastest-growing FMCG players in India over the next three years. Dalal Street also seems to favor the company's growth targets, as its shares have gained 90% so far this calendar year, building on a strong gain of 147% registered in the previous calendar year. Meanwhile, ITC shares have fallen 9.3% in the same period. Though ITC's cigarette business is performing well, its other FMCG segments, excluding cigarettes, are facing margin compression amid rising input prices. Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.


Mint
12 hours ago
- Mint
HUL vs ITC: Which FMCG major's stock should you buy post Q1 results?
HUL vs ITC: In times of market volatility, investors often gravitate toward defensive sectors—and in India, the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) space is a natural destination. Among its biggest players, ITC and Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) continue to attract investor interest for their stability, consistency, and brand strength. But with both companies having reported their June quarter (Q1FY26) earnings, which one looks better positioned in the current landscape? Diversified conglomerate ITC reported a net profit of ₹ 4,912 crore in Q1FY26, broadly flat compared to ₹ 4,874 crore in the same period last year. Its revenue from operations jumped 15 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to ₹ 20,911 crore. EBITDA stood at ₹ 6,261 crore, up 3 per cent YoY, although margins contracted significantly by 530 basis points to 31.7 per cent due to rising commodity prices. HUL, meanwhile, delivered a 7.6 per cent year-on-year rise in standalone net profit to ₹ 2,732 crore, up from ₹ 2,538 crore in Q1FY25. Its revenue rose 3.8 per cent YoY to ₹ 15,747 crore. However, profit after tax before exceptional items dropped 5 per cent YoY, and EBITDA slightly declined to ₹ 3,718 crore from ₹ 3,744 crore a year earlier. EBITDA margins contracted by 130 basis points to 22.8 per cent, in line with the company's commentary on increased investment in portfolio transformation. Their performance in the stock market has been diverging, with ITC shares declining 10 per cent over the last one year and HUL shedding just 5 per cent. However, on a year-to-date basis, ITC share price has lost 9 per cent whereas HUL has jumped 9 per cent in the same period. Om Ghawalkar of noted that HUL continues to demonstrate strong price performance, quality metrics, and low volatility. However, he flagged that the stock appears expensive relative to its fundamentals and is supported by only neutral analyst sentiment. ITC, while weaker in momentum, continues to score high on quality and value. Ghawalkar described the stock as a defensive play with extremely low volatility, but added that bearish sentiment and valuation concerns may weigh on its near-term prospects. From a valuation standpoint, Harshal Dasani of INVasset pointed out that ITC trades at ~20.4x FY26 estimated earnings per share (EPS), while HUL trades at ~48.5x. He believes ITC offers better earnings resilience at more reasonable valuations, making it a relatively stronger near-term pick post-Q1. From a technical perspective, too, most analysts prefer ITC over HUL. Harshal Dasani observed that ITC has rebounded from a key support level around ₹ 420, with improving RSI near 52 and signs of long build-up in derivatives. Meanwhile, HUL is trading below key moving averages, with RSI near 41, suggesting weak momentum, it noted. Jigar S Patel of Anand Rathi offered a similar view, highlighting a bullish engulfing pattern on ITC's chart near its ₹ 405 support level. He also pointed out a hidden bullish divergence, which could propel the stock toward the ₹ 435–440 range in the near term. In his view, ITC currently shows better technical strength compared to HUL, which appears to be undergoing profit booking at higher levels. Rajesh Bhosale of Angel One, however, said HUL has shown stronger momentum, climbing from ₹ 2,250 to above ₹ 2,500 and confirming a saucer pattern breakout. He suggests buying on dips in the ₹ 2,400–2,450 zone. ITC, on the other hand, remains range-bound between ₹ 400 and ₹ 430 and lacks a breakout trigger, making it suitable only for range-based strategies. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.


Hindustan Times
14 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Punjab govt to set up special unit to tackle GST violations
To institutionalise tax enforcement, finance and taxation minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday announced the decision to establish a state-level special fraud detection unit (SFDU) headquartered at Patiala. This dedicated Unit will streamline the detection and bring consistency in investigating complex cases involving Goods and Services Tax (GST) violations. Punjab cabinet minister Harpal Singh Cheema Cheema stated that the SFDU will be tasked with uncovering and probing high-value GST frauds, with particular focus on breaking down circular trading operations, unearthing benami (anonymous) transactions, and eliminating the practice of fake invoicing. 'The unit will be empowered to initiate stringent enforcement actions, including cancellation of suspicious GST identification numbers (GSTINs), blocking wrongful claims of input tax credit (ITC), and recommending prosecution against offenders to uphold legal accountability', he added. The FM highlighted that the SFDU will leverage advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and centralised backend operations, to enhance its detection capabilities. The Unit will conduct comprehensive data mining and pattern recognition across the state to identify anomalies in tax returns, transaction networks, and goods movement. He further stated that the Unit will use data-driven red flags to selectively verify only dubious or miscreant taxpayers, protecting honest taxpayers from unnecessary scrutiny. This strategic approach aims to strike a balance between effective enforcement and taxpayer facilitation, ensuring a more efficient and taxpayer-friendly administration, he emphasised. Detailing the composition of the SFDU, Cheema stated that the Unit will comprise a multidisciplinary team consisting of experienced tax officers, skilled IT professionals, a chartered accountant, and a legal officer. He said that this team will be equipped with real-time access to critical datasets such as GSTN information, e-way bill tracking, toll records, and RFID trail analytics, enabling prompt and precise action against tax evasion. The minister informed that SFDU will be empowered by robust legal provisions under Sections 67, 70, 74, and 132 of the CGST/PGST Acts, complemented by relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).