Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), one of India’s top FMCG giants, saw its stock price rise up to 2 percent on the NSE on April 24, 2025, even after it reported a decline of 3.7% year-on-year in net profit for the quarter ended March 2025 (Q4FY25). The company posted a net profit of Rs 2,464 crore for the fourth quarter, down from the Rs 2,558 crore reported during the same period last year.

At the time of publishing, the HUL stock was trading at Rs 2,469, marking a 1.86 percent intraday gain, reflecting positive investor sentiment despite the profit dip. This reaction possibly indicates confidence in the company’s long-term fundamentals, as well as expectations of recovery in rural demand and margin improvement ahead.

HUL’s Q4 results come amidst a broader earnings season where investors are actively responding to forward-looking commentary, pricing strategy shifts, and volume growth trends in key consumption categories. Even with the profit dip, investors seem to be focusing on stability in operations, cost efficiency, and management’s outlook for FY26.

Axis Bank in green ahead of Q4 earnings

Axis Bank, one of the leading private sector lenders in India, also traded in the green during early market hours. The share was up 0.44% at Rs 1,212.2 apiece on the NSE, as investors await its Q4 FY25 financial results to be announced later in the day.

There’s strong anticipation around the bank's net interest income (NII), credit growth, and asset quality performance. Analysts expect Axis Bank to deliver steady profitability, with focus on margin expansion and retail loan book growth. The broader banking sector has remained resilient, and improved credit demand, along with lower slippages, may further strengthen investor confidence.

Moreover, recent trends in loan disbursements, digital banking adoption, and net profit projections are expected to be key metrics investors will watch closely in the earnings report.

Nestle India and Tech Mahindra rise ahead of earnings

Shares of Nestle India and Tech Mahindra were also among the top gainers on April 24, 2025, as investors speculated on positive earnings surprises in the March quarter.

Nestle India was trading 2.79% higher at Rs 2,501.3 per share, reflecting optimism over volume-led growth and strong demand in the food and beverage segment. The company is expected to report healthy margins, supported by stabilizing raw material costs and premium product launches in key urban markets.

Tech Mahindra stock also edged higher, rising 0.83% to Rs 1,451.5, as investors expect sequential improvement in revenue and commentary on large deal wins, digital transformation business, and turnaround strategy for its communications vertical. Tech Mahindra has recently been repositioning itself to gain momentum in cloud services, AI, and enterprise automation, making this earnings season crucial for its future growth narrative.

Market sentiment and sectoral momentum

Despite a mixed set of early results, the Nifty FMCG, Bank, and IT indices traded in the positive zone, highlighting investor optimism heading into a critical earnings-heavy week. Traders are closely monitoring how major companies across sectors are navigating margin pressures, inflation headwinds, rural slowdown, and global uncertainties.

The stock market’s resilience is also attributed to strong domestic demand, government-led capex, and increasing retail participation. With investors pricing in sectoral outperformance, companies with stable earnings visibility and strong guidance are likely to be favoured in the near term.

Conclusion

To sum up:

• HUL’s stock defied its Q4 profit drop and gained as investors focused on the company’s strategic resilience.

• Axis Bank and other lenders are under watch as banking results begin rolling in.

• Pre-result optimism for Nestle and Tech Mahindra drove their share prices higher, indicating that investors are pricing in positive surprises.

The next few sessions are expected to be volatile but opportunity-rich, especially as more frontline companies announce their quarterly results. Investors and analysts will be closely tracking commentary on demand recovery, export exposure, input cost trends, and corporate capex plans for clues about India Inc's roadmap for FY26.

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