Tag: Citi rating

  • Exide Industries Q1 Profit Surges 27% but Stock Falls on Margin Concerns

    Exide Industries Q1 Profit Surges 27% but Stock Falls on Margin Concerns

    Exide Industries reported strong Q1 FY27 results on July 31, but its shares traded lower during the day. The stock fell nearly 1.4% to Rs. 446.55 despite improved profit and revenue. Investors are cautious as increasing raw material costs are pressuring margins, while brokerage Citi stayed positive on the company’s overall business growth.

    The company posted a net profit of Rs. 407 crore in the April to June quarter, up 27.2% from Rs. 320 crore a year ago. Revenue increased 17.6% to Rs. 5,305 crore from Rs. 4,510 crore. EBITDA also rose 19.3% to Rs. 655 crore, while the EBITDA margin remained almost flat at 12.3%. Citi said the quarterly performance was better than expected and pointed to healthy revenue growth across major business segments.

    Exide Industries recorded strong demand in almost every business. The Auto OEM segment grew more than 25% for the third straight quarter. Battery replacement sales for two-wheelers and four-wheelers also reported double-digit growth. The industrial infrastructure business continued to grow at a steady pace, while inverter and solar businesses expanded by more than 20%. Export sales also grew over 20% after a spike in demand from overseas markets.

    Citi kept its ‘Buy’ rating on Exide Industries and said price increases, a better product mix, and improved operating efficiency helped reduce the impact of higher commodity costs. The brokerage also said the company’s management remains confident about demand across automotive, industrial, and renewable energy businesses.

    Even with strong earnings, investors remained focused on margin pressure and rising input costs. Exide expects its Bengaluru Gigafactory to add revenue during FY27, which could support future growth as the company expands its new energy business.

  • Samsung Electronics Shares Slide as Tariff Concerns and Stablecoin Plans Emerge

    Samsung Electronics Shares Slide as Tariff Concerns and Stablecoin Plans Emerge

    Samsung Electronics stock fell sharply on Friday as investors weighed fresh tariff risks and the company’s announcement of native stablecoin support for Samsung Wallet. Shares dropped 7.6% to ₩249,500, joining a broader sell-off of South Korean chipmakers amid escalating trade tensions.

    Stablecoin Integration for Samsung Wallet

    During Galaxy Unpacked 2026 on July 22, Samsung announced plans to integrate stablecoin functionality into its Samsung Wallet, allowing Galaxy users to send, receive, and hold stablecoins directly within the app. The update will expand the wallet beyond payment cards, digital IDs, rewards, cash, and savings. A USDC interface was shown during the event, though Samsung did not confirm that USDC will launch with the service. Product manager Lee Dinham stated the goal to unify payments, rewards, and digital assets in one application, secured by Samsung Knox device encryption. This follows Samsung’s October 2025 partnership with Coinbase, which gave over 75 million US Galaxy users crypto access through Samsung Wallet and a three-month Coinbase One subscription.

    Tariff Pressures Weigh on Samsung Stock

    New US tariffs on imports from more than 60 economies have heightened concerns over global supply chains. Samsung, which sells consumer electronics, memory chips, displays, and other components across markets including the Americas, China, and Europe, faces direct exposure to customs costs, compliance rules, and potential trade retaliation. Higher duties could impact device pricing and component margins. The company is investing heavily in memory capacity and AI-related chips, but also faces legal disputes involving memory products and board-level changes, adding uncertainty for investors.

    Citi Maintains Buy Rating on Memory Demand

    Citi Research retained Buy ratings on Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, calling the sell-off “unfounded fears” of a memory-cycle downturn. The bank noted that memory inventory remains “materially low” at suppliers and customers, and rising demand could keep supply below orders. Citi expects AI infrastructure to drive the next phase of memory demand, citing NVIDIA’s Vera Rubin platform as a potential driver for Samsung’s NAND and advanced DRAM businesses. The report also pointed to growing use of context memory extension systems and high-capacity SSDs near graphics processors.

    Samsung’s stablecoin plan adds a new service to its mobile ecosystem, but launch details remain unclear. Meanwhile, tariff risks and supply-chain costs persist. Citi’s positive rating reflects tight memory supply and expanding AI server demand.

  • Kalyan Jewellers Stock Surges 24% in Two Days: Hits Rs 438.15 on Strong Q1 Update and Citi Buy Rating

    Kalyan Jewellers Stock Surges 24% in Two Days: Hits Rs 438.15 on Strong Q1 Update and Citi Buy Rating

    Overview

    Kalyan Jewellers shares staged a remarkable comeback on Dalal Street, surging nearly 24% over the past two trading sessions after the jewelry retailer reported a robust first-quarter business update and received a strong endorsement from global brokerage Citi. The stock is currently trading at Rs. 438.15 on the NSE, up Rs. 81.84 or 22.98%, after hitting the upper circuit, reflecting renewed investor confidence in the company’s growth prospects.

    This rally is the result of a positive market response following the company’s robust revenue growth, not just at home but abroad as well, and strong performance from its online jewelry store, Candere. This was further supported by Citigroup’s decision to reiterate its ‘Buy’ rating with a target price of Rs. 750.

    Strong Q1 Business Performance

    Kalyan Jewellers provided a solid start to the financial year FY27, posting consolidated revenue growth of around 38% year-on-year during the quarter ending June. Revenue growth was driven by strong demand in the Indian market, despite seasonal factors affecting jewelry purchases.

    Domestic sales were the key contributor to revenue growth, with about 38% growth compared to the previous year. Existing stores delivered strong performance with same-store sales growth of 28%. International operations performed well during the period, with nearly 35% year-on-year growth, while the company’s Middle East business grew 30% year-on-year. International markets accounted for 14% of total consolidated revenue.

    The Kalyan Jewelers’ online jewelry brand, Candere, showed a 112% year-on-year revenue growth. The retailer also accelerated its expansion strategy during the quarter by opening 12 new Kalyan Jewellers showrooms and 5 new Candere outlets, expanding its retail presence into more cities across the country.

    Citi Maintains Bullish View

    Global brokerage Citi remained optimistic on Kalyan Jewellers despite the company’s revenue growth coming in slightly below its internal estimate of around 45%. Maintaining a ‘Buy’ rating, the brokerage reiterated its target price of Rs. 750, implying substantial upside from prevailing levels.

    Citi believes that the company’s brand-based expansion strategy will generate earnings growth while keeping capital expenditure in check. Moreover, analysts expect improvement in operational efficiencies and better returns on investment as the company grows.

    Factors Driving the Rally

    According to management, demand has been encouraging at the start of the second quarter, buoyed by festive purchases and the upcoming wedding season. Analysts feel that branded jewelry players like Kalyan Jewellers are well-placed to capitalize on consumers’ growing preference for brands that offer fair pricing and certified jewelry.

    Despite volatile gold prices and competition, robust sales growth, increased retail presence, and improved digital performance will be the key factors sustaining an encouraging outlook for the company. With excellent operations, strong growth, and bullish brokerage reports, Kalyan Jewellers is expected to remain in the spotlight until it reports its quarterly results.