₹15,500 crore bet! IRFC, Asian Paints to Patanjali among LIC's top 15 stock picks in Q4. Do you own?
LIC stock portfolio: India's biggest institutional investor – Life Insurance Corporation of India's (LIC) – top stock bets in the March quarter seem to be paying off.
Among the 15 top stock picks of LIC, wherein the PSU company ploughed nearly ₹ 15,463 crore, two-thirds (10 companies) have managed to deliver returns to investors so far in the financial year 2025-26 (FY26).
LIC's top stock picks in the March quarter included several Nifty50 stocks, some PSU companies and mid-cap stocks.
Patanjali Foods was LIC's biggest purchase of Q4FY25, with the DII lapping up ₹ 1,626 crore worth of shares during the period, according to estimates by Kotak Institutional Equities (KIE). LIC raised its stake in Baba Ramdev-owned fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company by 2.5%, bringing its stake to 7.7% in Q4 from 5.2% in Q3.
However, so far in the current fiscal year, Patanjali's share price is down almost 7% in just three months.
Patanjali was followed by CESC, Tata Chemicals, KPIT Technologies and Jindal Stainless. LIC raised its stake by 1.8% to 1.2% in the company. All these stocks have paid off LIC's bet, rising up to 15% in the same period.
PSU stocks like NHPC, IRFC and Punjab National Bank were also on the list, witnessing an increase in LIC's shareholding by 1.2%, 1.1% and 0.8%, respectively. All three stocks have been trading in the green, with high-flying IRFC stock delivering 16% returns in FY26 so far. It was closely followed by PSU bank stock PNB, which has risen 13%, and NHPC, which has gained 8%, in this period.
However, UCO Bank, another PSU wherein LIC raised stake by 1.1%, has lost 4%.
In signs of bottom-fishing, LIC also bet on severely down Asian Paints stock. LIC raised its shareholding in the company to 8.3% from 7.2% earlier in a show of confidence, even as India's largest paints maker struggles amid rising competitive intensity due to the entry of new players.
Asian Paints' share price is down 24% in the last one year and has lost 7% in FY26 so far. Media reports recently suggested that Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries is looking to offload its 4.9% stake in Asian Paints.
Other stocks that made the list include large-cap stocks like Bajaj Auto, Tata Consumer Products, Britannia Industries and Havells.
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.
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