Market Overview - The domestic market experienced a significant rally, with the Sensex increasing over 860 points and the Nifty 50 surpassing the 26,100 mark, driven by strong performances in the IT, banking, and FMCG sectors, optimism regarding a potential India-US trade agreement, and foreign institutional investor (FII) inflows [1] - As of 1:27 PM, the Sensex was up 677.38 points or 0.80% at 85,103.72, reaching an intraday high of 85,290.06, while the Nifty 50 gained 183.00 points or 0.71% to 26,051.60, with an intraday high of 26,104.20 [2] Sector Performance - All sectoral indices, except for oil & gas, were in positive territory, with the Nifty IT index leading the gains, surging over 3%, supported by major companies like Infosys, HCL Technologies, and Tech Mahindra [3] - Top gainers in the Nifty 50 included Infosys, HCL Tech, TCS, Shriram Finance, and Tech Mahindra, while the biggest losers were Eternal, Bharti Airtel, IndiGo, Eicher Motors, and Adani Ports [4] Stock Highlights - A total of 3,114 stocks were traded on the National Stock Exchange, with 1,527 advancing, 1,495 declining, and 92 remaining unchanged. Notably, 115 stocks, including Aditya Birla Capital, Apollo Hospitals, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finserv, Bajaj Finance, and AU Small Finance Bank, reached their 52-week highs, while 26 stocks hit their 52-week lows [5] - Vodafone Idea, Yes Bank, IDFC First Bank, and The South Indian Bank were among the most actively traded stocks, with mid-cap stocks like Bharat Forge and Vodafone Idea gaining 3-5%, while others like Godfrey Phillips and Muthoot Finance saw declines of 3-6% [6] Smallcap and Other Stocks - Smallcap stocks such as Sagility, Zensar Tech, Bandhan Bank, Trident, and Newgen rose by 3-5%, while Hindustan Copper and Poonawalla Fincorp fell by 2-4%. On the BSE, stocks like Birlasoft and Garware Hi-Tech rallied 7-9%, while Godfrey Phillips and Inox Green dropped by 3-6% [7] - Companies like Hindustan Unilever, Colgate Palmolive, Laurus Labs, Vardhman Textiles, Tata Teleservices, Sagar Cements, and PTC India Financial Services are expected to be in focus due to their quarterly results [8]

Shares of the Indian IT services giant Infosys jumped 4.12% on Thursday morning, leading gains on the Nifty 50, after the company announced that its promoters will not participate in its upcoming Rs 1... ...

Market Overview - The Indian equity markets extended their winning streak, with the S&P BSE Sensex surging 484.53 points (0.58%) to close at 83,952.19 and the NSE Nifty 50 rising 124.55 points (0.49%) to 25,709.85, hitting a fresh 52-week high driven mainly by consumption-driven stocks [10] - Analysts expect stronger volume growth and steady bank earnings, while easing concerns over asset quality have boosted overall industry confidence [10][3] - The IT index faced pressure due to concerns over discretionary spending and rising asset quality risks in the US banking system [10][3] Global Cues - Wall Street closed higher, supported by stronger-than-expected earnings from regional banks and positive investor response to President Donald Trump's comments on China [4] Technical Analysis - The sentiment around Nifty remains upbeat as it moved above its four-month consolidation range, with large-cap stocks outperforming mid- and small-cap stocks, indicating a classic bull market scenario [5] - Technical indicators suggest a strong outlook for Nifty, with meaningful support at 25,500 and resistance seen at 25,850–26,000 [5] Active Stocks - Top active stocks by turnover include Adani Power (Rs 2,811 cr), RIL (Rs 2,734 cr), and HDFC Bank (Rs 2,525 cr) [6] - By volume, Vodafone Idea led with 46.85 million shares traded, followed by YES Bank and Suzlon Energy [6] Market Sentiment - Market sentiment was bearish on Friday, with 2,527 stocks declining, 1,641 advancing, and 158 remaining unchanged out of 4,326 stocks traded on the BSE [9] Upcoming Events - A special Muhurat trading session is scheduled for October 21 to mark the beginning of Samvat 2082, with regular trading remaining closed [10] - The upcoming trading week is expected to be event-heavy, with quarterly earnings from major companies like Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank likely to set the market tone [10]

Core Insights - During market turbulence, investors often seek dividend-yielding stocks, which typically have high free cash flows and offer substantial dividends [1] Group 1: Company Ratings and Analyst Insights - Infosys Ltd (NYSE:INFY) has a dividend yield of 3.14%. BMO Capital analyst Keith Bachman maintained a Market Perform rating and raised the price target from $18 to $20, with an accuracy rate of 79%. Stifel analyst David Grossman maintained a Hold rating and reduced the price target from $18 to $17, with an accuracy rate of 65% [7] - Texas Instruments Inc (NASDAQ:TXN) has a dividend yield of 3.24%. Citigroup analyst Christopher Danely maintained a Buy rating but cut the price target from $260 to $235, with an accuracy rate of 80%. B of A Securities analyst Vivek Arya downgraded the stock from Neutral to Underperform and reduced the price target from $208 to $190, with an accuracy rate of 82% [7] - Skyworks Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:SWKS) has a dividend yield of 3.81%. Citigroup analyst Atif Malik maintained a Sell rating and raised the price target from $63 to $66, with an accuracy rate of 83%. Susquehanna analyst Christopher Rolland maintained a Neutral rating and increased the price target from $60 to $75, with an accuracy rate of 77% [7] Group 2: Recent Company News - Infosys reported better-than-expected quarterly results on October 16, 2025 [7] - Texas Instruments appointed CEO Haviv Ilan as board chairman effective January 2026, succeeding Rich Templeton [7] - Skyworks appointed Phil Carter as chief financial officer on August 25, 2025 [7]

Core Viewpoint - Infosys has a lower P/E ratio compared to the IT Services industry average, suggesting potential undervaluation or weaker future performance expectations [5]. Group 1: P/E Ratio Analysis - The P/E ratio is a tool for assessing a company's market performance against historical earnings and industry standards [4]. - Infosys's P/E ratio is lower than the industry aggregate P/E of 31.25, indicating it may be undervalued [5]. - A low P/E ratio can imply either undervaluation or weak growth prospects, necessitating cautious interpretation [7]. Group 2: Investment Considerations - The P/E ratio should be evaluated alongside other financial metrics, industry trends, and qualitative factors for comprehensive analysis [7]. - Investors are encouraged to adopt a holistic approach to assess a company's financial health for informed decision-making [7].

Core Insights - Infosys raised its revenue forecast for the current fiscal year after reporting stronger-than-expected results for the July-September quarter [1] - The company is experiencing a slow revival in client spending despite facing challenges from global uncertainties and trade tensions [3][4] Financial Performance - Infosys reported a 13.19% year-on-year increase in net profit to 73.6 billion rupees ($837.7 million) for the July-September quarter, surpassing analyst expectations [4] - Revenue rose 8.5% year-on-year to 444.9 billion rupees, exceeding forecasts of 439.29 billion rupees [4] Revenue Outlook - The company now expects revenue growth of 2% to 3% on a constant-currency basis for the current financial year, up from the previous forecast of 1% to 3% [3][4] - Infosys continues to make strategic investments to ensure business resilience amid high uncertainty [5]

Core Insights - The article revisits Infosys Limited, an Indian IT services and consulting company, after a two-year interval, indicating a focus on providing objective, data-driven research primarily on small- to mid-cap companies while also considering large-cap firms for a broader market perspective [1] Company Overview - Infosys Limited is recognized for its IT services and consulting offerings, which are critical in the current digital transformation landscape [1] Market Context - The analysis reflects a trend where small- to mid-cap companies are often overlooked by investors, suggesting potential investment opportunities in these segments [1]

Core Insights - The article discusses Infosys Limited, an Indian IT services and consulting company, highlighting its performance and market position over the past two years [1]. Company Overview - Infosys Limited is noted for providing IT services and consulting, with a focus on small- to mid-cap companies, while also occasionally analyzing large-cap companies to provide a broader market perspective [1].

Core Viewpoint - Cognizant (CTSH) is currently viewed as a better value opportunity compared to Infosys (INFY) based on earnings outlook and valuation metrics [1][3]. Valuation Metrics - CTSH has a forward P/E ratio of 12.94, while INFY has a forward P/E of 21.19 [5]. - CTSH's PEG ratio is 1.39, indicating a more favorable growth expectation compared to INFY's PEG ratio of 2.80 [5]. - CTSH has a P/B ratio of 2.13, significantly lower than INFY's P/B of 6.13, suggesting that CTSH is undervalued relative to its book value [6]. Earnings Outlook - CTSH has experienced stronger estimate revision activity, indicating a more positive earnings outlook compared to INFY [7]. - The Zacks Rank for CTSH is 2 (Buy), while INFY holds a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell), further supporting the conclusion that CTSH is the superior option for value investors [3][7]. Value Grades - CTSH has earned a Value grade of A, while INFY has a Value grade of C, reflecting the relative attractiveness of their valuations [6].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Company reported a revenue growth of 2.2% sequentially and 2.9% year-on-year in constant currency terms for Q2 FY 2026 [4][8] - Operating margins expanded by 20 basis points sequentially, reaching 21% [10][11] - Free cash flow stood at $1.1 billion, representing 131% of net profit, marking the sixth consecutive quarter above 100% [10][11] - Earnings per share (EPS) in rupee terms grew by 13% year-on-year to INR 17.6 [10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Financial services and manufacturing verticals grew above 5% year-on-year in constant currency for both Q2 and H1 [9][13] - The company signed 23 large deals during the quarter, with significant contributions from financial services and manufacturing [12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Europe experienced growth greater than 5% year-on-year in constant currency terms [9] - The company added 8,000 employees during the quarter, bringing total headcount to 332,000 [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company announced a revenue growth guidance of 2%-3% for the financial year, with operating margin guidance remaining at 20%-22% [7][17] - Strategic focus on AI capabilities has positioned the company as a leading enterprise AI services provider, with over 2,500 generative AI projects [18][20] - The company is pursuing a joint venture with Versant in Australia, which is expected to close later this year [7][78] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted strong client focus on deploying AI for growth and cost-efficiency programs [4][5] - The company anticipates seasonal factors impacting growth in H2, with lower working days and higher furloughs expected [88] - Management expressed confidence in navigating the changing visa landscape through localization and nearshoring strategies [52][54] Other Important Information - The company announced an INR 18,000 crore buyback through a tender route at INR 1,800 per share, expected to be completed in Q3 [12] - The board approved an interim dividend of INR 23, which is 9.5% higher than the previous year's interim dividend [12] Q&A Session Summary Question: Partnerships with companies building AI capabilities - Management confirmed ongoing partnerships with companies building AI capabilities, focusing on modernization as a significant growth opportunity [30][34] Question: Large deal margins and comfort level - Management stated that while they do not disclose margins separately, they maintain a disciplined approach to large deals to ensure margin profiles are preserved [36] Question: Changes in smaller deal activity - Management indicated no significant changes in smaller deal activity, with a consistent pipeline [39] Question: Impact of H1B visa changes on business model - Management noted that while there is no immediate change, the long-term model will adapt with increased localization and nearshoring [52][54] Question: AI's impact on revenue growth profile - Management highlighted that AI presents both growth opportunities and efficiency improvements, but the current focus is on cost reduction due to economic conditions [69][70]