Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) shares rallied for a second consecutive session, climbing up to 4% to an intraday high near ₹2,133, making it the top gainer on the Nifty 50 index. The stock’s upward momentum followed the IT giant’s better-than-expected June-quarter results and a landmark multi-year AI partnership with ABB, which together fueled a 3% rise in the Nifty IT index and snapped a two-day sector-wide losing streak.
What TCS Actually Reported
TCS delivered quarterly revenues of ₹72,275 crore, surpassing analyst estimates, with a year-over-year net profit growth of 4.61%. Constant-currency revenue growth also exceeded expectations. However, operating margins contracted to 24%, down 130 basis points from the previous quarter, primarily due to wage hikes.
The standout metric was deal wins: TCS secured total contracts worth $9.5 billion in the quarter, including one mega deal, comfortably beating management’s own forecasts. The company’s artificial intelligence business reached an annualized run rate of $2.6 billion, registering nearly 14% quarter-over-quarter growth. Management expressed optimism about demand improving from Q2 onward, citing a ‘pent-up technology backlog.’
What Brokerages Are Saying: Mostly Buy, Some Caution
Most brokerages maintained a constructive stance, though target prices vary widely. Nuvama retained a ‘Buy’ rating with a steep target of ₹3,000, while Centrum Broking kept ‘Buy’ at ₹3,480, citing record deal wins and accelerating enterprise AI adoption. Motilal Oswal reiterated ‘Buy’ with a more conservative target of ₹2,350 (15% upside), noting that while commentary was better than expected, hard evidence of demand recovery remains limited.
Goldman Sachs maintained ‘Buy’ at ₹2,370, while Morgan Stanley took a neutral ‘Equal Weight’ stance at ₹2,200. Not all analysts are convinced: Antique stuck with ‘Hold’ at ₹2,385, and 360 One Capital also maintained ‘Hold’ at ₹2,290, arguing the quarter largely met modest expectations.
The Risks Still Weighing on the Stock
While the rebound has eased some fears, several headwinds persist. These include rising wage costs, increased investments in AI infrastructure, and ongoing pricing pressures that could compress future profit margins. AI-induced deflation and continued geopolitical uncertainties—such as the West Asia crisis—may further delay a broader recovery in discretionary tech spending. Moreover, the quarter’s growth was largely driven by India and the APAC region, while performance in developed markets remained subdued.
The Bottom Line for Investors
With target prices ranging from ₹2,200 on the cautious end to ₹3,480 on the bullish end, the broker split reflects genuine uncertainty about how quickly demand recovery translates into sustained revenue growth. Existing holders may find the setup supportive given steady deal wins and improving AI monetization. Those considering a new entry might weigh the more conservative ‘Hold’ calls against the bulls, given how much depends on Q2 demand materializing as management has guided.
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