Stocks to Watch: RIL, PVR, HUL, Bata India, Sun Pharma, Vedanta, LTTS, Auto

Stocks to watch today: Domestic equity markets are looking to start marginally higher on Friday with most markets in the Asia-Pacific trading higher. At 7:45 AM, SGX Nifty was up 24 points at 18,138 levels.

Elsewhere in Asia, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.02 per cent after the nationwide core consumer price index in Japan rose 4 per cent in December on an annualized basis, the fastest pace since 1981. 

The Kospi in South Korea fell 0.21 per cent, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 pared earlier losses to gain 0.13 per cent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 0.85 per cent.

Overnight, stocks on Wall Street fell Thursday as investors grew increasingly concerned the Federal Reserve will keep raising rates despite signs of slowing inflation. The Dow Jones and S&P500 fell 0.7 per cent each, while the Nasdaq Composite shed 0.9 per cent.

Here's a list of stocks that will be in focus on Friday, January 20:

Earnings today: Aether Industries, Aksh Optifibre, Alphalogic Techsys, Atul, Bandhan Bank, Bimbay Wire Ropes, CCL International, Coforge, DCM Shriram, Divyashakti, Integra Essentia, G.G Automotive Gears, HDFC Life, Heritage Foods, Indian Energy Exchange, Indo-city Infotech, IEL, JSW Ebergy, JSW Steel, Kabra Extrusiontechnik, Key Crop, LKP Finance, Lloyds Metals and Energy, LTIMindree, Mishtann Foods, Nelco, Nakoda Group of Industries, N.R International, Onward Technologies, Perfectpac, Petronet LNG, The Phosphate Company, Pil Italica Lifestyle, RBL Bank, Reloance Industries, Reliance Industrial Infrastructure, Rishabh Digha Steel and Allied Products, Ramkrishna Forgings, Saregama India, Sheetal Cool Products, Shakti Pumps India, Shiva Cement, Simplex Mills Company, Simplex Papers, Syschem, Tanfac Industries, Tanla Platforms, Transoceanic Properties, Union Bank of India, Urja Global, Valley Magnesite Company, VCK Capital Market Services, and Yash Trading and Finance are scheduled to report their Q3FY23 results today.

Mphasis: The information technology company's consolidated revenue from operations fell sequentially to Rs 3,506.2 crore in Q3FY23 from Rs 3,519.82 crore reported in Q2FY23. Net profit, meanwhile, slipped to Rs 412.27 crore in the recently concluded quarter vs Rs 418.46 crore seen in Q2FY23. The company said new total contract value (TCV) wins of $401 million in Q3FY23 in Direct, is second highest on record, of which 74 per cent is in new generation service. READ MORE

Hindustan Unilever (HUL): One of India's largest fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, on Thursday, reported a 7.7 per cent rise in net profit during the October-December quarter of 2022-23, beating Street estimates. Its board of directors also approved a new royalty agreement with parent Unilever, subject to appropriate regulatory clearances. With 5 per cent volume growth, the company’s net profit rose to Rs 2,474.0 crore from Rs 2,297.0 crore in the same quarter a year ago. Its revenue grew 16 per cent to Rs 15,343.0 crore from Rs 13,223.0 crore. READ MORE

PVR: The largest multiplex chain in the country posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 16.2 crore in the December quarter, against a loss of Rs 10.2 crore in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. PVR's consolidated revenue from operations rose 53 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 941 crore from Rs 614.2 crore a year ago. READ MORE

Surya Roshni: The company has obtained total order amounted to Rs 147.30 crore (including GST) for supply of API- SL coated pipes and bare pipes from Indian Oil Corporation Limited, and Powder Coated GI pipes from GAIL (India) Limited.

Auto stocks: Automobile stocks may see some action in trade today after the government said that from April 1, all vehicles owned by central and state governments, including buses owned by transport corporations and public sector undertakings, that are older than 15 years will be de-registered and scrapped. READ MORE 

Telecom equipment manufacturers: Shares of related companies, inclundig ITI, Avantel, and Valiant Communications, may react to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw's comments at the World Economic Forum (WEF) that three years from now, India will be a large telecom equipment exporter.   

Choice International: The company's wholl-owned subsidiary, Choice Consultancy Services Private Ltd, has been awarded with a contract amounting to approximately Rs 60 crore under the government's "Jal Jeevan Mission" to provide support for various rural water supply scheme. 

Bata India: The Board of Directors has appointed Anil Somani as the Chief Financial Officer of the company. He has over 25 years of experience, and has worked with organizations like Croma, Walmart, Metro Cash & Carry, etc. READ MORE

Ruby Mills: The company has entered into an agreement with Hines, the global real estate investment, development, and property manager, for Asset upgradation, Management and Marketing.

Sun Pharmaceuticals: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries and Concert Pharmaceuticals Inc have executed a definitive agreement under which Sun Pharma will acquire all outstanding shares of Concert through a tender offer for an upfront payment of $8.00 per share or $576 million in equity value. The upfront payment of $8.00 per share of common stock in cash represents a premium of approximately 33 per cent to Concert's 30-day volume weighted average price. READ MORE

Can Fin Homes: The lender reported a net profit of Rs 151.5 crore in Q3FY23, while net interest income stood at Rs 251.7 crore. Its disbursements were to the tune of Rs 2,444 crore during the December quarter, up 15 per cent year-on-year (YoY). Loan Book, it said, reached Rs 30,115 crore (up over 20 per cent YoY) with a clientele base of 2.31 million.
 
360 ONE: Erstwhile IIFL Wealth Management's Board has approved sub-division of each existing equity share into two equity shares. Separetely, it reported a consolidated profit after tax of Rs 180 crore for Q3FY23, up 16 per cent YoY and 4 per cent QoQ. Total revenues stood marginally higher QoQ at Rs 410 crore. It also annoucned fourth interim dividend for the financial year 2022-23 of Rs 17 per share.

Hindustan Zinc: Kiran Agarwal, chairperson and director of the company, has stepped down from the board w.e.f. January 18, 2023. The Board of Directors has approved the appointment of Priya Agarwal as Additional Director and Chairperson of the company with immediate effect. Meanwhile, the zinc, silver and lead miner said its consolidated Q3 net profit fell 20 per cent YoY to Rs 2,156 crore in Q3 versus Rs 2,701 crore reported in the corresponding period a year ago. READ MORE

Vedanta: Metals and mining major Vedanta on Thursday said that its board had approved the sale of its international zinc assets in South Africa and Namibia to subsidiary Hindustan Zinc (HZL) for $2.98 billion. In a disclosure to the stock exchanges, Vedanta said the transaction would be an all-cash deal, which would be completed in a phased manner over 18 months. READ MORE

Electronics Mart India: Electronics Mart India Limited has commenced the commercial operation of new Multi Brand Store under the brand name 'BAJAJ ELECTRONICS in Hyderabad.  

Jubilant Foodworks: The quick service restaurant (QSR) company informed the exchanges on Thursday that it plans to open 3,000 Domino's stores – 250 stores for Domino's India in the next 12-18 months. It also plans to start 40-50 stores for Popeyes India over the same period. This is planned at a capex of Rs 900 crore. READ MORE

LTTS: L&T Technology Services, on Thursday, reported a 22 per cent increase in net profit to Rs 303.6 crore for Q3FY23. The revenue of the company, meanhwile, improved by 21.4 per cent to Rs 2,048.6 crore.

Brooks Labs: The Board of Directors of the Ccmpany will inter alia be considering the proposal of Right Issue of Equity Shares at its meeting scheduled to be held on January 25, 2023.

HIL: Dhirup Roy Choudhary, the company's managing director and CEO, has resigned, and will step down on January 31, 2023. The Board has approved the appointment of Akshat Seth as the MD and CEO of the company effective February 01, 2023.