Stocks to watch today, August 18: Alembic Pharma, EMS, JK Cement, Star Cement, HDFC Bank, Vodafone Idea, Inox Wind and more
Alembic Pharmaceuticals received final USFDA approval for its Tretinoin Cream 0.025%, a positive boost to its U.S. generics portfolio. EMS Limited bagged a ₹104.05 crore UP Jal Nigam contract for water infrastructure projects to be executed over 24 months. JK Cement's board cleared a 7 MTPA greenfield expansion in Rajasthan, while Star Cement announced plans to raise capacity to 12 MTPA by FY27 with a ₹1,200 crore CAPEX and green energy initiatives.
Hospitality major Lemon Tree Hotels secured a DDA award for prime Nehru Place land to build a 500+ key Aurika property, marking the upper-upscale brand's NCR debut. PVR Inox expanded its footprint with an 8-screen multiplex at Mahindra Millennium Mall, Bengaluru, featuring India's first dine-in auditorium restaurant. PN Gadgil Jewellers added a new outlet in Jalgaon, Maharashtra.
Among industrials, Everest Kanto highlighted strong domestic and U.S. demand with a clean energy-led product mix to expand margins. Inox Wind reaffirmed its long-term clean energy growth trajectory backed by order book strength, manufacturing capacity additions, and technology upgrades. KEC International secured fresh orders worth ₹1,402 crore across business segments, while Globe Civil Projects won a ₹222.2 crore Haryana Cricket Association order to build an international stadium in Jhajjar. Hazoor Multi Projects submitted a binding offer to acquire part of Gammon Engineers' EPC business.
Financial stocks will be in spotlight after S&P upgraded ratings of HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Union Bank, Indian Bank, Bajaj Finance, Tata Capital, and L&T Finance. Steel stocks may see action as India imposed anti-dumping duties on select steel imports from Vietnam.
Zaggle reaffirmed its FY26 guidance of 35–40% revenue growth and 10–11% EBITDA margins, citing AI efficiencies and M&A-led scale-up. KPIT Technologies completed the acquisition of Caresoft for USD 51 million with a revised total outlay of USD 157 million. Signature Global executed three sale deeds for 33.47 acres in Haryana, enabling ~1.76 million sq ft of developable area. PNC Infratech received a LoA from NHPC for a 300 MW solar project at ₹3.13/kWh. Ola Electric unveiled its S1 Pro Sport e-motorcycle and 'India Inside' strategy with indigenous 4680 Bharat Cells, with deliveries slated for January 2026. Mahindra & Mahindra launched four SUV concepts—Vision S, Vision T, Vision SXT, and Vision X.
Midcaps and smallcaps reported notable earnings growth: Virtuoso Optoelectronics, Blue Cloud Softech, Jyoti Structures, Indoo Rama Synthetics, Valor Estate, KSE, Roto Pumps, Sadbhav Engineering, AGI Infra, Remus Pharma, Orient Green, Sudarshan Pharma, Spectrum Elect, Primo Chemicals, TIPS Films, SP Apparels, Ahluwalia Contracts, Hind Oil, Zaggle, and several others reported strong year-on-year profits.
On the corporate action front, Aarti Industries, Algoquant Fintech, Bright Brothers, DHP India, JK Paper, Lakshmi Electrical, Power Finance Corporation, and Ram Ratna Wires are trading ex-dividend today. Apollo Hospitals, Elixir Capital, J&K Bank, Natco Pharma, Power Grid, R K Swamy, Shyam Metalics, and Sumedha Fiscal will turn ex-dividend tomorrow.
Neutral movers include Vodafone Idea, which reported a net loss of ₹6,608 crore versus ₹7,166 crore earlier, with revenue flat at ₹11,022 crore. United Spirits posted a ₹258 crore profit, below estimates, while Glenmark Pharma guided for growth across geographies. Bikaji Foods reported a fire incident at its Bihar contract unit, with no casualties.
On the downside, Glenmark posted a steep fall in net profit to ₹46.8 crore from ₹340 crore YoY. Inox Green, Walchand Nagar, Western Careers, and NFL also reported weak results with losses or declining revenues.
With strong earnings momentum across midcaps, order wins in infrastructure, and rating upgrades for major banks and NBFCs, Monday's session is likely to be driven by stock-specific action across pharmaceuticals, cement, renewable energy, financials, and consumer-facing names.
Disclaimer: This article is based solely on publicly available company announcements, exchange filings, and provided inputs. It is intended for informational and news purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or stock recommendations. Business Upturn does not endorse buying, selling, or holding any security mentioned. Investors are advised to consult certified financial professionals before making investment decisions.
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